Software Deployment

You usually use MST (Transform files or Transform templates) with native MSI (when you installation is already an MSI. Forget about Installshield now, Installshield do NOT use MST.

Wise for instance can make an empty transform file for you which you can customize in Wise .. or if you use the Office Resource Kit you will comstumize an automatic installation by going thru the Custom Installation Wizard which will create a transform file for you. You don't make it out of a txt file.

Bart [8|]

You usually use MST (Transform files or Transform templates) with native MSI (when you installation is already an MSI. Forget about Installshield now, Installshield do NOT use MST.

Wise for instance can make an empty transform file for you which you can customize in Wise .. or if you use the Office Resource Kit you will comstumize an automatic installation by going thru the Custom Installation Wizard which will create a transform file for you. You don't make it out of a txt file.


I have an application we will call Teach-me-msi's made by Ma & Pa Inc.

My app has 5 pieces that it can load for features.

I want to install pieces 1-3 but not 4 and 5. Since my app has an msi (lets call it teachme.msi)

How can I create a MST that tells it load features 1-3 but not 4 and 5?

If I was to load this by hand I would double click the MSI, click next, next, change the pull down from load this feature on my PC, to this will not be available, for option 4 and 5, click Next, watch it load the files and Finish.

Working from the same premise of an .iss file, since its really the same thing only a different file type, how do I create that MST?

Or does the Office Resource Kit Custom Installation wizard work on all MSI files?

Assume that I know nothing at all, about anything at all.

Jason

Hi jwarner,

The Office Resource Kit does NOT work on all MSI's, it is specifically geared for Office and you will run into errors if you use it for others (I tried myself a while back).

OK so you need have a packaging tool, do you have something to create MSI's with? Installshield Adminstudio or Wise Package Studio? Something like that?

Basically to create an MST file, you start up your packaging tool, tell it you want to create a transform (in Installshield its called Tuner, in Wise its called InstallTailor). This will save any changes you make in the MST rather than in the MSI file.

Both these vendors also have a response transform method, where you basically run through the installation, select the features you want and it creates a transform from that.

Also both will let you directly edit the MSI, make changes and save the changes to an MST file, through the File ->Save As option.

My advice to you would be to evaluate Wise and Installshield, and possibly some other packaging products, determine which you like best at what cost, buy one and go from there.

Hope this has helped somewhat.

Rgds

Paul