problem creating patch file

[ronk]

I try to create a patch file just testing the update feature and i get this log with errors :
Building package: C:\Documents and Settings\ron.kagan\Desktop\patch.msp
Running MSI patch compatibility tests... done.
Creating PCP database... done.
Creating MSP...
***** Log starting: 2007-10-29 19:13:06 *****

INFO: Using Pcp Path: C:\Documents and Settings\ron.kagan\Desktop\patch.pcp.
INFO: Using Temporary Directory: C:\DOCUME~1\RON~1.KAG\LOCALS~1\Temp\~pcw_tmp.tmp.
INFO: Passed all of the main control parameter validation to PatchWiz, now calling the next 5 phases.
INFO: Phase I: Entered validation and processing phase.
INFO: Validation of Pcp.
INFO: MinimumRequiredMsiVersion is 200.
INFO: SEQUENCE_DATA_GENERATION_DISABLED is 1.
INFO: ListOfPatchGUIDsToReplace is .
INFO: ListOfTargetProductCodes is *.
INFO: MsiFileToUseToCreatePatchTables is .
INFO: PatchGUID is {C997CBCB-E11B-43C4-9CAF-7B36EAA4905B}.
INFO: PatchOutputPath is C:\Documents and Settings\ron.kagan\Desktop\patch.msp.
INFO: PatchSourceList is PatchSourceList.
INFO: PATCH_CACHE_DIR is .
INFO: AllowDualPatch is 0.
INFO: AllowProductCodeMismatches is 1.
INFO: AllowProductVersionMajorMismatches is 1.
INFO: ApiPatchingSymbolFlags is 0.
INFO: DontRemoveTempFolderWhenFinished is 0.
INFO: IncludeWholeFilesOnly is 0.
INFO: PATCH_CACHE_ENABLED is 0.
INFO: OptimizePatchSizeForLargeFiles is 0.
INFO: META_DATA_GENERATION_DISABLED is 0.
INFO: TrustMsi is 0.
INFO: AllowLaxValidationFlags is 0.
INFO: Phase III: Entering Prepare Files.
ERROR: Could not create the patch authoring transform at path: C:\DOCUME~1\RON~1.KAG\LOCALS~1\Temp\~pcw_tmp.tmp\myinstalle_1Tomyinstalle.MST.
ERROR: The Last Error Received is: 232
ERROR: The Last Error Received is: 1: 2223 2: C:\Documents and Settings\ron.kagan\Desktop\images\myinstalle\myinstaller.msi 3: 4:
INFO: Temporary folder is about to be cleaned out and deleted: C:\DOCUME~1\RON~1.KAG\LOCALS~1\Temp\~pcw_tmp.tmp
ERROR: Internal PatchWiz Error occurred.
ERROR: The Last Error Received is: 145
ERROR: During cleanup, could not delete the temporary folder: C:\DOCUME~1\RON~1.KAG\LOCALS~1\Temp\~pcw_tmp.tmp.
ERROR: The Last Error Received is: 2
ERROR: Internal PatchWiz Error occurred.
ERROR: The Last Error Received is: -1072803323
error.
Exception - Reason: MsiMsp.exe failed to create the patch file.

Build finished because an error was encountered.


any ideas what messing things up ?

[Cosmin]

Hi,

Please make sure that the target and upgrade MSI packages are different and that you have created them correctly.

We have a tutorial about patch creation, please take a look:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... patch.html
Also, you should make sure that you respect the patch rules:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... tches.html

Let me know if the problem persists.

Regards,
Cosmin

[ronk]

i didnt create the new version of for the package correctly. now i have the msp patch as i needed. trying to see if i can work with the updater and cant seem to work it out.
i followed the tutorial but there is no ini file being created when i build the update configuration project. i tried writing one by hand as in the examples :

;aiu;

[test1.0.2]
Name = Test 1.0.2
Description = Fixed crashing bug.
URL = http://**MYURL**/TestInstaller/patch.msp
FilePath = [APPDIR]TestInstaller.exe
Version = 1.0.2

and i get an error says that first line in the .ini file should be
;aiu;

i have another .ini file in the appdir locally and it is indeed in a different form :

[General]
ApplicationName=Test1
DownloadsFolder=C:\Documents and Settings\ron.kagan\Application Data\Test\Test1\updates\
ID={6B0342B7-3902-4AFC-B3B3-14F3C5C05855}
URL=http://***MYURL**/TestInstaller/updater.ini
AppDir=C:\Program Files\Test\Test1\
CheckFrequency=2
CompanyName=Test


that was created by the softwear and i have not got a clue what i'm doing wrong. i think the updated goes to the .ini that in the appdir for some reason.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

Here are the steps for creating the updates project:
- in Advanced Installer you create an "Updates Configuration" project
- in the "Updates" page you add the updated package (v2.msi)
- in the "Download URL" field you set the URL where the updated package is located (for example: http://www.server.com/v2.msi)
- in the "Installed Detection" section you set the detection criteria for the update (the version of your application or a registry key that is present only in the updated package)
- in the "Media" page you set the name of the configuration file (for example: "updates.txt" or "updates.aiu")
- you save and build the project

i followed the tutorial but there is no ini file being created when i build the update configuration project.

When you build the updates configuration project Advanced Installer will generate an updates configuration file (usually .aiu, but it can also be .txt) in the folder you have set in the "Media" page of the project.

