Is it possible...?

[DDoutel]

Hi folks,

We're evaluating InstallShield 2012 Spring, and one of the requirements for us is to be able to build installers with absolutely no interface. It seems that when I remove all dialogs from a InstallScript installer I'm building for evaluation purposes (it needs to duplicate one we did with another product), I get exceptions thrown on running it. On looking in the one and only script, there is literally no code at all, and the debugger doesn't seem to be able to help here.

So...is it possible to build installers without interfaces, as in silent, no-user-intervention installers with this package?

Thanks in advance!
DDoutel

[phill_mn]

Which kind of project?

I am more familiar with InstallScript projects than MSI. I have built InstallScript projects without dialogs by overloading (or modifying) the standard handlers. I have heard of folks making headless MSI setups. So tell us which why you are trying to go.

[DDoutel]

phill_mn wrote:
Which kind of project?

I am more familiar with InstallScript projects than MSI. I have built InstallScript projects without dialogs by overloading (or modifying) the standard handlers. I have heard of folks making headless MSI setups. So tell us which why you are trying to go.

Bingo; headless InstallScript MSI project.

Thanks!
DDoutel

[phill_mn]

In an InstallScript project create your project and define your features, components, etc. When I create a headless setup it is usually a setup that I want to run on a target and not register for maintenance mode with ARP. Set that setting in the IDE under Project\Properties to disable Maintenance and Update mode (if that is the behavior you need).

In the InstallScript editor, select the Setup.exe and at the top of the editor there is a drop down for the default handlers. You will want to select OnFirstUIBefore and OnFirstUIAfter. If you have Maintenance and Update mode there are similar handlers for those modes. Edit these files to skip past the dialogs. Often folks leave the code there and just comment out each call related to the dialog to suppress.

In OnFirstUIBefore if you do not call one of the Setup Type dialogs, then you must specifically set the setup type. See FeatureSetupTypeSet.

You may want to also override some of the other handlers like OnCancel, etc.

[DDoutel]

phill_mn wrote:
In an InstallScript project create your project and define your features, components, etc. When I create a headless setup it is usually a setup that I want to run on a target and not register for maintenance mode with ARP. Set that setting in the IDE under Project\Properties to disable Maintenance and Update mode (if that is the behavior you need).

In the InstallScript editor, select the Setup.exe and at the top of the editor there is a drop down for the default handlers. You will want to select OnFirstUIBefore and OnFirstUIAfter. If you have Maintenance and Update mode there are similar handlers for those modes. Edit these files to skip past the dialogs. Often folks leave the code there and just comment out each call related to the dialog to suppress.

In OnFirstUIBefore if you do not call one of the Setup Type dialogs, then you must specifically set the setup type. See FeatureSetupTypeSet.

You may want to also override some of the other handlers like OnCancel, etc.

Excellent! concise and to the point; many, many thanks, phill_mn!

Best Regards,
DDoutel