Custom installation

[tsantos]

Hi!

I'm making an installation package that calls other packages and I want to create a custom installer so that the user can choose what to install or not.

Here I'm showing the structure of my installer modules:

├───API
>>>> ├─── Setup.exe
├───Import
>>>> ├─── Setup.exe
├───Server
>>>> ├─── Setup.exe
├───FTR
>>>> ├─── Setup.exe
├───Admin
>>>> ├─── Setup.exe
└───Webservices
>>>> ├───DialogService
>>>>>>>> ├─── Setup.exe
>>>> ├───DocumentService
>>>>>>>> ├─── Setup.exe

I've tried to create features on the organization module of Advanced Installer but the Main feature allways appear in the custom installation. I haven't found a way to relate the custom installation with the setup.exe of each module of my installer. Does anyone can help?

[Cosmin]

Hi,

I'm afraid that this is not supported directly by Windows Installer, therefore it would take a lot of work to implement it into a MSI package.

If you do not have C/C++ programming experience (to create a launcher), I would suggest using AutoIt, a freeware BASIC-like scripting language designed for automating the Windows GUI. It can generate compiled executable scripts that can run without AutoIt being installed.

You can find installation instructions for AutoIt and the AutoIt SciTE editor here:
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/sci ... lation.htm

Regards,
Cosmin

[tsantos]

Is there a way to use only Advanced Installer tool?

I've just bought this tool and we don't want to use a third tool to create our installation package. I've found a way to copy or not the source files to their destination according to the installation, but I also want to call the setup.exe present inside each module according to the user needs.

Thanks a lot

Regards,

Thiago.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

I was going to explain a method which uses custom actions and the feature action of each feature in the project, but I recommend an easier and better solution:
- create a new project
- add your setup files as prerequisites for the MSI package
- use the Options tab to set the parent for each prerequisite (if it has one)
- go to the Registry page and create a registry value (it doesn't matter how you configure it because it will not be installed)
- go to the Organization page and use 1=2 as a condition (so the package doesn't install anything)
- go to the Install Parameters page and check the "Limit to basic user interface (simple progress and error handling)" option (in order to make the MSI installation silent)
- go to the Bootstrapper tab of the "Media" page and check the "Include install files in EXE" option
- go to the "Software Prerequisites" tab of the "Prerequisites" page and use the "Custom welcome text in Information page" option to specify a RTF file which contains the welcome text you want to show to the user

By following these steps you will build an EXE installation package which allows the user to install the setups he wants. Let me know if you encounter problems when setting the setup files as prerequisites.

Regards,
Cosmin

[tsantos]

Cosmin,

I'm having problems while trying to add the exe files as prerequisites for the MSI package. Each exe file calls other files inside their folders.

I have another idea about creating the installer. I'm thinking of a autorun setup that shows a screen where the user can choose what to install. What do you think about this? I'm uploading a screen as an example.

Thank You again.

Thiago.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

I'm having problems while trying to add the exe files as prerequisites for the MSI package. Each exe file calls other files inside their folders.

Please note that for prerequisites which have multiple files you can use the Files tab of the "New Prerequisite" dialog to add all of them. This way, all the files of a prerequisite will be included in the package and the prerequisite will be able to run.

I'm thinking of a autorun setup that shows a screen where the user can choose what to install. What do you think about this?

This can be done by using "DoAction" Published control events for the buttons on the custom dialog. These control events will basically launch custom actions which run the setups and which are scheduled under "UI Custom Actions" (in the Custom Actions page).

Regards,
Cosmin