Now you place the updates configuration file (updates.txt for example) and the updated package (v2.msi) on the server (in the URLs you specified in the projects) and you can update the first installation by using the shortcut to the updater you created in the first package.

You can also see our tutorial for the Auto Updater:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... dater.html

Also, you can see the available options and settings for the updater here:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... dater.html

i have another .ini file in the appdir locally and it is indeed in a different form :

This is the INI of the Auto Updater and it is automatically created when you include the updater in your project.

Regards,
Cosmin

[ronk]

i wish the tutorials were not so confusing cause they made me jump into trying to make patches.

the new issue i am now dealing with is that after i try to install the updated version i am getting a message that says that i have to uninstall the old version using add/remove programs.

thats just kills the whole idea of doing updates.

any ideas ?

[Cosmin]

Hi,

Please note that when creating a patch, you must not change the product code after increasing the version of the updated package (you will choose "No" in the dialog which appears right after you increase the version).

If you want to use the updater to deploy a patch then please follow these steps:
- create your package
- create a working patch for it like in this tutorial:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... patch.html
- create an updates configuration project for the first package that has the patch set as an Update

Regards,
Cosmin

[ronk]

hi there. i have done all that. i uploaded the msp and txt files to my server but when i click check for updates i get an error of
Wrong File Size when downloading the patch.
it does'nt even start to d/l the patch (stays on 0%) and immediatly gives me this error.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

This probably happens because you did not set the URL of the update correctly.

Please make sure that you provide the correct URL for the updater in the first package (so the original installation can find the available updates) and in the updates configuration file (so the updater knows form where it will download the update).

Regards,
Cosmin

[ronk]

Hi there.
those are the steps i am doing so let me know if i am missing something :
1. build the original msi - the actual project if a single .exe file i created in VS2005. the updater section of the original build is set to the url of the updates.txt file i am later going to put in the update configuration file project.
2. install the original msi.
3. change the .exe and then change the product version clicking "no" when i am prompted to. rebuild the project in AI to have the new msi.
4. in the patch project i select the upgraded image (new version of the msi) and the target msi (original build). i have the last two checkboxed (out of the 3) in the target image section - checked.
5. create an update configuration file. download url is set to the url of the .msp file i'm going to upload to the same location as the updates.txt file i am creating now.
my .exe file is named TestInstaller.exe so i have
[APPDIR]TestInstaller.exe
in the "installed detection section" as well as the "use version" and expected verision is set to 1.0.1 (as in the new build of the msi).
then i upload both updates.txt and patch.msp to my server and try to update. updater detects there is a new patch but i get the wrong file size error.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

my .exe file is named TestInstaller.exe so i have
[APPDIR]TestInstaller.exe in the "installed detection section" as well as the "use version" and expected verision is set to 1.0.1 (as in the new build of the msi).

Please note that the "Use version" option will check the version of the application specified in the "File" field in the "Install Detection" section, not the version of the MSI.

then i upload both updates.txt and patch.msp to my server and try to update. updater detects there is a new patch but i get the wrong file size error.

This happens because you have not set the Updates Configuration File correctly. Please note that in the Updates Configuration Project, in the "Updates" page, when you create a new update you will specify the patch package.

If the problem persists after you make the necessary modifications please send us the AIP of the Updates Configuration project to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can investigate the problem.

Regards,
Cosmin

[ronk]

hello cosmin and thanx for all the help.
About your remark about the version of the file in the "detect installation" section.
if the .exe file is the result of the installation of the original msi, wouldn't its version be the version i specified in the msi product definitions ?
otherwise how do i know what version the .exe is ?

as for the remark about the updater, i think i have done everything as needed. i will send you the config project to examin.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

You receive this error because the URL you are using for the patch is not valid (most likely MSP files are not permitted by your server). Please make sure that you have correctly set your server and test if the URL is correct (it launches the download) by testing it in Internet Explorer:
http://www.amlan.org.il/TestInstall/patch.msp

if the .exe file is the result of the installation of the original msi, wouldn't its version be the version i specified in the msi product definitions ?

The version of an EXE file is set by whoever creates it, therefore it is set by the programmer who created the application you are installing. Note that Advanced Installer does not create your EXE file therefore it cannot set it's version (it is copied in the MSI and deployed on the target machine).

During an installation Advanced Installer can set the version only for a Java Launcher (EXE file) that is used by a Java Product.

otherwise how do i know what version the .exe is

To find out the version of the EXE you right-click it in Windows Explorer, select "Properties" and you select the "Version" tab; the version is specified in the "File Version" field.

Note that the version specified in the "Product Details" page is the version of the MSI installation package (the entire installed software).

Regards,
Cosmin

[ronk]

as usual you have been alot of help. now i will have to find out how to set the server to allow .msp files.
have a good weekend.

[ronk]

hi there.

i wonder if there is any way to make the update fully silent - just ask if user wants to update and click 'yes' 'no' w/o the full installation wizard (similar to the one in the original install).
the result needed is something like clickonce updates.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

This can be done by using the /silent or /silentall command line parameters for the Updater.

With the /silent option the Updater will search silently for updates at the interval specified by the user. The search interval can be specified in the Configuration dialog.

With the /silentall option the Updater will search silently for updates and automatically install all updates.

You can read more about the available options here:
http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-g ... dater.html

Regards,
Cosmin