I have 2 applications that depend on some ActiveX/COM DLL's. These DLL's are installed with each setup. Both setups work fine.
When I remove (uinstall) one application it proceeds to remove the dependent DLL's. Since they are removed, the other installed application that depends on them won't work anymore!
Why is this happening? Shouldn't Windows know they are shared DLL's (i.e. when the setup was created and installed those COM DLL's shouldn't it have increased the share count or something so Windows knows other applications are also using them?) That way when one application is removed it just decrements this count rather than uninstalling those files?
Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Frank
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Hi,
The problem resides from the fact that you probably install these Dlls in a different location than Windows\System32 and the components have different GUIDs.
There are two workarounds for your problem:
1. If you install those Dlls in Window\System32 then windows knows that these Dll are shared Dll so with each install/uninstall it increase/decrease the reference count. This is the old reference counting scheme used by windows.
This sharing scheme is also used when the Dlls are installed in a different location than Window\System32 and "Shared Dll Reference count" is selected in the "Organization" page.
2. However it is recommended that you use the new reference counting scheme introduced by Windows Installer. This implies that the components associated to those Dlls have the same GUIDs for both packages.
All the best,
Gigi
_________________
Gheorghe Rada
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com
The problem resides from the fact that you probably install these Dlls in a different location than Windows\System32 and the components have different GUIDs.
There are two workarounds for your problem:
1. If you install those Dlls in Window\System32 then windows knows that these Dll are shared Dll so with each install/uninstall it increase/decrease the reference count. This is the old reference counting scheme used by windows.
This sharing scheme is also used when the Dlls are installed in a different location than Window\System32 and "Shared Dll Reference count" is selected in the "Organization" page.
2. However it is recommended that you use the new reference counting scheme introduced by Windows Installer. This implies that the components associated to those Dlls have the same GUIDs for both packages.
All the best,
Gigi
_________________
Gheorghe Rada
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com
Thank you
The files are actually being installed into the same location, but it's not the Windows\System32 folder. The DLL's are the same and have the same GUIDs. However, I did not know about the "share count" feature in the Orgizational section of Advanced Installer. I will try this and see if it works.
I'm unfamiliar with the "reference counting scheme" you mention that Windows Installer is supposed to use. I'd much rather use the newer method rather than the older sharing method. Where can I learn more about this and use this in Advanced Installer?
Best Regards,
Frank
I'm unfamiliar with the "reference counting scheme" you mention that Windows Installer is supposed to use. I'd much rather use the newer method rather than the older sharing method. Where can I learn more about this and use this in Advanced Installer?
Best Regards,
Frank
Hi,
You can read more about Windows Installer sharing mechanism at:
http://www.aspfree.com/c/a/Windows-Scri ... r-World/3/
All the best,
Gigi
_________________
Gheorghe Rada
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com
You can read more about Windows Installer sharing mechanism at:
http://www.aspfree.com/c/a/Windows-Scri ... r-World/3/
All the best,
Gigi
_________________
Gheorghe Rada
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com