Project Files And Database Files - Symantec WINDOWS INSTALLER EDITOR 8.0 Reference

Extension
.EXE

Project Files and Database Files

How are installation
files and paths stored?
Can you create
releases?
Compiling does what?
Windows Installer Editor Reference
Description
You can compile an .EXE that encapsulates the .MSI or that calls an external .MSI.
Doing so gives you the option of pre-installing the Windows Installer runtime before
performing your own installation, which ensures that the installation will run.
See Setting Build Options for a Release
Release on page 198.
Typically, the installation you distribute is an .MSI. Windows Installer operates on .MSIs,
which are a type of relational database that stores installation information and files in
tables.
See About Microsoft Windows Installer
On the Build Options page (see
the Media page (see Setting Up Media for Distribution
output an installation in different ways:
As a single-file .MSI, which contains compressed installation files.
As an .MSI that has external compressed .CAB files.
As an .MSI that has external uncompressed files.
As an .EXE that contains the .MSI and installation files.
As an .EXE that runs an external .MSI.
If you to output an .EXE, you can then pre-install Windows Installer or other runtimes.
When you create an installation, you can work in a .WSI (project) file or an .MSI file.
The same applies to merge modules; you can work in a .WSM (project) file or an .MSM
file.
If you work in a .WSI or .WSM
(Wise project)
Externally. The project contains paths to
the installation files. During compile,
they are compiled into the resulting .MSI
or .EXE.
Yes. Use the Releases page and other
Release Definition pages.
Reads the project information and
compiles a database file (.MSI or .MSM),
which contains installation files.
Working With Wise Installation Files
on page 193 and
on page 494.
Setting Build Options for a Release
on page 210), you can specify to
If you work in an .MSI or .MSM
(Windows Installer database)
Inside the database file. Files are
refreshed from disk unless Don't update
or recompress files when saving is
marked on the Product Details page.
No. Because you are already working in
the final output file, options for multiple
output files are unavailable, which includes
all Release Definition pages.
Refreshes files from disk unless Don't
update or recompress files when
saving is marked on the Product Details
page.
Adding Prerequisites to a
on page 193) or on
61