Why can't I add a dialog after SetuptypeDlg ?

[UnstoppableDrew]

I'm building an installer with 3 features, which the user can install any or all of. 2 of the 3 require user input for local customization. I want to add dialog boxes for that input that come after the SetupType so I know which ones to display. The Dialog tree will only add new dialogs BEFORE SetupType, and won't let me reorder them. If I'm using FodlerDlg I can add a dialog immediately before or after it.
Is there any way to accomplish what I'm trying to do ?
Thanks,
Drew

[eyeorg]

I am looking into this same thing....I need to be able to show some "config" type dialogs after they have choosen the setup type, this can only be done after the setup dialog and not before.

It seems that if I want to be able to do this I would have to create all custom dialog screens to recreate the setuptype dialog screen.

Anyone HELP out there?

[Cosmin]

Hi,

This can be done by using control events for the dialogs.
For example:
- in the "Dialogs" page you create a custom dialog named "Custom Dialog"
- on the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog you select the "Typical" button
- in the "Published Events" tab you double-click the "NewDialog" control event and you replace "VerifyReadyDlg" with "Custom Dialog" (you select it in the combo box)
- you repeat this step for the "Custom" and "Complete" buttons
- on the "Custom Dialog" dialog you set the Published Event for the "Next" button to this:

Code: Select all

NewDialog     CustomizeDlg      AI_INSTALL

- these operations will make the custom dialog to be shown after the "SetupType" dialog
- in order to improve functionality you can set the appropriate dialogs for the "Back" buttons on the "Custom Dialog" and "CustomizeDlg" dialogs like in the above steps

You can read more about control events here:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... ditor.html

Regards,
Cosmin

[eyeorg]

So essentially we have to trick the installer into thinking that the dialog is really in a different order. Is there a specific reason why we cannot put them in the correct order and have it work as expected, this seems like a bad design to me.

[Arno]

I initially wondered the same. But the point here is that the actual order/sequence is determined by what's specified in button events. Since the command to go to a different dialog can be placed on virtually any type of button, it is possible to have a non-flat multidirectional sequence which obviously can not be displayed in a treeview in a simple way.

The treeview just shows a generic sequence path. But the actual sequence depends on your button events.

Perhaps an additional feature here could be a button that shows a graphical display of the actual sequence, much like the graphical overview of a relational database model. (And showing the condition for each dialog transition to boot)

[Cosmin]

Hi,

Is there a specific reason why we cannot put them in the correct order and have it work as expected, this seems like a bad design to me.

We are using these restrictions in order to maintain the efficiency and functionality of the dialogs used in the installation.

Let's take the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog as an example:

The dialogs you see in the "First Time Install" directory are the main dialogs of the installation. If you click their plus ("+") signs you can see their child dialogs (which are launched by controls on the parent dialog).

When you add a custom dialog and you want to place it after the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog, this custom dialog can only be a child of the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog (the custom dialog will be launched by a control on the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog).

With this scenario it is impossible for us to determine automatically which button (Typical, Custom, Complete) will launch the custom dialog (the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog had three different outputs).

So essentially we have to trick the installer into thinking that the dialog is really in a different order.

You don't have to trick the installer, you simply customize the dialogs and their order.

The treeview just shows a generic sequence path. But the actual sequence depends on your button events.
Perhaps an additional feature here could be a button that shows a graphical display of the actual sequence, much like the graphical overview of a relational database model.

Note that the sequence shown in the "Dialogs" page is the actual structure and order of the dialogs. This is why when you add a custom dialog after the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog the custom dialog will be moved and will become a child of the "SetupTypeDlg" dialog.

Regards,
Cosmin

[elou]

Hi, is there something new to for this issue, since 2007?
regards, Éric.

[Daniel]

Hello Éric,

No, our "SetupTypeDlg" dialog has the same design as in our older versions of Advanced Installer.

If you have any questions just let us know.

All the best,
Daniel