ProductName: change with a transform?
Hi all,
It is acceptable to change a vendor's ProductName property with a Transform? Opinion seems to have been divided at the places I've worked. Some considered it untouchable along with Manufacturer and ProductCode, others didn't seem to care, and others wanted to change it so that it aligned more closely with their more descriptive ProductName's in their repackaged MSIs.
What about renaming the vendor's MSI filename? I've always tended to leave this alone and set the MST filename to follow any client naming convention.
Just after folks opinions regarding basic Transform best practice really. There aren't many standards in place at the current client, and so previous packagers have had free reign, with varied results.
I couldn't find a similar topic after a search, but apologies if I missed any as it's late now!
Thanks.
It is acceptable to change a vendor's ProductName property with a Transform? Opinion seems to have been divided at the places I've worked. Some considered it untouchable along with Manufacturer and ProductCode, others didn't seem to care, and others wanted to change it so that it aligned more closely with their more descriptive ProductName's in their repackaged MSIs.
What about renaming the vendor's MSI filename? I've always tended to leave this alone and set the MST filename to follow any client naming convention.
Just after folks opinions regarding basic Transform best practice really. There aren't many standards in place at the current client, and so previous packagers have had free reign, with varied results.
I couldn't find a similar topic after a search, but apologies if I missed any as it's late now!
Thanks.
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Posted by:
aogilmor
14 years ago
points about CAs install dirs well taken. sometimes it goes to ridiculous extremes, i.e. [ProgramFilesFolder]\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]\[ProductVersion] so you get something like c:\Program Files\Adobe Systems Inc.\Acrobat\Reader 8.0\Reader. more than one or 2 subdirs below program files is ridiculous anyway.
Yes you can change [ProductName] but unless it's something totally stupid and undescriptive why bother?
Yes you can change [ProductName] but unless it's something totally stupid and undescriptive why bother?
Posted by:
joedown
14 years ago
It is our standard to include the software version in the product name property. The reason being is that it is very easy to look in Add/Remove programs and see exactly what version is installed without launching the program. It's quicker than running a software inventory report on a particular workstation.
Posted by:
pjgeutjens
14 years ago
I'd say, before you change these properties, open your table editor and look for [ProductName], [Manufacturer] and the like.
Posted by:
slay_u
14 years ago
I wouldn't fancy changing them if its a MS, Adobe or any other complex application, you can search for ProductName, Manufacturer, properties and check where are they being used, and based on your testing take a call if you wanna go ahead with it or not...
Posted by:
dangle
14 years ago
Thanks for the replies, all.
Seems like the general concensus is to leave them alone which I've tended to lean towards anyway. The point about them appearing in Add/Remove Programs with the version number is a good one though, and that's where I've seen the value of ProductVersion appended to ProductName in the past.
I have seen both Manufacturer and ProductName used in directory structures, INI files, and the Registry so a search would reveal this. But they could also be referenced by a custom action DLL call or some other black box code where you can't see that they're being used. So then it's down to testing and checking the logs, or better still don't change them!
Seems like the general concensus is to leave them alone which I've tended to lean towards anyway. The point about them appearing in Add/Remove Programs with the version number is a good one though, and that's where I've seen the value of ProductVersion appended to ProductName in the past.
I have seen both Manufacturer and ProductName used in directory structures, INI files, and the Registry so a search would reveal this. But they could also be referenced by a custom action DLL call or some other black box code where you can't see that they're being used. So then it's down to testing and checking the logs, or better still don't change them!
Posted by:
anonymous_9363
14 years ago
There's nothing to stop you adding a CA to your packaging template (so that it gets included with all your packages) which adds the ProductVersion to the 'DisplayName' registry entry. It is *this* which is displayed by ARP, after all.
Posted by:
shweta_kar
14 years ago
Hi,
Changing the product name via Transform or the vendor msi file name all depends upon the customer requirements/company standards.
It will vary @ every workplace, but in general minimal chnages are done incase of vendor msi as it affect the functionality of the application specially in case where the applications cannot be tested due to hardware/server connectivity.
so maintaining general standards document will be quite difficult incase of Vendor msi.
Defining few generic rules will simplify the things @ ur end such
which properties to be defined like ALLUSERS=1, REBOOT=ReallySupress,naming convention etc...
Changing the product name via Transform or the vendor msi file name all depends upon the customer requirements/company standards.
It will vary @ every workplace, but in general minimal chnages are done incase of vendor msi as it affect the functionality of the application specially in case where the applications cannot be tested due to hardware/server connectivity.
so maintaining general standards document will be quite difficult incase of Vendor msi.
Defining few generic rules will simplify the things @ ur end such
which properties to be defined like ALLUSERS=1, REBOOT=ReallySupress,naming convention etc...
Posted by:
yuri
14 years ago
Be aware that some vendors use the ProductName in a SetDirectory action. In that case, changing the ProductName might result in changing the INSTALLDIR.
Posted by:
MsiCreator
14 years ago
Even some vendor uses their product name while deploying the patches, for creation of registries,in some custom actions . Before changing Product name check all these things.
Posted by:
mekaywe
14 years ago
Some Vendors use ProductName sometimes in Registries, Custom Actions, Conditions, INI Files....etc
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