JamesMc21248
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:52 pm

Virtual Printer disappearing from Printer Listings after update

Fri May 14, 2021 6:35 pm

All,

I have a .net application that is using an Advanced Installer Updater (exe updater that checks for updates from an updates file) for updates, installing on Windows 10 devices.

The update and installation of the .net application works well, however there is a chained MSI package (a Virtual Printer) also attached to the installer. When the update runs through and completes successfully, the Virtual Printer disappears from the Printer listings on a File > Print (e.g. Printing a file in MS Office) and appears as disconnected in the Printers & Scanners settings section .

I cannot figure out why the Printer is being removed from the listings/becoming disconnected as part of the update.

I have also attached the install log (for when uninstall was set to Remove=ALL), the times from 10:36:41:552 to 10:37:02:022 are the install of the Printer MSI as part of the install of the initial application. The time from 10:52:48:919 onwards is the install of the latest application (V2.0.0.0, with associated MSI for the Virtual Printer).

In the installer package that is being called as part of the update I have also tried setting the Uninstall to ((REMOVE="ALL" AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE))) but it makes no difference (per attached image)

An option would be to include the updater exe without the virtual Printer MSI, but that potentially de-links the application's update with the Printer Installation and I want to keep them together.

Any help or clarification would be great and much appreciated. Using Advanced Installer 18.0
Thanks
Attachments
VPDInstaller.x64_result.log
(971.26KiB)Downloaded 286 times
Virtual Printer update settings.PNG
Virtual Printer update settings.PNG (51.02KiB)Viewed 22789 times

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Virtual Printer disappearing from Printer Listings after update

Wed May 19, 2021 5:50 pm

Hello James and welcome to our forums,

If I understand this correctly, you do not want to remove the chained package during the upgrade - please correct me if I'm wrong.

I have had a look over the log file and it does not look like a log file created during an upgrade.

I have searched for the OLDPRODUCTS property and I did not find it in the log file. The OLDPRODUCTS property is always set during an upgrade and its' value should be the ProductCode of the older version.

Unfortunately, without being able to investigate the .AIP file I can not really say for sure, but is this the log file for the chained package (not the log file for your main package that contains the chained package)? If that is the case, I can not really see anything wrong with it.
In the installer package that is being called as part of the update I have also tried setting the Uninstall to ((REMOVE="ALL" AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE))) but it makes no difference (per attached image)
The UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE property is set in the MSI which is being upgraded if the package is uninstalled by a newer version.

Could you please try using the OLDPRODUCTS property instead and let me know if that helps?

If that does not help, could you please forward me the following resources:

- a copy of the older .AIP File

- a copy of the newer .AIP file

- a download link for the older setup

(a download link for the newer setup would not be required since the upgrade is done through the Updater)

- and perhaps a test-case which I can follow in order to reproduce this (even though the scenario is pretty clear to me)

by e-mail at support at advancedinstaller dot com so I can further test and investigate this?

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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JamesMc21248
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:52 pm

Re: Virtual Printer disappearing from Printer Listings after update

Fri May 21, 2021 4:49 pm

HI Catalin,

Thank you for the response. Yes, you are correct, I do not want to remove the Chained Virtual Printer Package during the uninstall, if possible. That's why I had set the ((REMOVE="ALL" AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE))) in the Chained Package part of the installer, which contains the Virtual Printer MSI.

Regardless of whether I set the above value to 1) REMOVE="ALL" or 2) ((REMOVE="ALL" AND (NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE))) , the Printer enters the error state I describe above.

As I understand it 1) uninstalls the Chained MSI in all instances, 2) only uninstalls it in when not upgrading. In the case of 1) the next version of the main application will contain the Chained MSI and re-install it, in the case of 2) the next version of the main application will see that the Chained MSI is already installed and not attempt another install. If I understand correctly, either should work.

As you mentioned, the logs I sent on are for the MSI install, and seem to indicate there was no issue.

I wasn't able to find the OLDPRODUCTS property in the Chained MSI section.

I will forward you on the information requested.
Thank you for the assistance, it is much appreciated.

Regards,
James

Daniel
Posts: 8237
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 1:11 pm
Contact:  Website

Re: Virtual Printer disappearing from Printer Listings after update

Tue May 25, 2021 3:17 pm

Hi James,

I have replied you by email with my findings so far.

All the best,
Daniel
Daniel Radu - Advanced Installer Team
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