By Edhy Rijo - 4/19/2010
Hi guys,
For those of you using InstallAware they just released an update to add the .Net 4.0 Framework runtimes, here are the links:
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By Dustin Taylor - 4/20/2010
Thanks for the heads up! 
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By Edhy Rijo - 4/24/2010
More info from IA posted on 4/23/2010 ....If anyone has trouble installing .NET 4 assemblies into the GAC, please see this thread for a solution:
http://www.installaware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5579
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/26/2011
I am not sure that I can ask a particular person for a response. If it is not correct please let me know. I just happen to see that Edhy is using a product I just purchased. Edhy I see that you use InstallAware. I just bit the bullet bought it and installed it. V10.10 and I tried building my first Setup this morning and I get an error that says "Unable to compile MSI Action Install Assembly". The question is not how to solve my problem since that I will have to work through but do you have any recommendations? Do you use InstallAware with SQL Express? and do you have any suggestions? TIA. If I should not have asked Edhy I apologize and will put a general question on the forum.
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By Edhy Rijo - 5/26/2011
Hi Terry,
No need to apologize at all. You can ask as many questions as you want, even you don't get the answers your are looking for. 
I have been using IA for several years and in my opinion it is pretty good, a bit pricey but good and solid. I don't have the latest version 10 so I cannot comment on the new features.
I do not install MS-SQL Express database with IA since I have not had the need and the MS setup does a pretty good job. I do use IA to install all my applications, services and in some of them use the update feature in IA. I have done some complicated installations, at least for me <smile!> and like any new tool, I recommend you read the documentation and start with a test project and a couple of Virtual Machine computers to test your installation.
For .Net applications, with IA you can install the assemblies in the Windows folder or in your application folder. Also the unique IA scripting feature give you a lot of power to manipulate your setups.
Again, if you have any question, feel free to ask, but I guess you will get better response in the IA forums. All my setups are very unique since I like to make it easier for my customers to install my applications without any hassle or support calls.
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/26/2011
So when you say you don't use it with SQL Express does that mean you just include the exe with your package and have them install it the way you and I do?If I tell IA to install dot NET 3.5 does it have to install dot NET 2 and so forth? I have DDT but have not really used it since most of my work has been with data bases that have already existed. Therefore I think I can use DDT to read the meta data, stored procs and so forth to create a Pkg. Do you incorportate the pkg into IA or how do you get the database, tables, stored procs and data onto your clients machines? Wow you opened the flood gates when you said I could ask questions. Thank you so much.
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/26/2011
Ops I forgot one question. What software do you use for your Virtual Machines?TIA
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By Edhy Rijo - 5/26/2011
Terry Bottorff (5/26/2011)
So when you say you don't use it with SQL Express does that mean you just include the exe with your package and have them install it the way you and I do?
In my case, yes. 100% of the time, we do the initial install of the application which includes installing the database, and I found it easier to just use the MS packaged setup. Also if I remember correctly, for MS-SQL 2008 Microsoft did something that makes it a bit difficult for 3rd party installers to take care of the installation without hassle, it is not impossible to do, but last time I checked (a year or more) it was not a straight forward process.
If I tell IA to install dot NET 3.5 does it have to install dot NET 2 and so forth? When you select a runtime from the IA runtimes screen, it will let you know if any of the runtime packages needs any supporting version. So it is just a matter to select the runtime you need. Also be sure to read about the IA Web Media Blocks (WMB) feature which will basically repackage any runtime using the great IA compression logic which is much better than the one used for MSI and allow you to place those Web Media Block in a common repository folder in your web or ftp so your installation will simply download the ones needed by a particular workstation. Using Web Media Blocks, allows you to have a much smaller setup file and you can use those WMB with other IA installations. I have DDT but have not really used it since most of my work has been with data bases that have already existed. Therefore I think I can use DDT to read the meta data, stored procs and so forth to create a Pkg. Do you incorportate the pkg into IA or how do you get the database, tables, stored procs and data onto your clients machines? I heavily use the DDT, in fact it was one of the feature that helped me decide to buy StrataFrame. Even though IA allows you to run .Net classes, the way the StrataFrame setup deploys their sample database, I prefer to have this logic in my own application where I have total control of the process. I have created a fully automated process that will detect any update, download it, install it, and update a table with the version information, so other workstations will update as well when new version is detected. This process is very unique to my applications and my logic, and I use AppLife Update to help me with the update features, it is much better than the IA updates, and you have total control of the update process, AppLife Update is just amazing. Wow you opened the flood gates when you said I could ask questions. Thank you so much. No problem, you are lucky I am available today!!! Be aware that preparing setups could be difficult and time is needed to plan ahead the way you want your installations to work. IA will help you a lot, but it will required some training time. Like in SF, take some time to browse through the IA forums when looking for specific functionality, there are lot of information in their forums which still apply to the newer versions of IA, as well as great MVPs able to help and share information. Good luck!
