How to update an application

[Guest]

Hi,

I deployed an application by a MSI file. After a while the application was
modified. For updating it I wrote another MSI and deploy it again. However,
if I changed the productcode, the application can be installed but there were
two links in the Add/Romove Programs panel. If I didn't change the
productcode, the deployment stopped by an alert message saying to remove the
previous version.

What I want to know is how to easily update the application bu using a MSI
which overrides the previous version, and keeps only one link in the
Add/Remove Program.

Thanks in advance

 

[Philip Hristov]

Hello,

You have to uninstall the previous version first before installing the
new one, you can't just overwrite the previous version like the other
install engines do (NSIS for example).

Do this:

In the setup project properties of your setup project, set the Remove
Previous Version to TRUE, and increment the version. Then you will be
asked to change the product and package codes, change them. Build the
the msi file and it will first check for previous version and such
version is present - it will uninstall it, and then it will install the
new one.

Greetings,

Philip.

 

[Philip Hristov]

Li,

It should not be like that. It is the same as you uninstall the
software manually. Maybe something is messed with your system or you
miss something in the setup project? But when you start the package
with the new version, it uninstalls the previous version, right? Only
the Add/Remove Programs entry exists?

Best,

Philip.

 

[Crouchie1998]

If you set remove previous version to true then it doesn't seem to work in
my past experiences. I personally think this is a bug. Although the VS.IDE
overwrites the previous installation with a newer version.

Crouchie1998
BA (HONS) MCP MCSE
Official Microsoft Beta Tester

 

[Philip Hristov]

I have not tried this with VS 2002, I have 2003 installed here and I
prefer InstallShield when it comes to creating a setup.

Regards,

Philip

 

[Guest]

Hi,

My college just find a way to fugure this problem:
change the version number, don't change package code but change only
productcode, and set DetectNewerVersion to true.