@^$%^$ InstallShield EXE's
Hello all ..
I have been Lurking here for some time and You guys have been a great help to me. Its time i try to give back to the community. Hopefully I will be able to help .. I know for a fact I am not as skilled as most of you here are.
I wanted to reiterate what has been known by the advanced guys here. Installshield is capable of creating a few types of scripts. The first is called a "Installshield Script" and in their terminology a Installshield MSI. Windows MSI is not the same thing. and those two are not compatible. if you noticed that when you launch a Install shield packaged app it does not use the native Windows installer it installs its own via the EXE wrapper and then runs the "Installshield MSI"
"I now see" said the blind man ...
When you try to "repackage" a Installsheild EXE .. it errors out and displays message of "..... make sure this is a windows MSI file ....... "
The question Is. Is there a Less painful way to make the Installsheild EXE or the Installshield MSI files more compatible with Windows installer for mass deployment?
Frustrated with Installsheild,
Gambit
I have been Lurking here for some time and You guys have been a great help to me. Its time i try to give back to the community. Hopefully I will be able to help .. I know for a fact I am not as skilled as most of you here are.
I wanted to reiterate what has been known by the advanced guys here. Installshield is capable of creating a few types of scripts. The first is called a "Installshield Script" and in their terminology a Installshield MSI. Windows MSI is not the same thing. and those two are not compatible. if you noticed that when you launch a Install shield packaged app it does not use the native Windows installer it installs its own via the EXE wrapper and then runs the "Installshield MSI"
"I now see" said the blind man ...
When you try to "repackage" a Installsheild EXE .. it errors out and displays message of "..... make sure this is a windows MSI file ....... "
The question Is. Is there a Less painful way to make the Installsheild EXE or the Installshield MSI files more compatible with Windows installer for mass deployment?
Frustrated with Installsheild,
Gambit
0 Comments
[ + ] Show comments
Answers (17)
Please log in to answer
Posted by:
plangton
18 years ago
Hi Gambit,
A lot of the time the Installshield .exe will launch an .MSI file. So if you can extract it somehow and find the command line paramaters that the .EXE sends to the .MSI then you can bypass the Setup.exe Altogether. For both these things, Process Explorer by sysinternals is the savior (www.sysinternals.com)
On a blank PC, run the setup.exe, then run process explorer. You'll see a dual pane window open, find the setup.exe in the top pane, hopefully it will have spawned an msiexec.exe process. If you double click on it, the window that opens should show you the full command line used to launch the msiexec.exe process. Once you have that you can just run the MSI directly (in most cases).
Hope that helps
Rgds
Paul
A lot of the time the Installshield .exe will launch an .MSI file. So if you can extract it somehow and find the command line paramaters that the .EXE sends to the .MSI then you can bypass the Setup.exe Altogether. For both these things, Process Explorer by sysinternals is the savior (www.sysinternals.com)
On a blank PC, run the setup.exe, then run process explorer. You'll see a dual pane window open, find the setup.exe in the top pane, hopefully it will have spawned an msiexec.exe process. If you double click on it, the window that opens should show you the full command line used to launch the msiexec.exe process. Once you have that you can just run the MSI directly (in most cases).
Hope that helps
Rgds
Paul
Posted by:
vmnit
11 years ago
Posted by:
TomB
18 years ago
InstallShield has the option of making a Basic MSI or a InstallScript MSI. The Basic MSI is your standrd windows installer and the InstallScript MSI uses a lot of installshileds own scripting functions and requires the ISScriptx.msi file.
Installshield has added a feature starting with InstallShield Developer X that will allow you to basically discover an InstallScript MSI and convert it to a Basic MSI.
I have not used this feature or seen it work, but if you use InstallShield Developer this may be something to look into.
Installshield has added a feature starting with InstallShield Developer X that will allow you to basically discover an InstallScript MSI and convert it to a Basic MSI.
I have not used this feature or seen it work, but if you use InstallShield Developer this may be something to look into.
Posted by:
Gambit
18 years ago
Thank you for your input Tom B ...
We currently use Wise solutions Standard edition and DevStudio 9 ...
Is there a way to convert a 3rd party Installshield exe to Windows MSI or " Basic MSI" with either of those tools?
I tried to with Wise but after pulling my hair out over a ton of errors Ive given up on it . Ive done all the easy to moderate apps here at my company but the remaining 7 or 8 apps are absolutely driving me nuts ...
Gambit
We currently use Wise solutions Standard edition and DevStudio 9 ...