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By Edhy Rijo - 5/26/2011
Terry Bottorff (5/26/2011)
Ops I forgot one question. What software do you use for your Virtual Machines? TIA I use VMware Workstation because I still have some old VFP applications that I need to maintain, and found out that having all VFP tools in a VM has proof to be worthy specially when your main computer crash and need to build a VFP patch on the laptop. But if you don't have those needs, then the free version VMware Player will do just fine, much better than Virtual PC since it will let you install Server OS as VM so you can have your very own VM network to test your application functionality.
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/26/2011
Cool. Thanks. I have already spent a great deal of time on IA's site.Off to check out VM Ware.
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/27/2011
Should you add the individual Assemblies that are needed for Strataframe or use the Merge modules? That is when you are trying to build a Setup with AI?TIA.
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By Edhy Rijo - 5/27/2011
I never used the merge modules. I add each assembly to the IA Assemblies page.
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/27/2011
Good enough. Thank you so much.
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/28/2011
A couple of follow up questions. Do you get the assemblies out of the \Program Files (x86)\MicroFour\StrataFrame\Assemblies? Do you put the assemblies in the GAC on the Clients machine or copy them into the TargetDir? |
By Edhy Rijo - 5/28/2011
Terry Bottorff (5/28/2011)
Do you get the assemblies out of the \Program Files (x86)\MicroFour\StrataFrame\Assemblies?
Yes and no. Since I develop multiple projects, I rather have all my runtime assemblies in a common folder for all projects, separated by versions, this way, if I get a new version of SF, it will not override the previous assemblies and still will be able to re-create my setups.
Terry Bottorff (5/28/2011)
Do you put the assemblies in the GAC on the Clients machine or copy them into the TargetDir?Yes and no. For some standard applications, I use the TARGETDIR, but for others which are more specialized, I use the GAC just to add a level of confusion for somebody trying to copy the application to another computer and make it work illegally, I mostly do this for fun, as far as know, some customer have tried but adding some good security code protect the investment and of course my lunch <smile!!!>
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By Terry Bottorff - 5/31/2011
Thank you. When I right click on my Project and go to Properties and I look at the Compile tab I notice that Configuration is set to Active(Debug). Do I need to change the Compile from Active(Debug) to Release and then Publish my Project before I try to create my setup with IA? TIA
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By Edhy Rijo - 5/31/2011
Hi Terry,
Yes, you should build your IA setup based on the Released version of your application not the debug. What I do is that once a released version is ready to ship out, after compilation I copy all the assemblies to another folder from which serve as the image source for the IA setup.
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By Ivan George Borges - 12/9/2011
Edhy Rijo (4/19/2010)
Hi guys, For those of you using InstallAware they just released an update to add the .Net 4.0 Framework runtimes, here are the links:
Hey Edhy.
A bit late, but thanks for posting this. I faced an issue with VS 2010 Service Pack 1 and SqlServer.SMO referencing .NET Framework 3.5, so as Keyth and Marcia have already done it, I had to recompile SF under CLR 3.5 and now I will have to make sure my installations test this pre-requisite on the clients machines. Since I own Installaware 7, I didn't have these CLRs ready for installation. Your post directed me to the right place!
Thank you. 
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By Edhy Rijo - 12/9/2011
Hi Ivan,
Ivan George Borges (12/9/2011)
A bit late, but thanks for posting this. I faced an issue with VS 2010 Service Pack 1 and SqlServer.SMO referencing .NET Framework 3.5, so as Keyth and Marcia have already done it, I had to recompile SF under CLR 3.5 and now I will have to make sure my installations test this pre-requisite on the clients machines. Since I own Installaware 7, I didn't have these CLRs ready for installation. Your post directed me to the right place!
You are welcome, but just to be clear, I have not seen the issue that requires me to rebuild SF under CLR 3.5. Here is my configuration:
VS2010 SP1
All my projects are using .Net 4.5 runtime.
SF source is as distributed by MicroFour, only the DevExpress solution is rebuild, but using 2.0.
InstallAware 9 R2.
I install the SQL SMO2008 with a custom IA script, I don't remember if I created it, or get it from somebody else couple of years ago, if you need it I can send it to you.
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By Ivan George Borges - 12/9/2011
Yeah, I would also be fine if I hadn't made some customizations to the SF source code (don't tell "anyone" I did it!).
But as I have done so, I do need to recompile it, and then I hit the error I mentioned before right in the DBEngine project, which uses SMO. This is because the SMO now makes reference to the CLR 3.5 System.Core ( http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/651546/microsoft-sqlserver-smo-could-not-be-resolved-because-it-has-an-indirect-dependency-on-the-framework-assembly-system-core-version-3-5-0-0 ), and then VS2010 SP1 will complain about it, since SF is compiled under CLR 2.0. That is where I got stuck and had to change the source code to compile under 3.5.
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By Edhy Rijo - 12/9/2011
Ivan, thanks for the explanation, now I understand.
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