Can't "repair" from control panel?

[rconn]

In Vista Ultimate x86:

If I start Control Panel / Programs and Features, select one of my apps, and then select "repair", I get a popup from Windows Installer that says:

"The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.

Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package 'tcmd.msi' in the box below."

If I run the installer directly, it displays the "Modify / Repair / Uninstall" dialog and I can select "Repair" and it runs successfully.

Rex Conn
JP Software

[rconn]

Further note: it doesn't seem to happen on an .MSI, only on a bootstrapper .EXE.

Rex Conn
JP Software

[gigi]

Hi Rex,

The behavior you encounter is related to the fact that original MSI file (used on repair to copy the files) was not found on the computer. If you create an EXE with all files in it, when install, the MSI file is extracted to a temp location and install from there.

The location where the EXE is extracted is located in the "Media" page, "Extract Location" field. Also you have the option to keep the extracted files in case an repair is needed. This option is not selected by default.

So you need to check the "Do not delete extracted MSI and CAB files" option from "Bootstrapper" page.

Regards,
Gigi
______________
Gheorghe Rada
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com

[rconn]

Hi Gigi:

Curiously, the "Do not delete extracted MSI and CAB files" option (along with the "Extract Location" field) was disabled in the Media page. I clicked the "Create EXE setup file" checkbox off and on and and reselected the "Include install files in EXE" option and they became enabled (with "[AppDataFolder][|Manufacturer]\[|ProductName]\install" appearing in the "Extract Location" field.

At the same time, the prompt text in several of the fields became garbled (overwritten). I closed AI & restarted it and now it seems all right (with the fields enabled). Not sure what happened; if it happens again I'll try to determine the steps to reproduce the glitch.

Rex Conn
JP Software

[ChrisGue]

I would not use
[AppDataFolder][|Manufacturer]\[|ProductName]\install
because
- on vista as user with no admin right this cannot be accessed and though will result in a error box
- this is in the roaming profile and though would be synced with the server with a server profile
I would prefer:
e.g.
[CommonFilesFolder]\[|Manufacturer]\[|ProductName]\Installer

[Ionut]

Hi Chris,

I would not use
[AppDataFolder][|Manufacturer]\[|ProductName]\install
because
- on vista as user with no admin right this cannot be accessed and though will result in a error box
- this is in the roaming profile and though would be synced with the server with a server profile

Note that the AppDataFolder folder is under the user profile folder and thus, by default, any user has full control over its own "Application Data" folder.

I would prefer:
[CommonFilesFolder]\[|Manufacturer]\[|ProductName]\Installer

The "Common Files" folder is under "Program Files" and hence a non-admin user will not have write/modify access to it.

Regards,
Ionut