Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Jim Williams]

"Richard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

> For testing a product during development, I recommend that people have
> a way to reset their test environment and always install the product
> fresh.  They can test upgrading and patching after a release has been
> made.  By resetting their environment to a known good state, you don't
> have a change of intermittent install bugs contaminating the system
> state on subsequent tests.

Thanks Richard.  I have a test machine that I have clean OS images on,
and start from a clean image when I do my installation testing, so that
I am not working with leftover garbage from previous tests. 

Jim

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Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Jim Williams]

Thanks Richard, I happen to have a copy of Phil Wilson's book sitting on
the desk in front of me.  Since our product is new and still in a major
state of flux, doing minor upgrades or patches has been out of the
question.  I've been doing major upgrades (using the upgrade table,
etc.) so far, but things are starting to stabilize, so I want to plan to
use patches or minor upgrades (now, if I could just slow down the
zealous devs who like to keep adding new function, LOL).  I'll have to
re-read the chapters 6, "How Do You Fix It", and 12, "Updates Using
Patches" since it has been awhile since I previously read them, then try
to match what he says with how it can be done in WiX.

Thanks all! 

Jim

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:22 AM
To: WiX Users
Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX


In article
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"Jim Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  writes:

> Is there some way to define a QFE-like mechanism by using WiX?

Windows Installer addresses updates as patches, minor upgrades, or
major upgrades.  I recommend Phil Wilson's book "The Definitive Guide
to Windows Installer"
<http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Guide-Windows-Installer-Experts/dp/159
0592972/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4530032-5340737?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=11936819
48&sr=8-1>

He does a really good job of explaining how to update installed
products using any of these mechanisms (patches or upgrades) using
Windows Installer.

To create patches in WiX 2.0, you use WiX to define a patch creation
properties file with the PatchCreation element.  This file is then fed
to msimsp.exe (from the Windows Installer SDK) to create the .msp patch
file.  I believe WiX 3.0 has a different mechanism for creating .msp
files.

Minor upgrades can be distributed as patches (deltas) or as whole
distributions.

Major upgrades are distributed as whole distributions.
-- 
"The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for
download
  <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html>

Legalize Adulthood! <http://blogs.xmission.com/legalize/>


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Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Jim Williams]

Thanks for the quick response.  I'll take a look at the chms in both
versions.  I'll have to stick with V2 for now though, so hopefully I
will be able to do what we need using the PatchCreation element.

Jim 



From: Peter Marcu [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:21 AM
To: Jim Williams; WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: RE: Doing QFEs With WiX

 

In WiX v2, you should be able to create patches using the PatchCreation
element. The process is documented in the chm. It will build you a PCP
file which you then can to push through a set of Windows Installer
tools.

 

WiX v3 has made patch creation a more native part of the process and
that process is documented in the latest chm file about the Patch
element.

 

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Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Richard]

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"Jim Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  writes:

> Is there some way to define a QFE-like mechanism by using WiX?

Windows Installer addresses updates as patches, minor upgrades, or
major upgrades.  I recommend Phil Wilson's book "The Definitive Guide
to Windows Installer"


He does a really good job of explaining how to update installed
products using any of these mechanisms (patches or upgrades) using
Windows Installer.

To create patches in WiX 2.0, you use WiX to define a patch creation
properties file with the PatchCreation element.  This file is then fed
to msimsp.exe (from the Windows Installer SDK) to create the .msp patch
file.  I believe WiX 3.0 has a different mechanism for creating .msp
files.

Minor upgrades can be distributed as patches (deltas) or as whole
distributions.

Major upgrades are distributed as whole distributions.
-- 
"The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download
  

Legalize Adulthood! 

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Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Peter Marcu]

In WiX v2, you should be able to create patches using the PatchCreation 
element. The process is documented in the chm. It will build you a PCP file 
which you then can to push through a set of Windows Installer tools.

WiX v3 has made patch creation a more native part of the process and that 
process is documented in the latest chm file about the Patch element.

From: Jim Williams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:22 AM
To: Peter Marcu; WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: RE: Doing QFEs With WiX

I am a little behind on keeping up with the latest updates, but am currently 
using WiX 2.0.3719.

Jim


From: Peter Marcu [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:14 AM
To: Jim Williams; WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: RE: Doing QFEs With WiX

What version of WiX are you using?

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Williams
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:16 AM
To: WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX


We currently have a product which installs, literally, thousands of files 
(source and binaries) that define applications for creating operating systems 
using Windows Embedded CE.  The installer is defined in WiX.  But we would like 
to release updates to the files on a regular basis, like what Microsoft does 
monthly using QFEs for Windows Embedded CE.  Is there some way to define a 
QFE-like mechanism by using WiX?  Even if there isn't, are there some 
guidelines online somewhere that define how ones goes about creating a QFE and 
how the original installer should be structured to allow for easy installation 
of QFEs?

Thanks,

Jim Williams
Intrinsyc Software International, Inc.
11130 NE 33rd Place, Suite 200

Bellevue, WA 98004
[EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
425.732.4904
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Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Jim Williams]

I am a little behind on keeping up with the latest updates, but am
currently using WiX 2.0.3719.

Jim 



From: Peter Marcu [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:14 AM
To: Jim Williams; WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: RE: Doing QFEs With WiX

 

What version of WiX are you using?

 

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim
Williams
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:16 AM
To: WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

 

We currently have a product which installs, literally, thousands of
files (source and binaries) that define applications for creating
operating systems using Windows Embedded CE.  The installer is defined
in WiX.  But we would like to release updates to the files on a regular
basis, like what Microsoft does monthly using QFEs for Windows Embedded
CE.  Is there some way to define a QFE-like mechanism by using WiX?
Even if there isn't, are there some guidelines online somewhere that
define how ones goes about creating a QFE and how the original installer
should be structured to allow for easy installation of QFEs?

Thanks, 

Jim Williams
Intrinsyc Software International, Inc.
11130 NE 33rd Place, Suite 200

Bellevue, WA 98004
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
425.732.4904

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Re: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Peter Marcu]

What version of WiX are you using?

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Williams
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:16 AM
To: WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: [WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX


We currently have a product which installs, literally, thousands of files 
(source and binaries) that define applications for creating operating systems 
using Windows Embedded CE.  The installer is defined in WiX.  But we would like 
to release updates to the files on a regular basis, like what Microsoft does 
monthly using QFEs for Windows Embedded CE.  Is there some way to define a 
QFE-like mechanism by using WiX?  Even if there isn't, are there some 
guidelines online somewhere that define how ones goes about creating a QFE and 
how the original installer should be structured to allow for easy installation 
of QFEs?

Thanks,

Jim Williams
Intrinsyc Software International, Inc.
11130 NE 33rd Place, Suite 200

Bellevue, WA 98004
[EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
425.732.4904
-
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[WiX-users] Doing QFEs With WiX

[Jim Williams]

We currently have a product which installs, literally, thousands of
files (source and binaries) that define applications for creating
operating systems using Windows Embedded CE.  The installer is defined
in WiX.  But we would like to release updates to the files on a regular
basis, like what Microsoft does monthly using QFEs for Windows Embedded
CE.  Is there some way to define a QFE-like mechanism by using WiX?
Even if there isn't, are there some guidelines online somewhere that
define how ones goes about creating a QFE and how the original installer
should be structured to allow for easy installation of QFEs?

Thanks, 

Jim Williams
Intrinsyc Software International, Inc. 
11130 NE 33rd Place, Suite 200
Bellevue, WA 98004 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]  
425.732.4904

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