MSI Installers - I need y'all's help =)

Spark Spark Support
1

Hi Folk!

So I’m trying to work out how best to handle the MSI installers in the future. There’s a number of issues surrounding the current process and such, so I’ll identify some issues and ‘requirements’ first:

Current issues:

  1. Currently, the MSI does not support the same functionality (like Spark.vmoptions) that the EXE installer does.

  2. We use Advanced Installer to build the MSI (version 4.8/4.9) and quite frankly I couldn’t get it to behave properly last time. I had to ask Derek to build the MSIs for me. This is not good.

  3. Likewise, the process is currently not something we can automate. The installers have to be built manually from the A.I. gui.

What I’d like to see:

  1. Something we can automate easily. Should be able to run unattended.

  2. Something that will provide the same functionality as the EXE installer, so perhaps something that converts EXEs to MSIs?

So, are you all aware of anything that fits these descriptions? (Free or not free) Any leads would be helpful! Links would be helpful too if you don’t mind. =)

Also, are there things ‘wrong with the EXE files’ that I should be aware of?

Thanks!!!

2

I use Emco MSI Package builder Enterprise to monitor your exe installers and build my own custom MSI from the install.

Another product is InstallAnywhere. It is a multiplatform install builder.

Neither are free unfortunately.

3

Honestly, I think being something you can automate is more important than free. =) If I can evaluate it and it does the trick, at least I have somewhere to go. (I can request that we get a license for it or something) Do you know if either of those can be automated?

4

jadestorm wrote:

Hi Folk!

So I’m trying to work out how best to handle the MSI installers in the future. There’s a number of issues surrounding the current process and such, so I’ll identify some issues and ‘requirements’ first:

Current issues:

  1. Likewise, the process is currently not something we can automate. The installers have to be built manually from the A.I. gui.

What I’d like to see:

  1. Something we can automate easily. Should be able to run unattended.

Thanks!!!

Daniel,

In the build\build.xml file I see installer.msi. Does that provide the automation you’re seeking? When I run it, the build fails with a message that the path to Advanced Installer is not set. Do you know where ${advinst.path} is defined? The path to Advanced Installer on my computer is C:\Program Files\Caphyon\Advanced Installer 6.0.1

Thanks,

Rob

5

Unfortunately, no. Apparently I still have to fire up manual advanced installer to get the config file correct that that build target will use before it’ll work, so “what’s the point”. Effectively I’d have to do that anytime I wanted a change. There’s a chance that the newer advanced installer will help overall. There’s some nice easier to automate procedures as far as I can tell. That said, it still won’t support the same things that the .exe does … namely the vmoptions file/flag.

6

Doh! After posting that message I found where ${advinst.path} is defined within that same build.xml file. I corrected it for my version and ran “ant installer.msi” again. This time the build failed with the following message: build.xml:457: exec returned -1. Any ideas? Here’s the code for the exec that starts on line 456 when I edit it in Notepad++:

<exec executable="${advinst.path}\AdvancedInstaller.com"

failonerror=“true”>

<arg line="/edit build\installer\spark.aip"/>

<arg line="/SetVersion $"/>

</exec>

7

chuckle Frankly if I knew why advanced installer was having problems, I wouldn’t have had problems releasing Spark 2.5.8 previously. I have no idea what A.I.'s problem is and haven’t had time to sit down and make it work right/figure it out.