Is there a way to convert a 3rd party Installshield exe to Windows MSI or " Basic MSI" with either of those tools?
I tried to with Wise but after pulling my hair out over a ton of errors Ive given up on it . Ive done all the easy to moderate apps here at my company but the remaining 7 or 8 apps are absolutely driving me nuts ...
Gambit
Posted by:
KPrinz
18 years ago
ORIGINAL: TomB
Installshield has added a feature starting with InstallShield Developer X that will allow you to basically discover an InstallScript MSI and convert it to a Basic MSI.
I have not used this feature or seen it work, but if you use InstallShield Developer this may be something to look into.
I saw this here, was excited and immediately tried it. Sorry to say, but it's far from just converting an InstallShield setup.exe based msi into a simple .msi.
You first have to repackage the whole deal and then run the setup intent wizard. Apart from loosing the whole setup logic (hey, you have to choose some options while repackaging, right?) the results I got where useless (didn't install right, missing components, crashing setup on choosing anything else but complete, the whole deal)
As I'm not dependant on msis, frustrated as I was, I gave up and chose a different way to install that prog.
Posted by:
TomB
18 years ago
KPrinz,
Sorry you had no luck with the conversion tool, as mentioned I had not tried it and it sounds like it is more hype than what it is worth.
Gambit,
You should be able to distribute the ISScriptx.msi (x being the version number) to your environment and then use the MSI from the Install as plangton suggests.
Something to note is that some of the Installshield MSI will tell you they "require to be launched by the Setup.exe". Usually you can get around this by adding the ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 proerty to either the command line or an MST file.
Sorry you had no luck with the conversion tool, as mentioned I had not tried it and it sounds like it is more hype than what it is worth.
Gambit,
You should be able to distribute the ISScriptx.msi (x being the version number) to your environment and then use the MSI from the Install as plangton suggests.
Something to note is that some of the Installshield MSI will tell you they "require to be launched by the Setup.exe". Usually you can get around this by adding the ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 proerty to either the command line or an MST file.
Posted by:
VikingLoki
18 years ago
I've used the conversion tool, sometimes it works great. Sometimes it's garbage in, garbage out. Distributing the ISScript.msi as a prerequisite and changing ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 ( <-- EDITED!) almost always works, but you do have to make sure the version of ISScript.MSI works.
Plangton - that method doesn't eliminate the need for ISScript, right?
Plangton - that method doesn't eliminate the need for ISScript, right?
Posted by:
plangton
18 years ago
Hi VikingLoki,
No you're right, it doesn't, but I've seen some clueless developers ship isscript.msi for installations that don't even have any requirement for it. The mind boggles.
Rgds
Paul
No you're right, it doesn't, but I've seen some clueless developers ship isscript.msi for installations that don't even have any requirement for it. The mind boggles.
Rgds
Paul
Posted by:
Gambit
18 years ago
Hiyah Fellas,
You guys are a wealth of knowledge.
Sorry i havent checked back. I went on Holiday in Cancun Mexico! :)
Viking Loki, Plangton,
Im a little confused a bout the ISINSTALLDRIVEN=1, Where would someone go to edit that string?
I extracted the EXE and there is just a MSI and a few folders (for this one app) I try to create a Transform using Wise Install tailor but I get an Error stating "This package does not support hiding Dialogs"
Should I be adding a transform to the ISscript.MSI instead and NOT the <application>.MSI.?
Confused,
Gambit
You guys are a wealth of knowledge.
Sorry i havent checked back. I went on Holiday in Cancun Mexico! :)
Viking Loki, Plangton,
Im a little confused a bout the ISINSTALLDRIVEN=1, Where would someone go to edit that string?
I extracted the EXE and there is just a MSI and a few folders (for this one app) I try to create a Transform using Wise Install tailor but I get an Error stating "This package does not support hiding Dialogs"
Should I be adding a transform to the ISscript.MSI instead and NOT the <application>.MSI.?
Confused,
Gambit
Posted by:
VikingLoki
18 years ago
Part 1:
ISSETUPDRIVEN is a property. You can either update the value in the Property Table, or add ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 to the MSIEXEC command line.
Part 2:
That's fine, all it means is that you can't set any dialogs to be hidden during full interactive mode. You can still pre-populate values and use MSIEXEC silent/basic switches to do a basic or invisible install.
Part 3:
No transforms on ISScript.msi. Just install it (InstallScript Engine) before you install the Application's MSI, so your machine can understand the funky InstallScript stuff imbedded in the app's InstallScript MSI.
Confusion abated?
