Determine The Form Of The Update - Symantec WINDOWS INSTALLER EDITOR 7.0 SP2 - REFERENCE FOR WISE INSTALLATION STUDIO V1.0 Installation Manual

Determine the Form of the Update

Windows Installer Editor Reference
Planning for the next software update should start when you ship the first version of
your application. To create an update, you must have access to previous versions of the
installation. Always archive the shipping installation in a place that is accessible. Even if
you compile and ship the installation as an .EXE, archive the .MSI, which is created
alongside the .EXE. If the installation included .CABs or other files, archive those also.
This is the second step in preparing for an update.
An update can be a patch, an upgrade, or a reinstall. You can create both a patch and an
upgrade of the same installation. If you do not create a patch or an upgrade, your
update is a reinstall by default. You can also use command-line options to cause an
upgrade to completely or partially reinstall.
About patches
Can only update an existing application.
Can update multiple previous versions to the current version.
Can only update an application originally installed with Windows Installer
technology.
Are small, containing only the changes between the original and updated
applications.
Are created with the Patch Creation tool.
See Creating a Patch File
Allow little flexibility in customizing an update. Example: You cannot change feature
states, leave certain features installed, or perform custom actions based on the
version of the installed application.
About upgrades
Used when you make major changes to an installation.
Update an existing application or install the entire application.
Are at least as large as a stand-alone installation.
Can update multiple versions of an installed application.
After installing the new version, check for components of the previous version that
are no longer needed and remove them.
Allow flexibility in customizing an update. Example: You can run custom actions and
specify features to leave on the destination computer based on what version is
already installed.
Are created on the Upgrades page.
See Upgrades on page 345.
About reinstalls
Are required by default if you don't provide for another method of updating, such as
a patch or upgrade. Reinstalls are forced by the operating system if the version and
the product code are the same.
on page 337.
Upgrading Applications
331