Multiple Instance upgrade not working properly

[fazeelk]

Hi
I have created 2 instances with version 1.0 (say App1.0, App1.0 #1, App1.1 #2) and changed the version to 1.1 and tried to upgrade the existing versions . First instance(App1.0) got upgraded properly, but when I tried to upgrade the second instance its following the dialog s for Resume not for the upgrade install. I am totally stuck here and cannot move forward. I have attached the aip file for a sample project.

One more issue I am facing , We already have multiple instance of the older versions created with installshield in servers, but when we tried to upgrade its trying to uninstall all the instances instead of the specified one.

[Daniel]

Hello,

I have created 2 instances with version 1.0 (say App1.0, App1.0 #1, App1.1 #2) and changed the version to 1.1 and tried to upgrade the existing versions . First instance(App1.0) got upgraded properly, but when I tried to upgrade the second instance its following the dialog s for Resume not for the upgrade install. I am totally stuck here and cannot move forward. I have attached the aip file for a sample project.

This may happen if you haven't generated new product codes for the multiple instances too, after changing the ProductVersion to 1.1. When increasing the ProductVersion from "Product Details" page and save the project you will be prompted by the "New Product Version" dialog. After choosing the [Major Upgrade] option a new ProductCode will be generated only for the default instance. However, you should also manually change the ProductCode for the multiple instances defined in "Multiple Instances" page.

So, can you please go to "Multiple Instances" page, select in turn your instances and use the [Generate] button from "Properties" tab to generate new ProductCodes and see if the behavior still persists? Also, please keep in mind that when installing the new 1.1 version, all the previous 1.0 instances will be uninstalled at once during the upgrade installation. This is the normal behavior.

One more issue I am facing , We already have multiple instance of the older versions created with installshield in servers, but when we tried to upgrade its trying to uninstall all the instances instead of the specified one.

This is the normal behavior. If all the InstallShield instances have the same UpgradeCode and a lower ProductVersion they will be automatically uninstalled during the upgrade process. This is the default Windows Installer behavior and it cannot be changed.

All the best,
Daniel

[fazeelk]

I have choose the generate instances at installation time option. How can I reset the product code from here.

Second case - I have selected a particular instance then why it is affecting all other instances instead of the selected one.

[Daniel]

Hello,

After speaking with our development team it seems that we don't have support for per-instances major upgrades. This is on our TODO list and hopefully it will be available in a future version of Advanced Installer.We'll update this thread when the improvement will be out. Until then, the only workaround is to manually generate different Product Codes (than the ones set in the previous version of the project) for all of your instances. But, in this case the default instance of the new version will uninstall during the upgrade process all the previous installed instances at once.

Also, this workaround is incompatible with the "Generate instances at installation time" option. Therefore, if you are using this option the safest method to upgrade the instances of a previous version is to manually uninstall them, and then install the new version of your setup. This is an Advanced Installer limitation. We apologize for the inconvenience.

All the best,
Daniel

[fazeelk]

Hi
I have tried the work around you have suggested. But that also not working. I have choose multiple instance option and created two more instances. Installed successfully in case of fresh installation. Upgrade of the first instance was also sucessfull. But whenever I choose Maintain or upgrade an already installed instance option the second and third instances are getting removed from the window. The product code of the all the instances have been regenerated
I have attached the test aip file.
As our servers already having multiple instances any how we have to support the multiple instances feature.

I am expecting favorable response from your side

[Daniel]

Hello,

I apologize for my delayed reply, but we are quite busy at the moment.

When using the above workaround (changing the ProductCode for all instances), I'm afraid this is the normal behavior after upgrading to the new version. As I said, the default instance of the new version will remove during upgrade all the installed instances of the previous version (but it won't upgrade them). So, afterwards you should install them again from scratch.

We apologize for this inconvenience, but until we will have full support for major upgrades when using multiple instances, this is the only workaround you can use.

All the best,
Daniel

[PlassData]

Any progress on this one?

[DPenney]

This is something I am interested in as well. We get a lot of requests for our product to allow multiple installs. Often it is related to upgrades where by a customer wants to test the new version for some time before abandoning the older one.

