How to use it with temporary machines in CI?

[udaykiranreddy]

We want to use the installshield license to build our product at the end of CI/CD pipeline in github actions. Where the machines will be on demand and get destroyed at the end of build. So, is there anyway to apply the license on demand basis and release at the end of pipeline with a timeout preferably. Please suggest.   I know we can add our own permanent runners to github actions and use that, which we are doing currently. But we want to use the on-demand temporary machines so that everytime, the machine will be in cleaned state.

[shunt]

I don't think this would be possible with an Installshield node-locked license as this licensing type isn't designed to deal with this type of use.

Installshield does however offer a concurrent licensing model which would allow you to check out a license from the license server for the build and then return it back to the license server before you destroy the machine.

[udaykiranreddy]

I can see below list of products in license portal.

Please let me know which of them will suits the requirement and the steps on utilizing this feature.

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Perpetual License

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Premier Concurrent Perpetual License

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Premier Perpetual License

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Premier Subscription

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Standalone Build Concurrent License Perpetual License

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Standalone Build License Perpetual License

28.0 InstallShield 2022 Standalone Build Subscription

[tomcgeorge]

Hi udaykiranreddy

Nice to meet you. 

We want to automate the installer file build for our application using GitHub Actions as part of the CI/CD pipeline. We are using the InstallShield solution from Revenera to support InstallShield Standalone Build.

We are using this guide to setup an InstallShield Standalone Build with docker so that we can run the docker via GitHub Action to generate the installer file - [https://community.flexera.com/t5/InstallShield-Knowledge-Base/InstallShield-StandAlone-Build-with-Docker/ta-p/127060]

Please see below to see what we did in GitHub Action (OS version: win 2022)

• Enabling virtualization

- name: Enable Virtualization
run: |
Get-ComputerInfo -Property "Bios*","HyperV*"
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -Online
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName containers –All
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V –All
Get-ComputerInfo -Property "Bios*","HyperV*"

• Running InstallShield docker image with a fixed MAC address

docker run --isolation=hyperv --rm --name abc-installer --mac-address ${{env.MAC_ADDRESS}} -e build-version=${{env.BUILD_NO}} -v ${{env.SOURCE_MOUNT_PATH}}:c:\abc\ ${{env.ECR_REGISTRY}}/${{env.ECR_REPOSITORY}}:${{env.IMAGE_TAG}}

But we are faced with the below error: 

Status: Downloaded newer image for ***.dkr.ecr.***.amazonaws.com/formpak-installshield:latest

docker: Error response from daemon: hcs::CreateComputeSystem d9ada95f2caca020f93436711469326d565c1d6703ad945e2d21da80389a78: The virtual machine could not be started because a required feature is not installed.

Error: Process completed with exit code 1.

Any support based on your experience will be much appreciated - please let me know if I can reach you at your email.

Thank you

Tom