Can different verion patch from different IS work well?

[leo1984]

I am doing a job of investigating whether the IS upgade will cause failure of the deploy software. That is to say, if I make a new version install file(like setup,or msi), with different versions of InstallShield ,can it modify or repair the old one installed in the computer?

For example, if we upgade the InstallShield form 11 to 12, will the same GUID setup file it makes work well? And what about for the other versions?

Thank you!

[leo1984]

WAOH, it seems there are big changes between IS 11.5 and IS 12, while IS 2008 can convert IS12's project correctly and easily, Am I?

[DebbieL]

What project type are you using? Does your project include any InstallScript custom actions? Improvements to the InstallScript architecture were introduced in InstallShield 12. This also means that the changes are in place in InstallShield 2008. If you upgrade an InstallShield 11.5 or earlier project to InstallShield 12 or InstallShield 2008, you may need to make changes to your project because of the architecture changes.

If the project that you are upgrading is currently in InstallShield 11 or InstallShield 11.5, you'll want to review both of the following help topics for changes that may affect you:

Upgrading Projects from InstallShield 11.5 or Earlier

Upgrading Projects from InstallShield 12 or Earlier

Debbie Landers
Macrovision Corporation

[leo1984]

DebbieL wrote:
What project type are you using? Does your project include any InstallScript custom actions? Improvements to the InstallScript architecture were introduced in InstallShield 12. This also means that the changes are in place in InstallShield 2008. If you upgrade an InstallShield 11.5 or earlier project to InstallShield 12 or InstallShield 2008, you may need to make changes to your project because of the architecture changes.

If the project that you are upgrading is currently in InstallShield 11 or InstallShield 11.5, you'll want to review both of the following help topics for changes that may affect you:

Upgrading Projects from InstallShield 11.5 or Earlier

Upgrading Projects from InstallShield 12 or Earlier

Debbie Landers
Macrovision Corporation

Thank you very much for your reply.

My project includes installscript, just to get the user's input and maybe kill some process, I don't know if it is 'InstallScript custom actions'.
While, in fact, the IS we will use is newer than 12, such as 2008 or the future one. So if it won't be changed so huge like from11.5 to 12, it will be OK? I am not sure.
I did a test for 12 and 2008, and it seems 2008 can convert 12 well.(script project)
Thank you again and I need your help for I have so few experiences.

[DebbieL]

So, it sounds like your project is an InstallScript project? (not a Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI project?) (The project type is displayed in the InstallShield title bar when you have the project open.)

If that's the case, you may not need to make any manual changes to your project when you upgrade it. You'll want to review the following help topics to see if any of the changes will affect your project:

Upgrading InstallShield 11.5 or Earlier InstallScript Projects: Review this help topic if you upgrade an InstallShield 11.5 or 11 project to InstallShield 12 or InstallShield 2008.

Upgrading Projects from InstallShield 12 or Earlier: Review this help topic if you are upgrading an InstallShield 11, 11.5, or 12 project to InstallShield 2008.

[leo1984]

DebbieL wrote:
So, it sounds like your project is an InstallScript project? (not a Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI project?) (The project type is displayed in the InstallShield title bar when you have the project open.)

If that's the case, you may not need to make any manual changes to your project when you upgrade it. You'll want to review the following help topics to see if any of the changes will affect your project:

Upgrading InstallShield 11.5 or Earlier InstallScript Projects: Review this help topic if you upgrade an InstallShield 11.5 or 11 project to InstallShield 12 or InstallShield 2008.

Upgrading Projects from InstallShield 12 or Earlier: Review this help topic if you are upgrading an InstallShield 11, 11.5, or 12 project to InstallShield 2008.

Thank you for your reply.

The project I build for tring to use IS is an InstallScript project, and it seems enough for our requiremnt by now. But we have not decided which version IS to buy and build what type project.
What is different between InstallScript MSI project and InstallScript project,please?
Another question, is IS v2008 a steady version, with few bugs?
Or if we buy IS v12 and then we what to upgrage it to 2008 or newer one, how much money should we pay?
Could you answer my questions?

Thank you very much!

[DebbieL]

I don't think that InstallShield 12 is available for purchase anymore, so you'll need to go with InstallShield 2008. InstallShield 2008 is the newer version, and it has new features that are not available in InstallShield 12. It also has fixes for more than 325 customer-reported bugs. For a full list of InstallShield 2008 features, see the release notes.

If you are currently using InstallScript projects and able to do everything that you need to do, you'd probably want to continue using that project type. InstallScript MSI projects use the InstallScript engine for part of the installation, and the Windows Installer engine for part if it. Because this project type uses two different engines, it is more complex than pure InstallScript or Basic MSI installation projects. So shifting to InstallScript MSI from InstallScript may be tricky, especially if you are accustomed to pure InstallScript.

[leo1984]

DebbieL wrote:
I don't think that InstallShield 12 is available for purchase anymore, so you'll need to go with InstallShield 2008. InstallShield 2008 is the newer version, and it has new features that are not available in InstallShield 12. It also has fixes for more than 325 customer-reported bugs. For a full list of InstallShield 2008 features, see the release notes.

If you are currently using InstallScript projects and able to do everything that you need to do, you'd probably want to continue using that project type. InstallScript MSI projects use the InstallScript engine for part of the installation, and the Windows Installer engine for part if it. Because this project type uses two different engines, it is more complex than pure InstallScript or Basic MSI installation projects. So shifting to InstallScript MSI from InstallScript may be tricky, especially if you are accustomed to pure InstallScript.

Thank you very much, your information is very important for me.
And I can give a report to my leader. 🙂