InstallAware Keep the original targetdir in update mode

Question

I am using InstallAware to make a build and also to support web updates. In the installation process, for the first time, user is allowed to choose the destination folder. The system also supplies the default value.

Everything is working fine until a user chooses his custom folder instead of default one. On the update mode, the setup installs application in the default target directory instead of the user-chosen one. As documentation from InstallAware, the update mode will first uninstall the application and then install it again. Because I run the update in silent mode, the installer will get the default value.

How can I make it install in the original destination?

Answer 1

Most setup authoring tools include a mechanism which retrieves the original installation path and uses it during an upgrade. I guess InstallAware doesn't have it, so you will have to make it yourself:

• write a custom action which finds the old installation path
• this custom action should set the installation folder property to that old path
• the custom action must run before CostFinalize action

Please note that only win32 DLL, VBScript and WiX Toolset custom actions can set installer properties.

Answer 2

Fortunately InstallAware implements by default very simple ways to achieve this functionality.

You can keep track of various installation parameters setting the "LOADOLDDATA" InstallAware predefined compiler variable.

If set to TRUE, the setup engine will load feature definitions and other saved data (see also the Load Feature Selections command for more details in IA documentation) from an older version of setup. Normally this data is loaded only in between the same versions of setup, when working on the same installed application version for a maintenance or uninstall operation. With any other value for this compiler variable, this normal behavior is preserved.

Alternatively, "Save Feature Selections" and "Load Feature Selections" can be used in your script code if you wish to migrate parameters states between different versions of a setup.

Hope this helps you.

Answer 3

I'm going to be attempting to utilize Web Updates from InstallAware in an upcoming project; part of my feasibility research included this white paper, albeit from Version 7.0, I'm assuming it's still relevant: http://www.installaware.com/installaware_web_updates.pdf

Most importantly for your question, page 14 states:

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Determining the Location of the Update Client

For an All Users installation look under the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

For a Just Me installation instead, look under the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

In both cases, read the data for the UninstallString string value. A typical value for this string is: "C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\\.exe" REMOVE=TRUE MODIFY=FALSE Parse this string in your application to remove the command line parameters REMOVE=TRUE MODIFY=FALSE as well as the double quotes surrounding the main string. The final string that indicates the location of the update client (as well as your setup program) should be of this form: C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\\.exe

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You'll need to read that key value and assign the value to the $TARGETDIR$ (I believe that's the name) variable in MSI code.

Hope that helps. You may also want to look at their white paper on patching, as this would avoid the full installer download, as well as the patches only containing file delta's, preventing the full uninstall.