running merge module in post install

[garyb101]

I have an installer, that when completed successfully, I would like to give the user the option of running the product config tool. This config tool just happens to be a IA installer as well.

My first thought was to run the installer from the parent install as a merge module. The problem is "Install Merge Module" is not available from the post install actions.

If I just execute the installer binary, it just runs in the background. For GUI installs, I can spawn to another window, but that does not help me for running in console mode.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[pv7721]

Well, I'm not sure that I've understood everything here: your config tool is another IA installer? In that case, I'm not sure that you can call it a config tool, it's only a 2nd installer. Anyway, in order to have it work in console mode, all you need to do is to add support for the console mode in the 2nd installer and when in the 1st installer you can detect the original installation mode and launch the 2nd installer in the appropriate manner:

./2ndinstaller.bin -i console

[garyb101]

thanks for the reply.

the reason I called it a config tool, is because the installer installs nothing. I just asks the user a bunch of quesitons and then modifies a bunch property files(and run some background taks). I moved this from the core install because this is something the user can run numerous times.

I assume you are implying that I use the execute script or Execute Target File. the issue with those is the installer is launched in the background and the user will not have access to the wizard.

[pv7721]

Well, in way it makes sense... and in another one it confuses me more!... 🙂 So you run another installer, which actually does everything in the pre-install task, depending on the user input... right (as you said the 2nd installer asks the end-user a bunch of questions). But on the other hand you said it is launched in background and the user doesn't have access to it?!? Isn't it a contradiction here?

What I meant is: you have installer 1 which can be run in either GUI or console mode, right? In the first case everything is ok, the 2nd installer is run in the GUI mode too, so no problem here, right? The issue you have is what to do in case the 1st installer is run in console mode? Well, in this case you have to detect the mode the 1st installer has been run and run the 2nd installer in console mode (as the first installer). Unfortunately, this means you'll need to duplicate panels into consoles.

[garyb101]

Thanks, I will try and clarify this a bit better

assume console mode only for now.

1) The main product install asks a few questions (license, install_location, etc)
2) It installs all the product files (including the "config tool")
3) Only if the install is successful, I am prompting the user "Do you want to run the config tool now". This is done in the post install section of the installer....the installer summary panel to be exact.
4) If they say yes, I would like to fire up the config tool. The problem I see is I don't see a method to launch the second installer in which it doesn't spawn as a background task. (i.e. the customer would not be able to access the installer screens)

What action were you thinking about using to spawn the second installer?

[pv7721]

I already said it here: http://community.flexerasoftware.com/showpost.php?p=458248&postcount=2 That should launch the 2nd installer in console mode, too... Then it is hard to say why the 2nd installer launches in background mode (silent mode you mean?) without seeing the .iap_xml project.