Multiple Instances - Cannot Upgrade Instances

[PeterM]

Attached is a ZIP file containing a repro installer AIP (for version 1.0 and 2.0 of a test install) for the following problem I've observed in Advanced Installer:

1. Create a new installer
2. Set to "Allow side by side installs of different product versions"
3. Added multiple instances
4. Install 2 instances of version 1.0
5. Create Major Upgrade to version 2.0
6. Run 2.0 installer and select instance #0 - update works
7. Run 2.0 installer and select instance #1 - installer goes to the "Resume" dialogs and if you continue it fails, looking for the prior version's MSI

What I've described is basic functionality for multiple instances. My expectation is that I can have instances of version 1.0, version 2.0 and version 3.0 all side by side. Is that incorrect? If so, multiple instances is largely useless for me.

I will also send a larger ZIP file with the actual .exe installers and some additional logs.

[Eusebiu]

Hi,

I tested your scenario and I was able to reproduce the behavior. Please give us some time to investigate this and we'll get back to you as soon as we have a conclusive answer. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

Also, please keep in mind that if you want to install more versions side by side, you should go in the Dialogs page and add the "UpgradeDlg" dialog. Also, the path of each version should be different, it should point to a different folder.

Best regards,
Eusebiu

[PeterM]

Thanks for the update.

I don't understand your comment: "please keep in mind that if you want to install more versions side by side, you should go in the Dialogs page and add the "UpgradeDlg" dialog."

This is a high priority issue for us, so let me know anything else I can do to help

[Eusebiu]

HI,

What I wanted to say was that every time the "Allow side-by-side installs of different product versions" option is checked in the Upgrades page, the "UpgradeDlg" dialog should be added too in the Dialogs page. That dialog gives to the user the possibility to choose if he wants to uninstall the previous versions of the product or to keep them. Otherwise, if that dialog is not displayed, a default option will be chosen, which can be either to remove the old versions or to keep them.

Best regards,
Eusebiu

[PeterM]

Thanks for the clarification. Any updates on root cause analysis?

[Eusebiu]

You're welcome.

The developer that implemented the "Multiple Instances" feature is attending a Microsoft conference and it is out of office for a few days. I'll come with more details, most likely, on the next week.

Best regards,
Eusebiu

[Eusebiu]

Hi,

I talked to the developer that works on the "Multiple Instances" feature and it seems that this is the normal behavior. The instances are upgraded using the Windows Installer Minor Upgrades support and that is why the "Resume" dialog is displayed.

if you continue it fails, looking for the prior version's MSI

This problem appears because the MSI packages related to the first and the second version of the application have different name. The problem will not appear if they will have the same name.

Also, please keep in mind that using the "Multiple Instances" feature along with the "Side by side installation" feature is not recommend and also not guaranteed. Using only the "Multiple Instances" one should be enough, because this will allow you to have more instances of the same version installed and also more instances of different versions.

You can take a look on the Multiple Instances with different versions thread which debates a similar problem.

Best regards,
Eusebiu

[PeterM]

Thanks for the response.

I looked through the "Minor Upgrades" document and the thread you mentioned.

To restate that document; when I select an instance to upgrade I'm doing a Minor Upgrade, meaning the Product Code has not changed. Since the Product Code has not changed, we cannot follow the "New" install path and instead have to basically trick Windows into thinking this is just a Resume of an install of the first version. Therefore we only see whatever dialogs are defined in the Resume Path and since it's "resuming" it looks for an MSI file with the same name as the MSI for version 1.

I'm not entirely familiar with the Resume path. When resuming, does it follow the path of a regular upgrade where it uninstalls version 1, then installs version 2? I'd guess no. Does it run all the services/IIS steps? Or just the file operations to update the components to the latest version? Can I simply create a new copy of my custom Upgrade/New install dialogs under the Resume branch and be OK? Assuming I work around the MSI names not matching.

>> Also, please keep in mind that using the "Multiple Instances" feature along with the "Side by side installation" feature is not recommend and also not guaranteed. Using only the "Multiple Instances" one should be enough, because this will allow you to have more instances of the same version installed and also more instances of different versions. <<

What does this mean? How would side by side installation work if you didn't have multiple instances? Given that you can't have more than one product installed with the same Product Code.

I am hopeful we can figure out a work-around using the Resume path, but I'd appreciate your help clearing up what this all means. This is pretty painful for us and I think the online documentation is a bit misleading or vague about this behavior, especially since I am not an MSI/Windows Installer expert.

[Eusebiu]

Hi,

When resuming, does it follow the path of a regular upgrade where it uninstalls version 1, then installs version 2?

When resuming, the new version, will be installed to the exact path where the previous version was installed.

Does it run all the services/IIS steps? Or just the file operations to update the components to the latest version?

Yes, all these steps should be run. The file and components will be also updated.

Can I simply create a new copy of my custom Upgrade/New install dialogs under the Resume branch and be OK?

Yes, you can do this and it will work. To copy some already created dialogs, you can drag and drop them from the "First Time Install" sequence to the "Resume" sequence while the "SHIFT" keyboard button is pressed.

What does this mean? How would side by side installation work if you didn't have multiple instances?

The "side by side" option allows different versions of the same product to be installed on the same machine while the "multiple instances" option allows the same version to be installed many times on the same machine.

However, the "multiple instances" option allows different versions to be installed on the same machine, just as the "side by side" option does. Hence, you only need to use the "multiple instances" feature, without the "side by side" one.

For example, you can install 4 instances of the same version of a product on a machine and after some time upgrade only 2 of them. In this case you will have 2 instances of the old version and 2 instances of the new version (multiple instances and side by side). You can also install 2 new instances of the new version, not only upgrade the already installed ones.

Let us know if you have any other question.

Best regards,
Eusebiu