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Deploy SQLA 11 with InstallShield

Former Member
2,822

Hi All, I am trying to include a SQLA 11.01 merge module in our InstallShield Express X (V10) installation program, but keep running into errors. Here is what we did...

  1. Use the Deployment Wizard to create an MSM file. Everything went well and the MSM file was created
  2. Copy that file to the directory specified in the InstallShield help to make it available on the Redistributables list within InstallShield
  3. The MSM is visible on the list, but unlike all the other merge modules on the list it is specified with the entire path instead of just the name... c:\\program files\\InstallShield X Express\\Modules\\i386\\M_SERVER_11.MSM
  4. I can select it, but it does not allow me to specify the Feature it needs to be associated with as all the features are disabled. If I chose any other merge module on the list I can specify the Features.
  5. I save the InstallShield project and open it again. The merge module is still on the list, but it is no longer checked as being selected.

I decided to try another approach...create an MSI file instead and specify it as a Custom Action in the InstallShield project. Here are the steps I took...

  1. Use the Deployment Wizard to create an MSI file. Everything went well and the MSI file was created
  2. Added the MSI file to the file list to be copied during the installation
  3. Added the following to the Custom Action in the After File Transfer section... msiexec /package "[INSTALLDIR]Sybase\\SM_SERVER_11.MSI" SQLANYDIR=C:\\Sybase
  4. During the installation, the Sybase Install program started, but we got an InstallShield error saying that another istallation was in progress and we had to wait until that was finished
  5. I tried the "/quiet" option, but we still got an error from IstallShield saying that one of the needed components could not be installed.

BOTTOM LINE... What am I doing wrong? I have searched the forum and the Sybase site for answers, but to no avail. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA, Mike

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Answers (1)

Former Member

I couldn't ever get the merge modules to do what I wanted. I ended up reading the SQLA Help file "Deploying client applications", then manually entered the needed files and registry entries in my InstallShield project.

FWIW: I spent a week in InstallShield class a couple of years ago: there were 14 "fulltime installation specialists" and 1 "developer trying to use InstallShield as a sideline" (that would be me). I learned 3 things: 1) a LOT of finicky details about the MSI installer, 2) how to make my particular project work better than the really crude thing it was before (I advanced from "really crude" to "moderately crude"), and 3) you need the time to be a "fulltime installation specialist" to really use all the cool InstallShield and MSI features smoothly and reliably.

After that week, I concluded the SQLA merge module developers were smarter than I am. And my installs have been going well ever since, although regrettably without the really nice advantages of the SQLA Merge Module.

Breck_Carter
Participant
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We should have attended together, then there would have been TWO sideline developers 🙂