Installer Upgrades Instead of Creating New

[LaserDrive]

I am creating a new Installer for an executable that is a modified version of an exsisting program. It installs it as an upgrade instead of a new program. I changed all the file names both for the vi's and the project, as well as changed all the target file names in the project build properties and it still uninstalls/upgrades the old one. I need both versions to function on the same computer. What am I missing?

[crelf]

QUOTE(LaserDrive @ Apr 20 2007, 01:38 AM)

I am creating a new Installer for an executable that is a modified version of an exsisting program.

Are you sure you creating a new installer from scratch, or are you copying an older installer? An installer generates a quasi-random code that is installed in the registry, so when you try to install the same app again (or upgrade it) it knows that it's already installed.

[LaserDrive]

QUOTE(crelf @ Apr 19 2007, 11:56 AM)

Are you sure you creating a new installer from scratch, or are you copying an older installer? An installer generates a quasi-random code that is installed in the registry, so when you try to install the same app again (or upgrade it) it knows that it's already installed.

I used the same project and renamed it using a "save-as"; then I renamed all of the target info by right-clicking the .exe and installer builds and changing everything in there.

If I read you right, I can delete both builds and simply create new ones to solve my problem?

[crelf]

QUOTE(LaserDrive @ Apr 20 2007, 02:02 AM)

I used the same project and renamed it using a "save-as"; then I renamed all of the target info by right-clicking the .exe and installer builds and changing everything in there.

Right- when you create a build, it assigns a tag to it in the *.lvproj file:

<Property Name="DistID" Type="Str">{AAAAAAAA-BBBB-CCCC-DDDD-EEEEEEEEEEEE}</Property>

When you try to reinstall that app, the code's already in the registry from a previous app's, so the installer tries to upgrade the app rather than reinstall it. That means that if you have two apps that share the same code, Windows will get confused - you can install the first one okay, but when you try to install the second it'll try to upgrade the first. You used to be able to generate a new code (before LabVIEW 8.20), but I can't see where you do that now... But if you just create a new build for one of the apps then that should solve the problem.

[LaserDrive]

ugh. now the Project Explorer freezes every time I create a new Build. I got it to build, but when it tries to update the "Build Specification" in explorer, it croaks. Any tips while I'm here?

[gleichman]

QUOTE(crelf @ Apr 19 2007, 10:27 AM)

You used to be able to generate a new code (before LabVIEW 8.20), but I can't see where you do that now... But if you just create a new build for one of the apps then that should solve the problem.

It looks like the "generate" product code button disappeared in 8.0 with the new project interface.

[crelf]

QUOTE(gleichman @ Apr 20 2007, 03:52 AM)

It looks like the "generate" product code button disappeared in 8.0 with the new project interface.

Thanks for confirming that Alan - I thought I was just overlooking it...

[kennoncotton]

QUOTE(LaserDrive @ Apr 19 2007, 11:02 AM)

I used the same project and renamed it using a "save-as"; then I renamed all of the target info by right-clicking the .exe and installer builds and changing everything in there.

If I read you right, I can delete both builds and simply create new ones to solve my problem?

Or if you are using 8.2 you can right click on a build specification and choose Duplicate, to get a new copy of the build spec. And as part of duplicate on an installer spec Application Builder will generate a new Distribution ID and Upgrade Code, so that the new installer spec generates an installer that won't do an upgrade / uninstall of the output of the original installer spec.

We had the Product Code visible prior to 8.0 in the UI as an indicator and you could generate a new one, mainly because it seemed common to reuse a .bld script to generate a new exe (new program, not just new version) and you probably didn't want the installer to upgrade. We took it out of the UI in 8.0 because we thought with separate projects people wouldn't run into this as much. We are contemplating putting back in, but for average Joe LabVIEW User it is a little strange to see a GUID like that, even more so to see 2. And if we put it back in it would probably be as a control so that you could have 2 installer specs with the same info if you wanted them to actually affect one another. I guess that is the real dilemma is it more common to want to set these codes to be the same (need to be able to set them in the UI) or to want them to be different (just an indicator or not visible at all)?

[crelf]

QUOTE(kennoncotton @ Apr 21 2007, 12:33 AM)

...right click on a build specification and choose Duplicate

:thumbup: That's pretty cool - thanks for pointing that out Kennon.

QUOTE(kennoncotton @ Apr 21 2007, 12:33 AM)

We took it out of the UI in 8.0 because we thought with separate projects people wouldn't run into this as much. We are contemplating putting back in, but for average Joe LabVIEW User it is a little strange to see a GUID like that, even more so to see 2.

It's a tough question - maybe you should put it back in and label it "Never never never press this button - unless you really really really have to and you absolutely absolutely absolutely know what you're doing".

[Ton Plomp]

I vote for the return of the GUID in the GUI.

I try to make to installers for every project, one which just puts the exe and shortcuts in the wright spot and one that contains additional installers like VISA, DAQmx and Serial.

So please give it back! (and it would be easier for our registration)

Ton

[LaserDrive]

Thanks everyone. It seemed to work. And installing the 2007 discs which I just received last week solved the locking up problem. Now it's back to user errors.