I had asked this question previously for IS2013 or IS2012, but I could not find the original post for reference.
In any case I am looking for a way to list all of the packages that will be installed on the Ready To Install wizard page. I know that there are properties for Features, and I looked through 2014 help documentation for a similar property for Packages.
Does 2014 include the ability to determine the state of the package without having a series of custom actions to determine if the all of the conditions, detection and eligibility, for each potential package is true or false.
If not, then I would like to reiterate my vote to include this as a request for the next version of InstallShield Premier.
Note that I do not make use of a feature tree for our application as it does not make sense. We have just one main package that is always installed. The user only specifies if this install is for the server computer or the client computer. All other files are dependencies but if a user already has .NET Framework installed, then that package does not get installed, or if the vcruntime is already installed, then we do not install this.
You would think it would be fairly easy to determine the package state programmatically, and add the package name to a property that will display in a text box to indicate all packages that are scheduled to install.
This is not available at this time, and unfortunately I don't have any great workarounds. If you split up subfeatures per package, you could query their requested states, but not whether the package within them was present or going to be installed. If you don't, you're left with duplicating detection conditions. Are you trying to replicate the prerequisite dialog of Basic MSI projects, or do you intend to report on all packages (whether dependency or primary)?
In some sense I am trying to replicate some behavior of the prerequisites dialog in that I believe it is courteous to display the name of all packages that will modify a given system in UI mode. This allows the user to make an informed decision if the updates are appropriate for a given system.
Currently I just write "Common system prerequisites", "SQL Server 2012 Express", "Main Application" on the Ready to Install dialog. If our particular instance of SQL Server 2012 Express exists, or if this is a client installation; then I display a different text box with just the common prerequisites and main application listed. So at least the largest installation package is isolated.
Common System Prerequisites can be: Windows Installer 4.5, .NET 3.5, .NET 4.0, C++ Runtime (2005, 2008, 2010), etc.
Is there an appropriate forum where I can submit a feature request for future editions?
Officially the correct channel is through your support contact; I'm told that gives you some visibility into the current status of the report. I also have access to file requests, but then you would not get that visibility. Let me know if you're not going to go the support channel route, and I can file this one. I think I have enough details to make it a clear request.
