Functionality Notes for the Evaluation Version of InstallShield

[#1]

Summary

This KB explains evaluation-mode limitations.

Synopsis

If you have not purchased a license for InstallShield, you can install it and use it for a limited number of days without activating it. When you are using InstallShield in this scenario, it operates in evaluation mode, and some of its functionality is not available. This KB explains those evaluation-mode limitations.

When you activate InstallShield, the evaluation limitations are removed.

Discussion

Following is a list of the limitations in the evaluation version of InstallShield.

1. Time limit for running InstallShield?The length of the evaluation period is 14 days. If you do not activate InstallShield within 14 days after the first launch, InstallShield will stop working when the evaluation period has ended. You can activate InstallShield at any time before or after the trial period has ended.
   
   The About dialog box in InstallShield shows the number of days remaining in your evaluation period. To access the About dialog box: On the Help menu in InstallShield, click About InstallShield.
2. Time limit for running setups that were created in the evaluation version of InstallShield?If you build an installation in the evaluation version of InstallShield, your installation will stop working after 5 days. If you try to launch your installation after that time period, a message such as the following one is displayed:
   This setup was created with an EVALUATION VERSION of InstallShield. Evaluation setups work for only 5 days after they were built. Please rebuild the setup to run it again.
3. Release type limitations?The evaluation version of InstallShield includes support for building compressed Setup.exe files, but no other release types. If you are creating a Windows Installer?based release, the .msi database is always embedded in the Setup.exe file.
   
   If you configure a release to be uncompressed and then try to build that release in the evaluation version, the uncompressed option is ignored, and InstallShield displays the following build warning:
   Warning -7211: Building a compressed Network Image Setup.exe. All other build types are not allowed in the evaluation mode of InstallShield.
4. Build event limitation?The evaluation version ignores the Precompression Event setting, which is displayed in the InstallShield Premier Edition on the Events tab for a release in the Releases view. If you use this setting to specify a command that you want to be run at build time, InstallShield ignores the command and displays the following build warning:
   Warning -7211: Evaluation mode: skipping precompression build events...
   
   In the full activated version of InstallShield Premier Edition, you can use this setting to specify the command that you want to be run after InstallShield has built the .msi package and the .cab files. This event occurs after .cab files are streamed into the .msi package, but before the .msi package has been digitally signed and streamed into the Setup.exe file. This setting is applicable to Basic MSI and InstallScript MSI projects.
   
   This functionality was introduced in InstallShield 2011. It is not available in earlier versions.
5. Setup.exe command-line limitation?The /a command-line parameter does not work with Setup.exe files that are built in the evaluation version of InstallShield. If you try to pass this parameter to an evaluation Setup.exe file, the following message is displayed:
   This setup was created with an evaluation version of InstallShield, which does not support extraction of the internal MSI file. The full version of InstallShield supports this functionality. For more information, see InstallShield KB article Q200900.
   
   In the full activated versions of InstallShield, the /a option causes Setup.exe to perform an administrative installation. An administrative installation copies (and uncompresses) your data files to a directory that is specified by the user.
6. Limitations for patches and QuickPatch packages?The evaluation version does not let you create patches or QuickPatch packages that are based on Setup.exe files that are created in the evaluation version of InstallShield. If you try to select an evaluation Setup.exe file in one of the following areas of InstallShield, a message box is displayed:
   *Patch Design view (in the Premier or InstallShield editions)
   * Create New QuickPatch Wizard (in the Premier, InstallShield, or Express editions of InstallShield)
   The message box states:
   This setup was created with an evaluation version of InstallShield, which does not support extraction of the internal MSI file. The full version of InstallShield supports this functionality. For more information, see InstallShield KB article Q200900.
   
   Note: You can use the evaluation version of InstallShield to create an upgrade that updates an earlier version of your product.
7. Limitations for .msi and .mst files?If you open an .msi or .mst file in the evaluation version of the Premier or InstallShield edition, the ability to save changes to the file is disabled.

When you activate InstallShield, the aforementioned limitations are removed.