In Minor Upgrade, Dynamic File Linking: removing a file

[scottd72]

I have a minor upgrade and one of the folders has dynamic file linking setup. There is a file that was included in the previous install but should not be included in the minor upgrade. I have removed that file from the source folder. When I go to build the minor upgrade project I get an error because the file does not appear in the RemoveFile table and another error that the component is missing from the newest version of my setup.

I have set my Previous Package in the Releases view properly. How can you remove files in a minor upgrade when using dynamic file linking?

Thanks.

[scottd72]

To answer my own question, incase anyone else is interested, I've contacted support about this and there is no automated way to do it, and that's really too bad.

If you enter each file that is being removed in the RemoveFile table it will work, but 1. that defeats part of the purpose of dynamic file linking, and 2. If you have a lot of files that are being removed in the upgrade it is very cumbersome to do this.

I'm thinking it is better to release an install that has no dynamic file linking.

[Vijay__K]

Hi,
Yes, that's right, the remove file tanble can be used.

There is also a trick to remove the whole directory, you need to leave the filename in the table empty.
This method can be used to remove alot of files, then once the upgarde continues, you can put other files that are needed back using a new component or such.

Regards,
Vijay

[1Gunn1]

Vijay__K wrote:
Hi,
Yes, that's right, the remove file tanble can be used.

There is also a trick to remove the whole directory, you need to leave the filename in the table empty.
This method can be used to remove alot of files, then once the upgarde continues, you can put other files that are needed back using a new component or such.

The drawback to this method though is that you may be inadvertantly removing files that the user created after they originally installed your product...and that might not be a good idea. Just something to consider...

[Vijay__K]

1Gunn1 wrote:
The drawback to this method though is that you may be inadvertantly removing files that the user created after they originally installed your product...and that might not be a good idea. Just something to consider...

Ummm, not if you select specific files to be removed... you don't always need to use dynamic links.

Or if the user has edited a files that has been installed, thenif should be backed up somehow. The user shouldn;t really make changes to the program files, files.

I described a method of removing files using the remove file table, best practices or do's and dont's are a different story...

[cbarlow]

I've run into the same issue. I put the dynamically linked files in the RemoveFile table but InstallShield still gives me the error that they are missing. I've seen the Microsoft documentation for the RemoveFile table, but still no luck. Maybe someone here can help:

Here's what I've done--

FileKey: The file as referenced in the log file (e.g. _129A200AD62618DB481DBCCD01EF6E5B)

Component: The component as listed in the second column of the File table (e.g. _C1CEA82291ADCF15B1DA8EB13A805C21)

FileName: The file name as listed in the third column of the File table (e.g. ludlow.tfw)

DirProperty: The directory as listed in the third column of the component table (e.g. _65D192058DA9487E94DC4D605CE4ED8B)

InstallMode: 3


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-Clark