Automating InstallShield

[the_doc735]

Automating InstallShield

InstallShield's ability to perform unattended installations is exciting. InstallShield is popular because it lets

you perform unattended installations of many applications.

InstallShield's unattended capability, and the ease with which you can use it, isn't a new development. The

company doesn't publicize this functionality, however, except as buried in the support documents. "HOWTO:

Creating a Silent Installation," an article on InstallShield Software's support site at

http://support.installshield.com, reveals the secret to automating InstallShield-based application

installations: the -r and -s switches.

You perform a typical installation of your InstallShield-based application to create a template for automated

installations. However, starting the setup.exe command with the -r option records your responses to the

installation panels. This option instructs the installation routine to write your responses to an InstallShield

Silent Response File (.iss).

Even when you use the -r option, InstallShield diligently installs the application on your computer. After the

installation program writes the .iss file, I recommend that you immediately remove the application from

your system. InstallShield automatically puts the .iss file it writes into your Windows folder, which isn't

necessarily the first place you'd look for the file. Copy the setup.iss file from your Windows folder to the

same directory as the application's source code, then use the -s switch with setup.exe to reinstall the

application, this time in silent mode.

Silent installations (or unattended installations that use your recorded responses) work for most

InstallShield-based applications, of which many are on the market. However, InstallShield Software

documents scenarios in which silent installations might not work, such as with applications that use custom

installation dialog boxes that aren't programmed to obey the -r command. Fortunately, I haven't

encountered any InstallShield-based installations I couldn't run in silent mode. Nevertheless, you need to

test the application's silent installation before you incorporate the commands into the [GuiRunOnce] section

of your unattended installation file.

Whether you see dialog boxes, prompts, or graphics after you start the InstallShield silent installation

depends on the application's installation routine. You'll probably see increased hard disk activity while the

installation proceeds. Knowing when the installation process is finished, however, can be difficult; look on

the Windows Start menu or in Windows Task Manager to verify the installation.

If, when you run the silent installation, your application doesn't install properly, look for error messages in

the setup.log file that the installation process creates. The silent installation process writes into this log file

status codes that you can use for troubleshooting. InstallShield Software's documentation about silent

setups contains information about error messages you might find.

If your application installs correctly, you can then use the -s option in the [GuiRunOnce] section, as the

following example shows:

"setup.exe -s"

For more information about the [GuiRunOnce] section of unattended installation files and other options for

automating your installations, see Sean Daily, " Customizing Unattended Win2K Installations,".

B)

[MadBoy]

Wrong section. This section is about DRIVERS or DEVICES.

[CoffeeFiend]

Wrong section. This section is about DRIVERS or DEVICES.

And it's far from being new or anything... Documented here, on their website in great length, various forum posts, google would find lots more too...

[MadBoy]

the_doc735 -> just stop trying to be in attention all the time. Most info isn't new or can be found on this very forum or on main msfn page. Try to bring something new (even just idea) instead

[the_doc735]

sorry, was only trying to be helpful.

But as I'm obviously being ridiculed for my posts and info isn't wanted or welcomed on here I will take your advice and STOP posting.

i.e. instead of thanks for the info I get "this isn't new" etc etc.

Oh well, at least I tried. I'll stick to reading unless I get stuck. Trouble is no one answers your questions anyway. It's all very well saying "that's because the answers are here already" but what use is that if it's like looking for needles in a hay stack? (i.e. things strewn all over the place).

Some people don't have the time to search for hours on end. Those kind of people would appreciate someone's attempt to correlate info.

ADMIN - PLEASE MOVE MY 'ABOVE' POST TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTION OR DELETE IT, IF IT'S NOT WANTED?

[MadBoy]

the_doc you can post your information but do it in good forum. this forum is dedicated to hardware mostly. only ppl that have hw problems come here and you can probably see much more ppl in unattended forum that will find your topic interesting.

[CoffeeFiend]

Trouble is no one answers your questions anyway.

I find the vast majority of posts get a lot of helpful answers. I have no idea what makes you say that.

It's all very well saying "that's because the answers are here already" but what use is that if it's like looking for needles in a hay stack? (i.e. things strewn all over the place). Some people don't have the time to search for hours on end. Those kind of people would appreciate someone's attempt to correlate info.

Yes, the information is scattered around a bit. But the unattended site had that information handy, I found it there in under 30 secs. The forum has a great search function which would find this thing in a few seconds as well. Same goes for google. Yes, it takes some work to find what you want, but there's no way around that (well, if you have, I'd love to hear about it). In a couple weeks your post won't be any easier to find than any of the other posts with this information either, it'll be burried under tons of new posts - just like every other installshield related post, and people will still have to search to find it. And it's never took me hours to find anything here.

You're supposed to read until you run into some issue and then post that. Or if you have something that you're positively sure is new, then by all means let everyone know. It's common sense, just like posting in the proper section. That's how forums work...

[the_doc735]

@crahak

well I have received plenty of positive email's for my posts!

enjoy your rant!

(this too shall pass)

[the_doc735]

the_doc735 -> just stop trying to be in attention all the time. Stop trying to steal the limelight.

@ madboy

I wouldn't do that as I always try to 'give credit - where credit's due'.

e.g. this was all made possible by an idea from madboy etc etc.

[MadBoy]

You're missing the point. It's not about credit but about wrong posting (wrong forum). You seems to ask your questions / post way arounds for problems that aren't touching device/drivers instalation at all. It's like you would start posting posts about super meal you just made. Next time choose proper forum to post your questions/instructions so ppl that are looking for your SOLUTION in proper forum will find it. I must say i would never look on Device forum looking for this kinda stuff.

[the_doc735]

You're missing the point. It's not about credit but about wrong posting (wrong forum). You seems to ask your questions / post way arounds for problems that aren't touching device/drivers instalation at all. It's like you would start posting posts about super meal you just made. Next time choose proper forum to post your questions/instructions so ppl that are looking for your SOLUTION in proper forum will find it. I must say i would never look on Device forum looking for this kinda stuff.

my stuff:

my main drivers

my raid driver

my intel chipset driver

monitor driver

..these are the main things; where else should it be?

e.g. I haven't asked how to use microsoft office, adobe photoshop etc etc. Or how to use or repair a printer etc. Even when I mentioned installsheild it was with the intention of the /r /s record/replay function for my logitech itouch & ipoint drivers. I'm sure admin would move and make sure my posts where correctly placed anyway if I made an error. I even wrote and asked about incorrectly placed posts to see if I had done that, but no one got back to me so far so I guess it must be OK with them?