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Hi

We in our company build asp.net and MS SQL Server apps for deployment on
clients' machines. We have created an Installer class (DBInstaller) which
runs several scripts to build a database, populate it will data, etc. I
would like to be able to create a setup file, which, if the application is
NOT installed on the client computer, installs from scratch. This already
works in the MSI file we create. However, if the application DOES exist on
the target computer, i would like to set some options in VS.NET Setup
Project, not ORCA, that in the same setup file, would allow me to :

- update only those files where the files included in MSI date is greater
than the files on the client disk.

- run a different installer class (DBUpgrader), which refreshed all the SPs
and views, and optionally adds extra data to look-up tables and may add
extra fields to tables.

If the user double clicks on the setup file, where the application already
exists on their machine and the setupfile is a newer version of the setup
file, it should by default assume an upgrade is going to take place and not
that the application is to be repaired or removed. Removing the
application, means dropping the database, which by this time most likely
includes some client data. Obviously, we do not want to do this.

Setting the RemovePreviousVersions attribute within the Setup project will
remove all files and reinstall them. This is again unacceptable as we do not
want to remove the database, or most of the aspx files). We would only want
to update some aspx files, update the compiled assemblies (if applicable)
and run some update scripts on the database.

Can this be accomplished through VS.NET, or through Orca?

We are using VS.NET 2003 on Windows XP to deploye ASP.NET/VB.NET components
and SQL Server applications.We are also using the MSDE Bootstrap Loader
Configurator.

Thanks

Oz

Reply to this message...

Stefan Krueger [MVP] (VIP)

[Original message clipped]

Windows Installer compares the version of the files, not the dates.
Versionless files will not be overwritten if they have been modified by the
user (i.e. their modify date is newer than their create date). For details
see topic File Versioning Rules in the MSI SDK.

[Original message clipped]

You would have to condition your custom actions accordingsly. Not sure if
that is possible inside Visual Studio.

[Original message clipped]

Make sure you always change the PackageCode whenever you rebuild your setup.
You cannot install a Small or Minor Upodate (i.e. ProductCode doesn't
change) by double clicking the .msi file. You would have to set the
REINSTALLMODE (and usually also the REINSTALL) property on the command line.
Often a setup.exe launcher is used for this purpose. This limitation does not
apply if you ship your updates as .msp patches instead of full .msi files.
However IIRC patch creation is not supported by Visual Studio, you would have
to use the tools from the MSI SDK or some more capable setup authring tool
(http://www.installsite.org/go/msidev.htm)

[Original message clipped]

That would be a Major Upgrade (i.e. you change the ProductCode). If this is
not what you want, use a Small or Minor Update instead, as mentioned above.

--
Stefan Krueger
Microsoft Windows Installer MVP

Windows Installer FAQ
www.msifaq.com - www.msifaq.de

InstallSite - Resources for Setup Developers
www.installsite.org
www.installsite.de

"Oz" wrote:

[Original message clipped]

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