.xls is my executable

[wadelester]

My application is .xls

i do not have a .exe file to start my program, it is a .xls

[Cosmin]

Hi,

If you are referring to the "Custom Action Wizard", please note that it has the option "Open another kind of file". This option allows you to open any type of file you need (including .XSL).

Also, you can open an .XSL file by using a "Launch file or open URL" predefined custom action in the Custom Actions page. Simply schedule it under the standard action you want (for example "Install") and set the "Command Line" field to the path of the file.

However, if you are referring to the "Launch Your Application" checkbox on "ExitDialog" in the Dialogs page, then you can also select any file you want. Here are the steps:
- go to the "Dialogs" page and select the "Launch application at the end of installation" checkbox
- in the "Choose installation file" dialog set the "Files of type" combo to "All files (*.*)"
- select the .XSL file
- click the "OK" button

Regards,
Cosmin

[wadelester]

the installer has made all of my .xls sheets read only!

Please help

[Cosmin]

Hi,

Please note that Advanced Installer doesn't automatically mark the files as Read only. Make sure that the files are not marked as Read only before you add the to your project. Also, make sure that the Read Only attribute is not set for the files in the "Files and Folders" page.

Note that if the package is installed by an administrator in a per-machine location (for example "Program Files") and a normal user tries to modify them, most likely he will not have enough privileges to write into them.

Regards,
Cosmin

[wadelester]

Cosmin

I have written the installer and my original files are not read only going into installer. I can install my files on windows xp and files are ok, but when i install on windows vista it converts files to read only and my program will not operate
and read only attribute is not checked on .aip

please advise

[Cosmin]

Hi,

I cannot reproduce this behavior on my test machines. Have you tried this on multiple Vista machines? Do you have Administrator privileges when you are trying to access the files? Also, are you their owner (was the package installed under the account in which you are trying to access the files)?

Can you please send us a small test case which shows this behavior to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can investigate it? The test case should contain:
- the AIP file
- the resulted MSI
- a couple of files which are not read-only, but they are installed as read-only

Regards,
Cosmin

[wadelester]

I have emailed the files as you requested a few days ago and no one has responded, I must resolve this because we a re ready to laucnh our product next week and this Read only issue is the only thing holding us back

[Cosmin]

Hi Wade,

I apologize for the delay.

I investigated the behavior you encountered and it is caused by the way Vista works. Basically, on Vista even if you are an Administrator you don't have full privileges. Therefore, when you access files in restricted locations (like "Program Files" or "Windows"), you may be prompted for elevation (something similar to "Run as Administrator").

Since the package is installed per-machine, the installation is done on the local system account. Therefore, the user which installs the package doesn't have write privileges for the installed files. For any other folder the user could use the "Run as Administrator" option. However, the "Program Files" folder doesn't allow this.

The solution is to set permissions for the .XSL file in your project. The permissions should be for writing privileges or full control and they should be set for [USERNAME] (the user which runs the package).

I'm not sure if it will work, but you could also try to require Administrator privileges when running the installation package. This can be done by using the Execution Level combo in the Bootstrapper tab of the "Media" page.

Regards,
Cosmin