Couple things: 1. You can have multiple .wxs files to create a single or set of MSI files. I recommend breaking your product down into useful chunks and putting them in Fragments then grouping the Fragments in logical files. Managing a product in a single .wxs file can be very challenging. <smile/>
2. I think Burn would work very well for your scenario below. That doesn't help you since Burn isn't available yet and won't really be stable until early next year. They way things could work in Burn, is you could break 1 - 4 into 4 separate MSI package but make one Bundle. Then you can release ever increasing versions of the Bundle with various major or minor or small updates to the contained packages.Burn is smart enough to update only the MSIs that are newer... Basically, I think your scenario is best served by a multi-MSI design. The problem with multi-MSI design is you need a chainer to manage the install/unistall/update process. On Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 12:37 PM, Lukas Haase <lukasha...@gmx.at> wrote: > Thank you everybody for the discussion! > > The result is clear to me: I won't use minor- and small updates. > > One question concerning "Best practice" left for the deployment. > > In fact my application consists of: > - "Viewer" (EXE, DLL, CHM) > - "Database" (dat-file (80MB), bunch of PDFs) > - License1.RTF, License2.RTF > > Now I ship my program in various flavours: > > 1.) Corporate edition with License1.RTF > 2.) Private edition: Everything the same except License2.RTF > 3.) (private) Network edition: Same as (2) except the name > 4.) Demo version: Modified Database (30MB instead of 80MB) > > And finally each (1)-(3) get updates every few months. > > At first I thought with WiX it would be possible to just create one > installer for all of those. > > But according to the discussions so far, am I right to just generate > separate projects (wxs files) for each of the cases above? > > And according to the updates: Each of the (1), (2), (3), (4) shares the > same UpgradeCode, doesn't it? > > Regards, > Luke > > > > > Am 22.07.2010 05:28, schrieb Christopher Painter: > > I wrote thatI had read several blog posts over the years and cited one of > them > > as Vagmi and couldn't recall who the others were. I didn't say any of > them were > > from you. In fact, I recall you writing a post about why WiX uses Major > > Upgrades and I referred to that as vindication; evidence that we have > shared > > beliefs. > > > > BTW, I could ask you the same question considering your still > unapologetic > > personal attack on me several years ago. I still believe that if we > ever met > > in real life we'd hit it really well. I for one sure wish you could > spend some > > time in Austin seeing the work I've done combining WiX with > InstallShield. > > > > Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog > > Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that deserves > > attention? E-Mail Me > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > From: Rob Mensching<r...@robmensching.com> > > To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > > <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > > Sent: Wed, July 21, 2010 10:10:42 PM > > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Does the msi-filename matter? > > > > I think you have me confused with someone else. I've always had the > stance: > > "If you can use a Major Upgrade do so. Life is too short to deal with the > > difficulties otherwise." > > > > What else have you told people I believe?<smile/> > > > > On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 7:53 PM, Christopher Painter< > > chr...@deploymentengineering.com> wrote: > > > >> Rob- I seem to recall several blog articles years ago talking about > >> how major > >> upgrades are "ugly". One was from an active blogger at the time ( Vagmi > >> ) but > >> I don't remember the others. > >> > >> http://geekswithblogs.net/Vagmi.Mudumbai/archive/2006/06/11/81426.aspx > >> > >> Blair- My MSI mojo is good, but what development throws over the wall > to > >> me > >> frequently will not end well with anything other then a major upgrade > with > >> respect to msi servicing patterns and rules. I'm sure you've seen that > >> also. > >> > >> Chris > >> > >> > >> > >> ----- Original Message ---- > >> From: Rob Mensching<r...@robmensching.com> > >> To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > >> <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > >> Sent: Wed, July 21, 2010 9:33:40 PM > >> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Does the msi-filename matter? > >> > >> Uhh, I personally always recommend Major Upgrades over all the other > >> options. IMHO, the other options (minor updates and small updates) add > pain > >> that is rarely worth it (i.e. you have to be really big with lots of > >> customers to bother with .msp's). > >> > >> I'd be curious to see who actually recommends anything but Major > Upgrades > >> for the general case. > >> > >> On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 4:07 PM, Christopher Painter< > >> chr...@deploymentengineering.com> wrote: > >> > >>> Same here. I've heard people post for years about how Major Upgrades > are > >> a > >>> pain > >>> and you better follow the component rules to a letter if you want minor > >>> upgrades, small updates and patching to work. I've choosen to only > >>> support > >>> Major Upgrades and it's a bit of a vindication to now see the likes of > >> Rob > >>> talk > >>> about why WiX's own installer only does Major Upgrades. > >>> > >>> Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog > >>> Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that > deserves > >>> attention? E-Mail Me > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ---- > >>> From: Neil Sleightholm<n...