Setup and InstallShield Tips

Keywords:      InstallShield

Question:

I working on some Software Installation thru WinBatch File with the standard we want.
I use the While !WinExist(Windows Name)and SendKey and when the installation procedure only use the "Setup" windows, I used the Delay and it worked fine. With Corel Draw7 It has only the setup windows. I cannot use the "Delay.....take over 8 mins....

Is there an other command or way to use the While !WinExist(windows-name).....so my batch file knows when to do the SendKey at the right time ???????

Answer:

Well, you could figure out what file Corel Draw installs LAST then try something like:

        lastfile="abc.txt"
        while !FileExist(lastfile)
        ...TimeDelay(1)
        endwhile
        while FileSize(lastfile)==0
        ...TimeDelay(1)
        endwhile

There are a number of tricky installations, and often the word "Setup" is overworked. You may also want to work with studying the various "Setup" windows with The Control Manager Extender, to determine if a certain set of circumstances comes up.

I don't think it is the case with Corel 7, but check and see if Corel 7 uses InstallShield(tm) as many programs do these days. If it does, then you can create a silent Install by stepping through the installation and making the choices you want.

InStallShield Notes:

To create a silent Install file:

        setup /r /f1c:\temp\setup.iss

To run with silent install:

        setup /s c:\temp\setup.iss

In a couple cases this has allowed me to install and WinBatch only has to wait for the installation to finish, or to modify the .iss file so that the silent install waits at the last screen, and WinBatch doesn't have to guess which "Setup" it is.

In the case where you want User Input or a different response to a Setup Window in the middle of the InstallShield install, you can either have WinBatch ask the user ahead of time, or make registry changes, etc. afterwards.

Answer:

No problem. Most installshield products (depending on the skill set of the person writing it originally) can be recorded. Just run the setup as you normally would. BUT, on the command line when you run setup - add a -R (minus R) at the end. That will create a file in your Windows directory called SETUP.ISS. Move that file over to the original installation directory and when you run setup from within WinBatch just use this line:

	Run("X:\wherever\setup\is\SETUP","-s")

That will perform a silent install. Some vendors setup the silent to be totally silent, others give dialogs with no input required. Some don't work right at all because the hired morons to script the installshield. Don't give this trade secret away! Makes you seem like a miracle worker ;o)

The only catch is that RunWait doesn't work for this because SETUP.exe closes and kicks off other processes. RunWait thinks it is done and goes on its way, so you will need to use WinWaitClose or something to detect when it is done (or AppWaitClose if you know the name of the real EXE that setup kicks off). Then do any processing on the backend yourself and have WInBatch reboot the pc.

Some tricks - you can find the title of the last window that appears and do a While WInExist("somename") == @FALSE. Or you can key off a desktop icon being created - (those are usually last), or a registry entry being created. Be sure to blow away the icon and registry entry you key off of first, in case the user is reinstalling. Good luck.

Article ID:   W13458

Filename:   Setup and InstallShield Tips.txt

File Created: 1999:04:15:16:54:10

Last Updated: 1999:04:15:16:54:10

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Setup and InstallShield Tips

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