Installer: Pre-existing file error

[Cat]

Hi all,

I've just started using the Installer built into LV 8. It's a relief not to have to use the nuclear bomb of InstallShield against an installation that just requires a fly-swatter.

I've gotten to the point where I need to create the Big Installation. I have multiple executables sitting in the same directory. There is also a support directory where all the files they share (mostly dlls) live.

When I get to the "Source Files" part of the installation, it seems that it doesn't add individual files, but in fact adds the entire Build Specification for each executable. However, those different Build Specifications point to the same dll in the Support directory and when I tell the installer to add that Build Specification it comes back with an error "The following files already exist in the destination directory:..." Okay, fine, don't add what's already there, but why won't it add the other files that aren't there yet??

Am I missing some Installer nuance?? I would really like to not have to go back to using InstallShield...

Cat

[Cat]

QUOTE (Cat @ Apr 9 2008, 09:35 AM)

When I get to the "Source Files" part of the installation, it seems that it doesn't add individual files, but in fact adds the entire Build Specification for each executable. However, those different Build Specifications point to the same dll in the Support directory and when I tell the installer to add that Build Specification it comes back with an error "The following files already exist in the destination directory:..." Okay, fine, don't add what's already there, but why won't it add the other files that aren't there yet??

Bad Form! Replying to my own post...

I finally figured out I can add my whole executable directory to the project and then the individual files are available to add to the installation. Hopefully this works...

Cat

[bpreis]

QUOTE (Cat @ Apr 9 2008, 09:50 AM)

Bad Form! Replying to my own post...

I finally figured out I can add my whole executable directory to the project and then the individual files are available to add to the installation. Hopefully this works...

Cat

While that does work, you might run into trouble later wrangling new support files into the installer build spec. New support files could be produced by rebuilding your exe if it links to additional dependencies in the future. Something you might want to try is assigning a unique folder name to the Support Directory in each exe build spec. You can do this on the destinations page, clicking Support Directory and changing the default folder name from "data" to something else.

Alternatively, you could try putting each build spec into its own unique parent folder so that the data folder contents from your exe builds won't have a chance to collide when adding them in the Installer Builder.