Windows Installer - freeware authoring tool, free MSI creation software

Licensing Issues:

• Will my order be secure?
• Do you offer a 30-day money back guarantee?

Installation Issues:

• What is the minimum Windows Installer version required to run Advanced Installer?

Advanced Installer - Java:

• I built a Java application package using Advanced Installer. Do I still need to include the JAR file that contains my application code?
• We've noticed that, if a Java-based application made with Advanced Installer is still running when you shut down Windows XP, the application appears to "hang". That is, Windows warns you that the application hasn't exited, and starts the timer to kill it. Does the Advanced Installer native launcher listen for shutdown messages and pass them along to the JVM? If not, is there a workaround?
• I realized that in the arguments to the JVM, I accidentally put an argument to the Main class object. Is there a place to put such arguments, i.e. arguments that would normally go on the command line?
• Does Advanced Installer allow me to include the JRE in my installation package?

Advanced Installer:

• I am experimenting with Advanced Installer and everything is working fine, except I can't make the MSI package to install a shortcut on the target machine desktop. How can I do this?
• I need to add some shortcuts to my application - for example I want a "Visit my webpage" shortcut that links to my URL file. Is that possible?
• My application uses several DLL and OCX files. How can I register those files?
• Can I register a DLL or EXE file with the free version of Advanced Installer?
• I have a custom action that runs the application at commit, but it picks the wrong working directory to start the program from. How can I specify the right directory?
• Is it possible to store the product version in the registry at install?
• I want to display a License and require the user to click on an "Accept" button before the installation proceeds. Is this possible?
• I am trying to retrieve the TARGETDIR of the msi file using a custom action dll. I am using the MsiGetTargetPath() function which should return the full target path. But it is returning a empty string only (with a ERROR_SUCCES code).
• When I try to build my project, I get the following error: "Exception - failure opening fileto be stored in cabinet". What does this mean?

Will my order be secure?

Yes! In order to protect our customers, the order forms on our web site are run on a secure server, utilizing encryption technology to safeguard all credit card transactions from unauthorized viewing. We use industry-standard SSL encryption.

Do you offer a 30-day money back guarantee?

Yes! If you are dissatisfied with our service for any reason within 30 days of your purchase, send us an email and request cancellation of your license and a full refund will be granted to you, no questions asked.

Q: I built a Java application package using Advanced Installer. Do I still need to include the JAR file that contains my application code?

Yes, the JAR file must be installed on the target machine. Advanced Installer is only an installer, not a compiler. It provides you with a native Java launcher, but the executed code is still the java code from your JAR file.

We've noticed that, if a Java-based application made with Advanced Installer is still running when you shut down Windows XP, the application appears to "hang". That is, Windows warns you that the application hasn't exited, and starts the timer to kill it. Does the Advanced Installer native launcher listen for shutdown messages and pass them along to the JVM? If not, is there a workaround?

The message loop is inside the Java VM and the launcher exits when the VM exits. So it is the java application's resposability to get the shutdown messages.

I realized that in the arguments to the JVM, I accidentally put an argument to the Main class object. Is there a place to put such arguments, i.e. arguments that would normally go on the command line?

The arguments for the Main class object are completely different from the arguments passed to the JVM. You have to create in your package a new shortcut for your application (a shortcut to the Main class object) - use the NewShortcut icom from the toolbar in the Files and Folders page. You have to set the arguments you want to pass to the Main class object in the Arguments text field from the NewShortcut dialog.

Does Advanced Installer allow me to include the JRE in my installation package?

Go to the Files and Folders Page and create a directory named "jre" in the same folder with the Java Product you defined. Then, from a Sun JRE distribution, copy the files your application requires. Please check out Sun's redistribution license first!

I am experimenting with Advanced Installer and everything is working fine, except I can't make the MSI package to install a shortcut on the target machine desktop. How can I do this?

You just have to create a new shortcut using the toolbar button or the context menu in the Files and Folders page. In the New Shortcut dialog box, click the Browse... button to change the Directory to Desktop.

I need to add some shortcuts to my application - for example I want a "Visit my webpage" shortcut that links to my URL file. Is that possible?

You have to create a shortcut on your disk to that webpage. Then add this shortcut file in your installation package.

My application uses several DLL and OCX files. How can I register those files?

In order to mark files for self-register, first you must use an Advanced Installer 0.3 version or higher. In the Files and Folders Page, edit the properties of the files you want to register (double click them or use the Properties toolbar button). Check the Auto Register File checkbox. That's all!

Can I register a DLL or EXE file with the free version of Advanced Installer?

Yes, you can, but only the DLL files that export the llRegisterServer and DllUnregisterServer functions.

I have a custom action that runs the application at commit, but it picks the wrong working directory to start the program from. How can I specify the right directory?

In Windows Installer there is no way to specify the working directory for custom actions. But you don't have to depend on the working directory for your application's operation. In win32 you can use GetModuleFileName() to get the path to your EXE file. In Java you can find out the JAR's path with URl url = getClass().getClassLoader().getResource("com/mycomp/myapp/MyClass.class"). Also, in Windows Installer, you can author a registry entry with [TARGETDIR] as value and then read it from your custom action. From Advanced Installer 1.5 you can start the installed application after the installation with a built-in custom action triggered from the UI.

What is the minimum Windows Installer version required to run Advanced Installer?

Advanced Installer requires Windows Installer 2.0 to run. Windows Installer 2.0 is included in SP4 and in Windows XP or higher. For all the other Windows OS versions, you will have to install it yourself.

Is it possible to store the product version in the registry at install?

You have to build a custom action to do this job. The custom action can get the product version from [ProductVersion] property in your package.

I want to display a License and require the user to click on an "Accept" button before the installation proceeds. Is this possible?

Yes. In the Dialogs page, right-click on the Start section of the tree and select to add the License Agreement dialog from the Add Dialog dialog box.

I am trying to retrieve the TARGETDIR of the msi file using a custom action dll. I am using the MsiGetTargetPath() function which should return the full target path. But it is returning a empty string only (with a ERROR_SUCCES code).

All the custom actions you can add to the project are deferred custom action. This means you only have access to a limited amount of information about Installer database inside these custom actions. For detailed information see "Obtaining Context Information for Deferred Execution Custom Actions" in MSDN Library. One solution is to make your custom action an EXE file and pass as command line arguments the parameter [TARGETDIR]. Other solution is to store the [TARGETDIR] in a registry key. You must add an entry in the registry section HKLM\SOFTWARE\MYCO\MYAPP with a Name (e.g. MyName) and the Value [TARGETDIR].

When I try to build my project, I get the following error: "Exception - failure opening fileto be stored in cabinet". What does this mean?

It means that one of the files required to build the installation is missing (it has been deleted or moved from/on your disk), so it can't be opened for storing inside your CAB file. Click on the Files and Folders page to find out the missing file. This file will have a special icon and "???" as size.