[Daniel]

Hello,

Unfortunately this improvement is still on our TODO list. I've increased its priority, but I'm afraid I cannot give you any ETA for now. We'll update this thread as soon as the improvement will be out.

Thank you for your understanding.

All the best,
Daniel

[DPenney]

I realize that work has probably not progressed as we have not seen any updates. The following information is intended to help clarify what I see as two multiple install issues (however one of the issues actually relates to the same functionality that would exist for single instance upgrades). Here is the data (w/ Advanced Installer 12.0):

1. Single install with upgrade to <Program Files>/QPS/Qimera;
- Works as intended;
2. Single install to a non-default directory (eg: <Program Files>/QPS/Qimera-argh) with upgrade;

• Works as intended (does not add multiple entries to the Add/Remove Programs list) if the user manually enters the same directory path for each upgrade attempt;
• Adds multiple entries to the Add/Remove Programs list if the user does not specify the same directory for each upgrade attempt (ie: hits next at the directory prompt);
• Issue 1: The installer shows the correct directory in the Install Location field of the 'Maintain or Upgrade an Already Installed Instance' dialog but doesn't, by default, populate this path in the 'Select Installation Folder' dialog;

3. Multiple install:

• If the user uses the default directory for the first/initial install:
  • Upgrades succeed for the initial instance (first installed product): works as intended (does not add multiple entries to the Add/Remove Programs list);
  • Upgrades fail for the non-initial instances (second+ installed product);
  • Issue 2: Upgrade of second+ instance fails with the message captured in the attachment;
• If the user uses the default directory for the first/initial install:
  • Upgrades succeed for the initial instance (first installed product): works as intended (does not add multiple entries to the Add/Remove Programs list) if the user manually enters the same directory path for each upgrade attempt;
  • Upgrades fail for the non-initial instances (second+ installed product);
  • Issue 1: Same issue as with the single installs to a non-default location;
  • Issue 2: Same issue as above: Upgrade of second+ instance fails with the message captured in the attachment;

Is the second issue the same as what we are discussing here? Is the first issue a known issue?

In the attachment below you can see that it looks like Advanced Installer is trying to access an archive of the MSI used to run the install for that instance (I think that MSI's are archived for this purpose (and repair)) but I think that it is looking in the wrong location?

When I look in the C:\Users\qpsuser\AppData\Roaming\QPS\Qimera 10.0.11 area I only see the MSI for 10.0-11 (the MSI for the version that I am upgrading to) but the above error message is attempting to use/run the MSI for the previous install. When I look in the C:\Users\qpsuser\AppData\Roaming\QPS\Qimera 10.0.10 area, I do not see any MSI's being archived for future repair/removal operations.

[Daniel]

Hello,

First of all I apologize for my delayed reply. Recently we are a bit busy.

The multiple instances upgrades installation improvement is still on our TODO list and, unfortunately I cannot give you an ETA for this.

Regarding the issues you related, I'm afraid that the information you gave us is not enough to replicate and investigate them. So, can you please try to give us a more detailed test case which we can follow to replicate the issues you encountered? It would be really useful for us if you could isolate the behavior in a buildable sample (AIP + its referenced files) and send us to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can test and investigate on our side.

All the best,
Daniel

[DPenney]

Sure! I will take a look later this week or early next week and see what I can pull together.

[davidholsgrove]

Hi Daniel,

Any update from Advanced Installer on this issue?

Its a major gap in the multiple instance feature if the non-default instances cant be maintained or upgraded independently.

Just want to ensure its still on the radar as it seems many people are waiting on this to work as advertised.

thanks,
david

[Daniel]

Hello David,

This improvement is still on our roadmap, but I'm afraid I don't have an ETA for it. We'll update this thread as soon as the improvement is out.

Thank you for your understanding.

All the best,
Daniel

[comradburk]

So currently there isn't a way to upgrade instances individually, correct? I've generated new product codes for the instances, but when installing the new version there's no option to choose which instance to upgrade, it just starts with the default instance. Additionally, during the upgrade, all other instances of the previous version are uninstalled. Is there some kind of work around for that at this time? It seems like a pretty large side effect to have all instances of a version uninstalled when upgrading a single instance...