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wixwindows-installerinstallationinstallshield

Always update files in minor upgrade (how to)


I am creating an install package using InstallShield Pro X. The upgrade works properly. However, the product manager wants the upgrade to replace all files on an upgrade even if the create date != modify date on the file.

I see that to do this I need to set REINSTALLMODE=vamus rather than vomus. However, I don't see how to tell InstallShield that I want it to use that setting. By default setup.exe always passes vomus to windows installer.

There is a property in the InstallShield project named ReinstallModeText that I changed from omus to amus but that seemed to have no effect.

So, how what do I set in the install project so that when setup.exe detects to run an upgrade it sends REINSTALLMODE=vamus? Thanks.

Update: Tried adding the following to the MSI Command Line value in the Release section:

REINSTALLMODE=vamus

This did not work. Setup.exe didn't set REINSTALL=ALL on the command line what I did this. I added that to the MSI Command line and the upgrade worked as expected. But, not the problem is if it is a NEW install those properties are still being set and the installer fails.


Solution

  • In investigating this further and testing more options I think the best answer is to modify the product code in addition to the product version and author it as a major upgrade which removes the previous version first and then installs the new files.

    The main problem with this is that it takes alot longer for the installer to run. I also think that you can not issue this as a patch, but I could be wrong on that count.