Configuration Settings Tab

Single MSI (resources inside)

Creates a single MSI file with Cab included in it

MSI with resources next to it

Creates MSI file with archives placed next to it

Single EXE setup (resources inside)

Creates a single EXE file with all resources included in it

EXE setup with resources next to it

Creates an EXE file with resources next to it

Web Installer (small downloadable EXE)

Creates a single EXE file that will download MSI, and install MSI from a URL.

MSI's URL
The URL from which MSI will installed. Archives have to be next to MSI.

Folder

Your package's path. Click on the [ ... ] button to change the folder where the installation package is created. By default, this shares the same folder with the project file. Removing the package name will delete the whole path.

The saved path will be either relative or absolute, as specified in the Project Paths Tab.

When creating multiple builds it is recommended to use a different folder output location for every build.

MSI Subfolder

Specify the MSI subfolder name. This subfolder is relative to the EXE file where the MSI and CABs will be generated.

The field is enabled only for "EXE setup with resources next to it" package types.

MSI Name

Specify the MSI package's name. By default, the project name is used. This field is of PseudoFormatted Type and can be edited with Smart Edit Control.

EXE Name

Specify the EXE bootstrapper's name. By default, the MSI's name will be used. This field is of PseudoFormatted Type and can be edited with Smart Edit Control.

EXE Icon

You can set an icon to the created EXE file. Choose a file containing icons by using the [ Browse... ] button, and select from the available icons from the drop-down list box. Press [ Reset ] to revert to no icon.

Customize EXE metadata

Set EXE metadata fields to the values you need through the Edit EXE Metadata Dialog.

Place files unpacked next to the MSI database

The files in the package will be copied next to the MSI, maintaining the file hierarchy.

By selecting this option, you ensure that a directory structure similar to the one of the target computer will be created. Your installation will contain the MSI and all the files and folders next to it.

When the files are placed unpacked near the MSI and the MSI is set to be downloaded from a URL location (Configuration Tab page) the files and folders will be created with short names.

Archive installation files using LZMA compression

In case of LZMA compression, all installation files and the MSI file will be packed into one archive that will be included in an EXE package. The main advantage of LZMA compression is that it generates a smaller package size than CAB archiving; the disadvantage is that, during installation, the package requires more time and disk space (for extracting the LZMA archive).

You can configure compression settings from the LZMA Settings Dialog linked on the right.

Advanced Installer supports packing files larger than 2GB only if the "Place files unpacked next to the MSI database" option or LZMA compression is used. This feature is not available in Freeware edition.

Encrypt Archive

This option enables using AES 256 encryption for your LZMA archives or not. For more information about AES encryption, please follow the AES Encryption article.

Password
By leaving this field empty, AES encryption is not used. When you provide a non-empty password, the LZMA archives created for your setup package will be encrypted. Users of your package will need to know the password in order to perform installation procedure. They will be requested to enter the password when setup program starts.

When your users install an encrypted package, they can specify the password from command line using /aespassword: option. For more information see EXE setup file - EXE Bootstrapper command line.

Confirm password
This field should have an identical content with the above Password field. By typing the password twice, you avoid the common password typing mistakes.

Archive installation files into CAB files

The package's files will be packed into cabinet files.

You can choose between a single file or multiple volumes. If you create one single CAB, you may include it in the MSI file. The result will be one MSI file that will contain all your software - a single file installation. On the other hand, multiple CABs allow the creation of multi-volume installs.

You also have the option to create a CAB file for every feature that your package contains. This means that all the files contained by a certain feature will be placed in the same CAB. This is useful when installing the MSI from a URL location as only the CABS corresponding to the features selected for installation will be downloaded.

Multiple Volumes

When you select multiple volumes, you can specify the size for the first and following volumes. This gives you the possibility to author multiple installation disks. You can customize the CAB size in the Edit CAB Settings Dialog. Use the [ CABs... ] button.

