What Developers Want to Know: Q&A from InstallShield 2014 Webinar

Have questions about InstallShield 2014?  They might be answered here.  Developers across the globe attended the recent webinar to introduce InstallShield 2014 and here is what they wanted to know.

1.   Q: Can the Virtual Machine configuration info be exported to quickly add to a set of projects?  Or are these addable via the Automation Interface?

A: The virtual machine configurations themselves are stored in <InstallShield>Support4xxVMConfigurations.xml and referenced by name in each release configuration. The XML file can be copied between machines. For more information, visit the HelpNet website, choose InstallShield 2014 and search for the help topic, Sharing Virtual Machine Settings for Distribution of Releases.

2.   Q: Does App-V still work with InstallShield?

A: App-V 4.x continued to work in InstallShield 2013 and App-V 5 now works on Windows 7 in InstallShield 2014.

3.   Q: For deploying to IIS, is there an option either through Web Deploy or through IIS to select a website for deployment, rather than creating a brand new website?

A: Yes. See the Site Name field on the typical Web Deploy wizard page. If this matches the currently used site, it should reuse the site.

4.   Q: Can we include .NET 4.5 as prerequisite in the InstallShield 2014 wizard?

A: Yes, InstallShield includes .NET Framework 4.5 prerequisites that you can add to Advanced UI, Basic MSI, InstallScript, InstallScript MSI, and Suite/Advanced UI projects.

5.   Q: Which versions will work with Visual Studio 2013?

A: InstallShield 2013 SP1 and InstallShield 2014 both support interaction with Visual Studio 2013.

6.   Q: Does InstallShield 2014 support floating license server?

A: Of course, once its licenses are upgraded.

7.   Q: One of the major limitations that I encountered in InstallShield 2013 was the inability to pass parameters to PowerShell Custom Actions. Has this been remedied in InstallShield 2014?

A: We assume this question is in regard to Basic MSI’s PowerShell support; this has not been changed for InstallShield 2014. PowerShell support in Suite and Suite/Advanced UI projects has never had this limitation.

8.   Q: Does InstallShield 2014 handle DuplicateFile table entries through the UI or is that still table interaction?

A: The new InstallShield 2014 support handles only the RemoveFile table at this time.

9.   Q: If you create a Web Deploy package on IIS7 and the user attempts to install on IIS8.5, will InstallShield deploy it successfully?

A: In most cases this will work fine. In spirit of full disclosure, however, there are rare incompatibilities that InstallShield will not remediate.

10.   Q: Does the Web Deploy work with old, classic ASP (not .NET) applications?

A: InstallShield’s Web Deploy support can deploy anything that can be represented in a Web Deploy package.

11.   Q: Custom Actions in C# only – no VB.NET support?

A: Our managed code support works on assemblies and types, not languages per se, so it will support any managed language that has the required runtimes available. This includes both C# and VB.NET. 

12.   Q: For the Web Deploy, can InstallShield 2014 detect and install prereqs that your web application needs like .NET 4.5.2, and IIS options like Static Content, Http redirect?

A: At this point you would have to add a prerequisite-style dependency package to install .NET 4.5.2, but the IIS configuration should be handled fine within the Web Deploy package.

13.   Q: Where can we get more information/tutorials on the new features supported?

A: For feature descriptions and links to more details, see the What’s New in InstallShield 2014 help topic listed under InstallShield 2014 on the HelpNet website. 

14.   Q: What is the purpose of folder validations under release in product Configuration?

A: InstallShield generates validation logs when you use any of the commands on the Validate submenu, which is available on the Build menu. The validation logs present detailed results from each step of the validation process. If your release does not validate successfully, you can review the validation log and quickly identify where in your project file the error occurred. To learn more, visit the HelpNet website, choose InstallShield 2014 and search for the topic Validating an Installation Package or Merge Module.

15.   Q: Is there IE11 compatibility for InstallScript one-click projects?

A: Yes, a javascript error preventing IE11 usage has been corrected.

16.   Q: My company is currently licensed for AdminStudio 2013 Enterprise Complete. Are we entitled to this new version of InstallShield 2014?

A: Possibly, if you have a current maintenance agreement and once the AdminStudio release is available. Please contact your sales representative for clarification.

17.   Q: Can InstallShield 2014 Import setup factory installers?

A: Possibly. For Setup Factory installers that are not MSI-based, they could probably be imported through the use of the AdminStudio Repackager.

 

What burning InstallShield 2014 questions do you have?  The new Microsoft Web Deploy support?  DPI-Aware installations?  We’re ready to answer.

 

InstallShield® is the world's leading Windows installation development solution. InstallShield is designed to enable development teams to be more agile, collaborative and flexible when building reliable InstallScript and Windows Installer MSI installations for desktop, server, Web, virtual and traditional applications. The software installer of choice for today's sophisticated application producers, InstallShield is the only software installer that can directly convert MSIs to Microsoft App-V virtual packages. Get your free trial of InstallShield today or contact us for more information.