Handling Invalid Windows Installer Packages - Novell ADMINSTUDIO 9.5 User Manual

Chapter 12: Customizing Installations Using Tuner
Validation
4. Specify the result level by checking the Show "INFO" messages, Show "WARNING" messages, and/or Show
"ERROR" messages check boxes. It is highly recommended that you check at least the Error check box so
you are certain you are not suppressing results that occur in invalid packages.
5. Click the MSI Validation button (
Viewing the Prevalidation Results
As each ICE is run, Errors, Warnings, and Info messages are generated, and are listed in the Output tab at the
bottom of the interface.
Upon completion of the Prevalidation, the Validation tab is automatically selected, and all of the Errors, Warnings,
and Info messages that were generated are listed in table format. Each table row lists an icon to indicate whether it
is an Error (
description of what caused it to occur.
If a row is grayed out, it indicates that the table cannot be edited in the Direct Editor (perhaps because it is in an
external package). If a row is active, you can double-click on it to open that row's associated table. The Direct
Editor is launched and the table and/or table cells that are causing the problem are highlighted in red.
This feature makes it very easy for you to use the Direct Editor to edit values in the MSI tables of the base
Windows Installer package and store them in your transform. For more information, see
Note • If no errors appear in the results (providing you are displaying errors), then the package is valid against the
specific ICEs you specified, or against the entire evaluation file (if no ICEs were selected).

Handling Invalid Windows Installer Packages

Ideally, all Windows Installer packages will pass validation. Realistically, many will fail (generating errors). When a
package fails validation, it means the package was not built to Microsoft's specifications. It does not mean the
installation does not work. However, there are a few things you can do when your package has validation errors:
Table 12-2 • Methods to Resolve Validation Errors
Solution
Use Tuner to correct
validation errors.
Contact the installation
vendor.
Reconsider using the
application.
1010
), a Warning ( ), or an Informational Message (
Explanation
This involves opening the base package using Tuner and creating a
transform file which contains your corrections.
The company that created the installation (usually the same company that
created the software) may be able to resolve the validation issues and
provide you with a valid setup. Be sure to provide the validation report to
vendors so they know where to focus.
Although it might be an extreme reaction to an invalid package, there may be
compelling reasons not to use an installation not built to Microsoft guidelines.
) on the toolbar, or click the Start button in the view.
), the name of the ICE that generated it, and a brief
ADS-0950-UG00
Directly Editing Packages.
AdminStudio 9.5 User Guide