Do not forget to make the first volume smaller to allow space for the MSI next to the CAB files.

You can also specify the disk label in the “Volume Label” field. Use "#" to specify the disk index. This character will be automatically replaced with the disk number at build time.

If "#" is not used the disk number will be appended to the label string's end.

Multi volume install can only be tested with the appropriate removable media.

Advanced CAB Layout

This option enables you to perform extensive customization concerning the media volumes and CABs in the Advanced Media Tab.

This feature allows to control the following packaging options:

• The media volume's maximum size.
• What files a CAB will contain.
• The maximum CAB size
• Specify whether a CAB should be embedded in the MSI database.
• The media volume for each CAB.
• You can leave files outside the CABs, and you can decide on which volume they will be placed. The files placed outside will be stored directly on the volume. No directory structure will be created.

Please make sure that you estimate correctly the volumes and CABs sizes. If a CAB or external file does not fit on its current volume, it will automatically be moved on the next volume (if this volume doesn't exist it will be automatically created).

If the files contained by a CAB will exceed, after compression or storage(CAB without compression), the specified maximum CAB size, there will be created as many CABs as needed with the same characteristics until all the files will be packed.

This configuration mode requires that at least one CAB should be created. If you want to leave all the files outside CABs you should enable the “Place files unpacked next to the MSI database” option.

Build language specific codepage

This option will allow your package to display only characters that are in the build language's codepage.

UTF-8 codepage

The installation database will be built using the UTF-8 encoding. That will allow you to mix any languages both in displayed text and installed resources (like files, registry...).

Unicode characters may not display properly because the correct font for wide characters is not chosen correctly in cases like when performing a basic user interface install or uninstall.

Customize Summary Information

Set the MSI summary information fields to the values you need through the Customize Summary Information Dialog.

MSI Command Line

Build-in command line settings for the project's MSI file. This command line uses the Msiexec.exe command line options.

Install MSI as minor upgrade (if applicable)

If an older version of the product is already installed, then the current product's installation (with a newer version) will act as a minor upgrade for the existing version of the product. Enabling this option in the upgraded project will make the project behave like a patch for the older version of the product. Thus, the user must take into consideration the patch creation rules when building the upgraded project. (Ex: same names for both the .MSI's, not to delete existing files, etc.)

When this option is active the installation only behaves like a patch, but the EXE bootstrapper does not perform a patch installation against the installed MSI. The EXE bootstrapper launches the embedded MSI by using the /fvomus command which re-caches the installed MSI and triggers a repair installation.

If this option is not used and a current product's older version is installed, then the current product's installation will fail.

Uninstall a package with the same version (if found)

If a package with the same product code and version as the current package is already installed, enabling this option will uninstall it.

This option does not affect multiple instances, only the default instance.

Sign and check integrity using MD5

Select this option to use the MD5 integrity check for the EXE setup file.

Extract Location

This represents the folder where the files will be extracted from the EXE bootstrapper. If empty then the system's temporary folder will be used. This field is of PseudoFormatted Type and can be edited with Smart Edit Control.

Do not delete extracted MSI and CAB files.

This option prevents Windows Installer to delete MSI and CAB files to be deleted from the extract location above. If your users no longer have your EXE, this will allow your package to be repaired or modified (e.g., from the Control Panel) if required by the user or by a patch.

Do not confuse the cache location(created by Windows Installer during installation, where only MSIs are saved) with the extract location(created by the Advanced Installer EXE, where both MSIs and CABs are saved) specified in the field above.

UI level

Select the prerequisites wizard UI level. The available options are:

• Silent Install (no UI) - this option will make the bootstrapper hide the prerequisites wizard and any prerequisite progress.
• Basic UI and progress - this option will show a prerequisite installation progress bar. It will also allow the bootstrapper to display status and error dialogs if necessary.
• Full UI - this option will show all the dialogs used by the prerequisites wizard.