Automating Acrobat Reader Removal in MSI
I am building an installation package (MSI/MST) for Acrobat 6.0 Professional. My users have Acrobat Reader 5.1 and I have been asked to remove Reader, and only install Professional 6.0 (without Reader 6.0 - which may be a future regret for the users).
Anyway, I see alot of custom actions and properties referring to "BlockingProduct" and "Previous Releases", but no straightforward means to remove Reader FIRST, then install Pro 6.0. I could create my own custom action to run the Uninstall String for Reader 5.1, but would prefer to use what is already packaged in the MSI. The confusing part is that Adobe gives out their OEM version of Installshield Tuner, which allow customizing of the MSI, but not of custom actions or Install sequences.
Has anyone discovered the magic commandline to removing an existing Acrobat product when installing the new one via MSI? I have searched the Adobe site, as well as, this one to no avail, yet I know there are others out there desiring the same deliverable as my shop.
Any tips or hints would be greatly appreciated by many packagers besides myself.
Anyway, I see alot of custom actions and properties referring to "BlockingProduct" and "Previous Releases", but no straightforward means to remove Reader FIRST, then install Pro 6.0. I could create my own custom action to run the Uninstall String for Reader 5.1, but would prefer to use what is already packaged in the MSI. The confusing part is that Adobe gives out their OEM version of Installshield Tuner, which allow customizing of the MSI, but not of custom actions or Install sequences.
Has anyone discovered the magic commandline to removing an existing Acrobat product when installing the new one via MSI? I have searched the Adobe site, as well as, this one to no avail, yet I know there are others out there desiring the same deliverable as my shop.
Any tips or hints would be greatly appreciated by many packagers besides myself.
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Posted by:
xemot
20 years ago
Hi you can try it with a batch file.
You can get the uninstall String for the Acrobat Reader 5.1:
call regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MASCHIEN\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CurrentVVersion\Uninstall
copy the Uninstallstring in the batch file and make a call to the MSI
You can get the uninstall String for the Acrobat Reader 5.1:
call regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MASCHIEN\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CurrentVVersion\Uninstall
copy the Uninstallstring in the batch file and make a call to the MSI
Posted by:
pdsilver
20 years ago
Thanks for the reply, but was hoping to perform the removal of Reader 5.1 from within the Pro 6.0 MSI package. There are properties and custom actions that refer to previous versions of Acrobat ("BlockingProduct" and "AcroUninst5"), that must allow the removal by setting a specific property on the commandline, to kickoff the removal - they have the registry Uninstall String in one of the properties.
There was nothing on the Adobe site, other than the fact that Acrobat assumes and allows for multiple versions by default.
There was nothing on the Adobe site, other than the fact that Acrobat assumes and allows for multiple versions by default.
Posted by:
ewall
20 years ago
I just posted some more tips on upgrades and patches on my web site, including an article that should help you out: Creating an Uninstall-First Upgrade MSI
For the list of all the articles currently available, see Repackaging for Windows Installer INDEX
~ewall
For the list of all the articles currently available, see Repackaging for Windows Installer INDEX
~ewall
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