Redeploy application with different features enabled
Here's a problem that I'm stuck on and I'm sure you have or will be stuck on this problem too at some point in time. I have an application that is being deployed with 2 different configurations. The first configuration is the minimum install, the second installation is the full version. It is the exact same application and version so there GUIDs are identical. I want to be able to deploy the minimum featured MSI package to everyone in the environment and the full featured MSI pacakge to a select number of people.
Before advising me about Transforms and creating 2 different ones for each deploy, I've thought of this and tried it and it seems ok in theory but the MSI engine doesn't redeploy an application with a different feature set, instead it only repairs the features that are already installed. There is a tool that Microsoft has for Office to redeploy office with different features enabled/disabled on subsequent installations but the application that I am working with is not Office.
I've tried setting the REINSTALL property to ALL but from the SDK, Microsoft says:
I'm trying to find a general solution for this situation for all MSI packages but the application that I am currently concerned with is pcAnywhere Host 11.5 and pcAnywhere Full 11.5. Symantec provides a OEM customization tool with pcAnywhere that was used to create the packages for deployment, and I am using ORCA to edit the properties and tables for the MSI as these packages do not like to be recompiled by 3rd party packaging suites like Wise Package Studio. Any help or solution would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
BTW we are deploying pcAnywhere host to everyone in our environment because it is our support tool. The full version of pcAnywhere is only for the Administrators or certain groups of people.
Before advising me about Transforms and creating 2 different ones for each deploy, I've thought of this and tried it and it seems ok in theory but the MSI engine doesn't redeploy an application with a different feature set, instead it only repairs the features that are already installed. There is a tool that Microsoft has for Office to redeploy office with different features enabled/disabled on subsequent installations but the application that I am working with is not Office.
I've tried setting the REINSTALL property to ALL but from the SDK, Microsoft says:
Note that even if REINSTALL is set to ALL, only those features that were already installed previously are reinstalled. Thus, if REINSTALL is set for a product that is yet to be installed, no installation action will take place at all.
I'm trying to find a general solution for this situation for all MSI packages but the application that I am currently concerned with is pcAnywhere Host 11.5 and pcAnywhere Full 11.5. Symantec provides a OEM customization tool with pcAnywhere that was used to create the packages for deployment, and I am using ORCA to edit the properties and tables for the MSI as these packages do not like to be recompiled by 3rd party packaging suites like Wise Package Studio. Any help or solution would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
BTW we are deploying pcAnywhere host to everyone in our environment because it is our support tool. The full version of pcAnywhere is only for the Administrators or certain groups of people.
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Posted by:
dj_xest
18 years ago
Hi blueboy,
Try using the Maintenance Wizard from OrkTools (Yes, it came from Microsoft - Microsoft Office Customization Wizard) but can also be used with non-MS Office application.. I have tried it on several MSI applications (not MS Office apps) to modify the features installed and worked like a charm.. Here it goes if you want to try it..
Install OrkTools.exe or just run the Maintwiz.exe (about 147KB in size)... Just follow the guide and once you're in the features window of your apps, mark the features that you don't want to be installed/uninstalled and create the .CMW file.. The complete command line can be found in the last section of the wizard.. This will be liked the MST but dedicated to modify the features..
NOw that you're done with the CMW file, install your MSI application to whatever you like it (either in custom type or complete) using your MST if you have and run the second commandline for .CMW.. NOtice that you are like installing 1 application in 2 ways... One for the Base install and 2 for the modifications.. Let me know if you succeed and I will further investigate your problem or someone may look into it.. Happy Appdeploy! [:D]
Try using the Maintenance Wizard from OrkTools (Yes, it came from Microsoft - Microsoft Office Customization Wizard) but can also be used with non-MS Office application.. I have tried it on several MSI applications (not MS Office apps) to modify the features installed and worked like a charm.. Here it goes if you want to try it..
Install OrkTools.exe or just run the Maintwiz.exe (about 147KB in size)... Just follow the guide and once you're in the features window of your apps, mark the features that you don't want to be installed/uninstalled and create the .CMW file.. The complete command line can be found in the last section of the wizard.. This will be liked the MST but dedicated to modify the features..
NOw that you're done with the CMW file, install your MSI application to whatever you like it (either in custom type or complete) using your MST if you have and run the second commandline for .CMW.. NOtice that you are like installing 1 application in 2 ways... One for the Base install and 2 for the modifications.. Let me know if you succeed and I will further investigate your problem or someone may look into it.. Happy Appdeploy! [:D]
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