@x2systems.com> > >>> To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > >>> <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > >>> Sent: Wed, July 21, 2010 5:58:54 PM > >>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Does the msi-filename matter? > >>> > >>> But a key point is that this is only a possible** problem for minor > >>> upgrades. If > >>> you do major upgrades you can ignore it. > >>> > >>> **I say possible because I have never seen an issue but I mainly stick > to > >>> major > >>> upgrade because they are less hassle. > >>> > >>> Neil > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: Blair [mailto:os...@live.com] > >>> Sent: 21 July 2010 23:12 > >>> To: 'General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset.' > >>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Does the msi-filename matter? > >>> > >>> That could help reduce the chance of that problem, but depending on > which > >>> file the user changes (the initial or the update) you may not get a > >> chance > >>> to warn the user to not rename the MSI. > >>> > >>> In most of the failure cases I have seen due to not finding the MSI > file > >> at > >>> the indicated directory caused by looking for a different name than > >>> expected > >>> (usually due to attempting a minor upgrade using an MSI downloaded > using > >>> IE) > >>> Windows Installer never even starts parsing any sequence table. > >>> > >>> This is part of the reason huge numbers of software producers > >> distributing > >>> over the internet use self-extract-and-launch-style wrappers (zip-exe > >>> style) > >>> for their MSI distribution. > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: Christopher Painter [mailto:chr...@deploymentengineering.com] > >>> Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 2:51 PM > >>> To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > >>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Does the msi-filename matter? > >>> > >>> It is true that changing the MSI file name forces a major upgrade. If > >> you > >>> are > >>> concerned that your user will interfere with your servicing strategy by > >>> renaming > >>> the MSI, you can use the OriginalDatabase property in a LaunchCondition > >> to > >>> abort > >>> the install if they have renamed the MSI. I would suggest something > like > >>> > >>> > >>> [OriginalDatabase]>> \MYSUPPORTEDFILENAME.msi > >>> > >>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370562(VS.85).aspx<http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370562%28VS.85%29.aspx> > >>> > >>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa368012(VS.85).aspx<http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa368012%28VS.85%29.aspx> > >>> > >>> Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog > >>> Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that > deserves > >>> attention? E-Mail Me > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ---- > >>> From: Lukas Haase<lukasha...@gmx.at> > >>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >>> Sent: Wed, July 21, 2010 4:42:20 PM > >>> Subject: [WiX-users] Does the msi-filename matter? > >>> > >>> Hi, > >>> > >>> Does the filename of the msi file matter in any way? > >>> > >>> I really DO NOT hope so! Because I have no influence if the user > renames > >>> the file before installing?! > >>> > >>> [1] says: "There are cases when the Windows Installer forces you to use > >>> a major upgrade [...] You have to when you change the name of the .msi > >>> file for any reason. [...]" > >>> > >>> Regards, > >>> Luke > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> [1] http://www.tramontana.co.hu/wix/lesson4.php#4.1 > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>> -- > >>> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >>> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >>> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> WiX-users mailing list > >>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >>> -- > >>> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >>> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >>> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> WiX-users mailing list > >>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >>> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >>> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> WiX-users mailing list > >>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >>> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >>> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> WiX-users mailing list > >>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >>> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >>> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> WiX-users mailing list > >>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> virtually, Rob Mensching - http://RobMensching.com LLC > >> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >> _______________________________________________ > >> WiX-users mailing list > >> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > >> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > >> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > >> _______________________________________________ > >> WiX-users mailing list > >> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > -- virtually, Rob Mensching - http://RobMensching.com LLC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? 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