we are evaluating the option to convert our project type to "Basic MSI" or "Script MSI" so we could use the "Prerequisite" features for our setup (which includes the installation of SQL Server Express 2008 R2).
So I built a small "Basic MSI" project and choose "SQL Server 2008 R2" as a prerequisite. I tried the setup and everything was allright. Now I added a new test condition (I search for a special registry I just created) so the SQL Server should NOT be installed and it worked as well (SQL Server was not installed) BUT the Setup STILL wanted to install .Net 3.5 which is a dependency for the SQL Server. I don't get it: If I decide NOT to install the SQL Server I expect the setup to ignore all the dependecies for the SQL Server. What is the point in this? I didn't select .Net 3.5 as a prerequisite, only the SQL Server! So why does the setup still wants to install it and how can I avoid this behavior?
If you're using the predefined Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express RTM (x86) prerequisite that ships with InstallShield, .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 is listed among other dependencies for particular versions of the Windows installer (on the Dependency tab when you open the 2008 R2 prq file in the prerequisite editor). I believe it is evaluating the conditions of that prerequisite first, hence the prompt. You can modify the stock 2008 R2 pre-fab prq file to remove this dependency, save a copy of it, and add that prq to your project instead.
we already use our own SQL Express prq, because we needed the german version of it. Nevertheless, we don't want to delete the .Net dependency, because if we WANT to install SQL Express it will need .Net and so the dependency is all right. I just don't get it why installshield would check and install .Net as dependency even if we don't want SQL Express prerequisite to be installed...
