An activated version of InstallShield 2011 Express Edition does allow you to generate an .msi file release instead of a Setup.exe release. (In the Releases view, on the Setup.exe tab, you would select No for the Setup Launcher setting.)
However, InstallShield has a number of limitations when you are working in evaluation mode. One of them is that the only output you will be able to generate is Setup.exe (which has the .msi file embedded within it). The following KB article explains this limitation, plus others that you will encounter when you are using InstallShield in evaluation mode: Q200900: Functionality Notes for the Evaluation Version of InstallShield
One more question though: for my Setup I need, alongside of copying file in the programdir, also Desktop and start menu links, an ini files with parameters in application dir of all users, and a file association. All packed in the MSI. Do you see any troubles with this requirements?
Yes, that's all easy to do. After you have added your files, set up the shortcuts, configured the .ini file changes, and set up any file extension associations, you can use the Releases view to build a single .msi file that has everything streamed into it. (I did a quick test for that. In the Releases view, I selected SingleImage, made sure that No was selected for Setup Launcher, and then right-clicked the SingleImage node and clicked Build. InstallShield generated a single .msi file that had everything.)
Thanks, InstallShield seems to be a quite perfect for my needs. I just have to present the outcome of my testing, and then the decision should be made.
