Set Author: a Merge Modules/Set Up question

[Frinavale]

I am currently working with a Merge Module and Installation project.

I would love to know how to specify where the module should be installed to.

By default it is being installed into "C:\Program Files\Default Company Name\" which is not what I want.

I'm not sure how to set this to what I want it to be.

I have noticed that there is an Author property (under the KeyOutputs property) on the Merge Module once it's included the Installation/Set Up project...this property's value is set to "Default Company Name" and it is not editable.

I think my path being set to "Default Company Name" has something to do with setting the Author property...howe ver I cannot find any information on how to go about fixing this....there is very limited amount of information out there about Merge Modules.

Any hints on how to accomplish this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-Frinny

[Frinavale]

Update about my thoughts on the problem:

When I compile the Merge Module it creates an .msm file that is used by the Set Up project to create setup.exe and setup.msi applications.

It is when the .msm file is created that the .msm author settings applied to the file. The compiler does this.

I have a really bad feeling about this... but what I think I have to do is edit the compiler's .msn file: MSHelp2_RegTabl es__RTL_---_---.msm in order to set the author information for my Merge Module so that the default installation path can be set to something I desire.

Right now I'm looking for a tool like Orca that will let me edit the msm file....even though I have about 1000 red flag reasons as to why I shouldn't do this going around in my head.

My problem right now is that Orca is for Vista and I'm developing on an XP machine.

So, I'm hoping that someone here knows of a better way to accomplish what I'm trying to do before I find an application that lets me edit my compiler's .msm file.

<edit> does anyone know of a Windows XP application that will let me edit .msm files?</edit>

-Frinny

[Plater]

I am guessing that "merge module" is visual basics crazy version of an install project?
Check the Assembly file, you should find that like "Company" or whatever also contains that "Default Company Name" and is editable?

edit: I take that back, where did you find a merge module project? I dug around in vs 2005 and vs 2008, didn't see it
re-edit: I'm a moron. found it. But my Author Property was editable?

[Frinavale]

I am guessing that "merge module" is visual basics crazy version of an install project?

No, here's some info on merge modules. There's actually no code in these projects. They are basically components (like a DLL)...a package of a bunch of resources/files etc used by the installer...tha t you can include in install projects to install components common to different application installs.

Check the Assembly file, you should find that like "Company" or whatever also contains that "Default Company Name" and is editable?

I've already done this to every application that is involved with the Merge Module.

The only thing that contains "Default Company Name" is the Author property of my .msm file that is generated after compiling my Merge Module.....and the path that the application is installed to when running the compiled install/setup program that uses the .msm file.

[Plater]

You beat me to replying before i was done with my edits.
My "Author" property is editable.

[Frinavale]

Why is yours editable while mine isn't????

<edit>Oh wait, how are you editing the "Author"... .by right clicking on the MSM file and adding an author?

This approach wont work for me because my msm file is compiled just before my installer project that uses it is compiled....whi ch means I can't do this unless I break up the the way the solution is installed and compile each component by hand.
</edit>

[balabaster]

Do you have Orca? Does it support this? I've got Orca and I use it for stuff like this. There's certain things I do - like change the color/position/size of the banner text so that it lines up on my banner properly that I've not found another way to do in the Setup Project directly. If you're looking for Orca then it can be found here:

http://www.technipages.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/orca.Msi

If you're looking some other tool "like" Orca, then maybe Wix, Wise or InstallShield. I tried them all and gave up. I can't really wrap my head around the process of writing installers using a database style structure... it's about all I can do to make the minor modifications I do in Orca.

I found that Visual Studio's Setup Project template will take you so far, but if you want to do anything outside the mainstream basic installer, then it can get complicated real fast and you have to go outside to another tool to complete the job... hence Orca & WiX et al...

I guess it takes a completely different mindset for writing installers. At this point I think in OO and write event driven applications. Trying to modify that mindset to write these merge modules is just an alien concept to me. Eventually I'll be forced to learn it properly though, by which time, hopefully you fully understand it and I can just pester you for the answers :oP

[Frinavale]

I don't think Orca is supported by XP (from what I've read about it).

I'll give it a try anwyas.....than ks

<edit>It's working in XP.....here I go...wish me luck!</edit>

[balabaster]

I don't think Orca is supported by XP (from what I've read about it).

I'll give it a try anwyas.....than ks

Yeah, Orca works on XP just fine... at least, the version I have does. Maybe there's o/s specific versions(?)... if there are o/s specific versions, then I lucked out. I'll see if I can find where I got it from for you. That link was just the first place I found it online...

This version for sure works on XP - I just downloaded and installed it to check it for you:

http://download.softpedia.com/dl/b0946ae91e89534e0803555aa331eb21/494156d0/100079861/software/authoring/Orca.Msi

[Plater]

Why is yours editable while mine isn't????

<edit>Oh wait, how are you editing the "Author"... .by right clicking on the MSM file and adding an author?

This approach wont work for me because my msm file is compiled just before my installer project that uses it is compiled....whi ch means I can't do this unless I break up the the way the solution is installed and compile each component by hand.
</edit>

No, inside visual studio in the properties section there.
the first one was author. I clicked in there and changed the value

[Frinavale]

Great, I don't even see any author settings in any of the tables in the .msm files I thought might be used to set the settings.

Why is such a simple question like "How do I change the default path of where my application is installed?" turning out to be so complicated?

[Plater]

See? Just click and type?

[Frinavale]

:) I don't know why I didn't select the project, then hit the properties tab to view the properties...I instead right clicked and selected properties and it came up with something completely different.

Thanks to Plater I was Finally able to edit my Author settings (gurr I wish I knew yesterday so i have to research the heck out of merge modules all morning)

I'm trying it now to see if it makes a difference.

Thanks Plater

[Frinavale]

Well it wasn't the Author settings after all.

There were a bunch of properties that I didn't see because I right clicked on the Install Project and selected "properties "and after filling out these properties everything was solved.

If you right click on the Install Project in the Solutions page it'll bring up a "Properties Page" dialog for the project....whic h does not include any useful property information. It includes properties for seeing as the output file name, package files, compression and other things used when compiling the application. It does not include any properties on the Installation Application at all.

It wasn't until I clicked on the properties tab that I saw useful properties for the projects.

>>blushes<<

At least I know a lot more about merge modules now.
Yesterday I didn't even know they existed.

[Plater]

I thought you were talking about the merge module :-P
I just right-clicked properties on both the installer and the merge module project.
Neither showed me anything usefull. All my properties sit in the properties window.
Thats on vs2008 though