ISSETUPDRIVEN is a property. You can either update the value in the Property Table, or add ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 to the MSIEXEC command line.
Part 2:
That's fine, all it means is that you can't set any dialogs to be hidden during full interactive mode. You can still pre-populate values and use MSIEXEC silent/basic switches to do a basic or invisible install.
Part 3:
No transforms on ISScript.msi. Just install it (InstallScript Engine) before you install the Application's MSI, so your machine can understand the funky InstallScript stuff imbedded in the app's InstallScript MSI.
Confusion abated?
Posted by:
TomB
18 years ago
VikingLoki are you sure you mean ISINSTALLDRIVEN?
The InstallScript packages I have run into, latest being iTunes, used the Property ISSETUPDRIVEN.
The InstallScript packages I have run into, latest being iTunes, used the Property ISSETUPDRIVEN.
Posted by:
VikingLoki
18 years ago
Could be. I'll double check...
Yup. I mixed it up. Good eye, TomB!
Where's that EDIT button?...
Yup. I mixed it up. Good eye, TomB!
Where's that EDIT button?...
Posted by:
Gambit
18 years ago
TomB, Viking, Plangton,
You guys ROCK! Confusion abated ...... works like a charm ...
So in conclusion ...
1. Extract the Installshield EXE with a /a as in " <app>.msi /a"
2. Define the folder to extract to when asked.
3. Then open the <app>.msi file with Wise windows Installer Editor .
4. Goto. setup editor>tables>property>add row
5. In properties column add "ISSETUPDRIVEN"
6. In Value add "1"
Worked for me like a champ .. (beside the other errors ) lol Error 1334 AArrgh...
Thanks a bundle ...
Gambit....
You guys ROCK! Confusion abated ...... works like a charm ...
So in conclusion ...
1. Extract the Installshield EXE with a /a as in " <app>.msi /a"
2. Define the folder to extract to when asked.
3. Then open the <app>.msi file with Wise windows Installer Editor .
4. Goto. setup editor>tables>property>add row
5. In properties column add "ISSETUPDRIVEN"
6. In Value add "1"
Worked for me like a champ .. (beside the other errors ) lol Error 1334 AArrgh...
Thanks a bundle ...
Gambit....
Posted by:
VinaySalimath
16 years ago
I just wanted to know if the msi is calling for setup.exe then we give a property ISSETUPDRIVEN=1.But even after giving this property the installation does not work then is there any other property to add.I have tried many apps where i have given ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 and it has worked but this is the first time that even after giving that propert in mst of a particular app its not calling for the setup.exe.
Could you please let us know is there any other property to add.
Thanks in advance
Could you please let us know is there any other property to add.
Thanks in advance
Posted by:
AngelD
16 years ago
What do you mean by But even after giving this property the installation does not work?
Does the installation fail or giving you a message that the installation cannot run without the SETUP.EXE?
http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/fb.asp?m=19850
Remove the OnCheckSilentInstall custom action from the InstallExecuteSequence table to prevent the MSI from checking if a silent installation was performed without using Setup.exe. Remove the ISVerifyScriptingRuntime custom action from the InstallUISequence table to prevent the MSI from checking if the installation was launched using setup.exe during UI sequence.
You should also look at the "Summary of InstallShield InstallDriver DCOM Identity problem" information if this is the case of your problem.
Does the installation fail or giving you a message that the installation cannot run without the SETUP.EXE?
http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/fb.asp?m=19850
Remove the OnCheckSilentInstall custom action from the InstallExecuteSequence table to prevent the MSI from checking if a silent installation was performed without using Setup.exe. Remove the ISVerifyScriptingRuntime custom action from the InstallUISequence table to prevent the MSI from checking if the installation was launched using setup.exe during UI sequence.
You should also look at the "Summary of InstallShield InstallDriver DCOM Identity problem" information if this is the case of your problem.
Posted by:
KPrinz
16 years ago
ORIGINAL: VinaySalimath
given ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 and it has worked but this is the first time that even after giving that propert in mst of a particular app its not calling for the setup.exe.
Could you please let us know is there any other property to add.
As already pointed out in this (vintage) thread, you can use ProcessExplorer or alike to find out how the msi is called. You can also set the global MSI logging level to maximum and find out how it is called.
Soetimes the wrapper passes ALL properties to the msi (including system path names). So the settings dialog comes from setup.exe and the msi is just used as a repository. it's not worth the effort trying to fiddle all these options out then.
Rating comments in this legacy AppDeploy message board thread won't reorder them,so that the conversation will remain readable.