Installshield- installing on other computers in the network

[chenKahana]

Hi,

How can I create an installer that installs files on a remote computer on my local network?

[Jenifer]

Hi @chenKahana ,

You can  achieve it by directly passing Destination property of component as networksystem path(UNC).If the path is  shared & exists already:

• create feature->Component->Add Files
• Set destination property as \\<MachineName>\Shared_RW\ 

If you want to create new folder on shared computer you might need to do additional steps like create that folder first via code or custom action.

I had attached sample code that will create network share folder via installscript.

Thanks,

Jenifer

[chenKahana]

Hi,

OK, that solution made it so the requested destination folder is created but the files are no where to be found.

so, I have three follow-up questions:

1. Why do I get an XML editing error (27519) when i try to edit the XML file that I want to install on the computer?

2. How can I crate only one component with two files of XML I want to edit (currently every time I add a file to XML File Changes it crate a new component.

3. Why can't I enter a property to the destination path for the component? I want it to be generic and have a combo box in one of the dialog change it, but when I enter [MY_PROPERTY] to the destination it writes the property's value.

Thanks!

Chen

[Jenifer]

Hi @chenKahana ,

Did the previous solution work?Were you able to install files on remote machine?

Answering to your queries:

•  Why do I get an XML editing error (27519) when i try to edit the XML file that I want to install on the computer?
• Answer-This might be mostly due to xml file having read-only attribute,since it is unable to write/edit file
• How can I crate only one component with two files of XML I want to edit (currently every time I add a file to XML File Changes it crate a new component.-
• Answer:If you are creating newxml file or importing xml it will always create new component.
  • You can solve this by going to direct editor view->IsXmlFile table->Change the component name that you already have with file name being matching
• Why can't I enter a property to the destination path for the component? I want it to be generic and have a combo box in one of the dialog change it, but when I enter [MY_PROPERTY] to the destination it writes the property's value.
• Answer:This can be achieved by following guidelines given in this KB article:
• https://community.flexera.com/t5/InstallShield-Knowledge-Base/Creating-a-Custom-Destination-Path/ta-p/3892 where you set value of MY_CUSTOM_PATH via install-script function in case of installscript MSI projects:

  STRING svPropValue;
  NUMBER nSize;
  MsiGetProperty (ISMSI_HANDLE , "dirproperty", svPropValue, nSize); 
  FeatureSetTarget ( MEDIA , "MY_CUSTOM_PATH" , svPropValue );

For basic MSI:

STRING svPropValue;
NUMBER nSize;
MsiGetProperty (hMsi , "dirproperty", svPropValue, nSize); //Assuming that dirproperty is the property value where you has saved custom path
FeatureSetTarget ( MEDIA , "MY_CUSTOM_PATH" , svPropValue );

Thanks,

Jenifer

[chenKahana]

Hi,

• Answer-This might be mostly due to XML file having read-only attribute,since it is unable to write/edit file

Sadly this is probably not the case, the file doesn't have that attribute.

Any ideas why else?

Thanks,

Chen

[Jenifer]

Hi @chenKahana ,

The most probable reason would be that only,even though it appears to be Read-only disabled in source location,it  might be turning as read-only flag enabled in TARGETDIR location.(Since your scenario is network system related)

Can you try the below steps and check whether that works for you:

1) Please navigate to Custom actions and Sequence view
2) Navigate to "ISXmlInstall" custom action
3) Set the ISXmlInstall custom action's In-script execution to "Deferred execution"

Let me know if this helps,

Thanks,

Jenifer