Table of Contents
Advertisement
Strategies for Organizing Files Into Features
Windows Installer Editor Reference
2.
On the Files page, add a file to each feature. Select the feature from the Current
Feature drop-down list before adding the file.
3.
On the Dialogs page, clear the check box for Installation Type Dialog, and mark
the check box for Select Feature Dialog.
4.
Click Test in the lower-right of the main window.
In Visual Studio: select Project menu > Start in Test mode.
The Select Feature dialog box in the installation reflects the options that you set on the
Features page.
It is important to create and organize features and define conditions in a logical way; not
doing so can result in non-functional versions of your application being installed.
Features in an installation appear in a tree structure, which lets you place features in
hierarchical relationships. You can add a feature at the same level as another feature
(sibling level) or as a child of another feature. Sibling features can be installed
independently of each other, while child features can be installed only if their parent
feature is installed.
The core resources for an application should always be in a top-level feature. The core
feature should install a functioning version of your application; it should have no
dependencies on resources that are in optional features.
When Windows Installer repairs an installation due to corruption or deletion of a
resource, it repairs the entire feature. Example: If an advertised shortcut is part of the
top level feature, and that advertised shortcut gets deleted, the entire application is
reinstalled during the repair. Therefore, isolate advertised shortcuts and their .EXEs into
their own sub-features to avoid complete reinstallation and result in more efficient
repairs.
The following examples illustrate several strategies for organizing files into features.
Place dependent features below required core files
The features Internal_Text_Editor and Internal_Graphics_Editor, which are built into the
application, are dependent on the presence of the core application files, which are
assigned to the Core feature. Make them children of the Core feature to ensure that they
are never installed without the Core feature.
Place dependent features as siblings to core files, but require core files
The features Internal_Text_Editor and Internal_Graphics_Editor, which are built into the
application, are dependent on the presence of the core application files, which are
Defining an Installation Project
Dependent on Core feature
112
Advertisement
Table of Contents
Troubleshooting
