There are plenty of issues here that can't be easily solved: 1. By definition you cannot detect COM dependencies because it's runtime binding.
2. They get complicated by the constantly changing OS capabilities. It's easy to say that you depend on something like the .NET 3.5 framework but then you need to factor in the OS. On some you can install a redist, on others you cannot with flavors such as a) It's part of the OS, and perhaps updated in a service pack b) It's a role that needs configuring. This area is a bigger issue than is generally realised. Throw in x64 flavors and now we have a multi-dimensional matrix of OS versions and packages. 3. Sometimes language packs etc are involved. Maybe the tool could figure out that you need a Report Viewer redistributable, but if you're not targeting English it probably wouldn't know that there are language packs available. Only the developer knows that other languages are supported and somehow needs to find out that there is indeed a language pack download. 4. Similar to 1, I don't believe a tool can easily detect something like a need for SQL Backwards Compatibility. It's a common problem with dependency tools that even if they CAN detect a Dll you need there's no automated way to know what the containing package is and the legal ways to redistribute it. The Microsoft Dll Database was some help here, but alas that's gone (probably too much work!!!). I'm not saying a combination of a tool and wiki couldn't be done, but I'm willing to bet that it would take a lot of work, be out-of-date monthly, and may require constant editing to correct people who get it wrong. Phil Wilson -----Original Message----- From: Castro, Edwin G. (Hillsboro) [mailto:edwin.cas...@fiserv.com] Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 12:26 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Detection of run-time DLLs What is the list of "runtime" dependencies that will be detected by the feature? More importantly what should be done in response to such a detection? Should the feature generate a launch condition to fail the installation? Should the feature generate code to automatically download and install the missing runtime? Should the feature generate code to automatically install the runtime from a bundled installer package? If the dependent runtime installer is bundled then does the WiX toolset bundle these packages in the WiX toolset itself? (I suspect we'd get a very big "Heck NO!" from most of the maintainers...) This feature would only be as useful as the information needed to generate the code above remains current *and* it provides enough options for a setup engineer to decide what to do. Seems to me that the WiX community could provide value by posting the information needed to detect common runtimes and other third party tools and libraries on a wiki of some kind. I don't think we need a tool to automatically detect our dependencies as we should be aware what those dependencies are. Such a wiki could also contain examples of how to react when a dependency is not installed on the target system. I guess I see this as a WiX Cookbook Wiki. Edwin G. Castro Software Developer - Staff Digital Channels Fiserv Office: 503-746-0643 Fax: 503-617-0291 www.fiserv.com Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail > -----Original Message----- > From: Helge Kruse [mailto:helge.kruse-nos...@gmx.net] > Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 11:45 AM > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Detection of run-time DLLs > > So you would say, it's impossible with the Windows Installer XML tool set? Or > is it possible but insane? > > > Am 16.05.2011 20:14, schrieb Christopher Painter: > > I maintain installers that rival Visual Studio in terms of size and > > complexity. > Factoring dependency relationships is critical and cannot be automated. I've > streamlined the process to the point that it's insanely fast and easy to > follow > the established patterns but it still takes a human to apply domain and > engineering knowledge to make the right call. > > > > --- > > Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog > > Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that deserves > attention? E-Mail Me > > > > --- On Mon, 5/16/11, Helge Kruse<helge.kruse-nos...@gmx.net> wrote: > > > > > > From: Helge Kruse<helge.kruse-nos...@gmx.net> > > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Detection of run-time DLLs > > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > Date: Monday, May 16, 2011, 11:47 AM > > > > > > > > Am 16.05.2011 17:53, schrieb Christopher Painter: > >> To be honest, that's not a "feature" of InstallShield that I like or use. > Magically "Easy" buttons are a great concept but I don't like switching off my > brain. > >> > > > > Yea, maybe. But it's not necessary to switch off any brain, when such a > > dependency is detected. I think the HEAT tool would be a good candidate, > > since it generates a .wxs file that should be edited manually. > > > > The great benefit of such feature is that you don't create a MSI file > > that installs a product on your development PC but does not run on a > > system where this run-times are not installed. > > > > Helge > > > >> > >> --- > >> Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog > >> Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that deserves > attention? E-Mail Me > >> > >> --- On Mon, 5/16/11, Helge Kruse<helge.kruse-nos...@gmx.net> > wrote: > >> > >> > >> From: Helge Kruse<helge.kruse-nos...@gmx.net> > >> Subject: [WiX-users] Detection of run-time DLLs > >> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > >> Date: Monday, May 16, 2011, 10:24 AM > >> > >> > >> Hello, > >> > >> I know from InstallShield (IS) that it is capable to detect all the > dependencies of a binary to run-time DLLs. > >> > >> When VS2005 C++ DLL uses the msvcrt IS adds the corresponding MSM to > the project. How can do similar with WiX 3.5? It would includ this tasks: > >> > >> - detect automagically which run-time DLLs are necessary > >> - add these run-times conviniently > >> - keep track of updates to these run-times as it happens when VS2005SP1 > or the lastest April update of VS2005 changes the versions, that are used in > VS2005 when linking a DLL? > >> > >> The last point means, I want only to recompile the installer with WiX to > >> get > the current dependencies included. > >> > >> I tried to evaluate the HEAT options but did not found any appropriate. > >> > >> Regards, > >> Helge > >> > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Achieve unprecedented app performance and reliability > > What every C/C++ and Fortran developer should know. > > Learn how Intel has extended the reach of its next-generation tools > > to help boost performance applications - inlcuding clusters. > > http://p.sf.net/sfu/intel-dev2devmay > > _______________________________________________ > > WiX-users mailing list > > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Achieve unprecedented app performance and reliability > > What every C/C++ and Fortran developer should know. > > Learn how Intel has extended the reach of its next-generation tools > > to help boost performance applications - inlcuding clusters. > > http://p.sf.net/sfu/intel-dev2devmay > > _______________________________________________ > > WiX-users mailing list > > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Achieve unprecedented app performance and reliability > What every C/C++ and Fortran developer should know. > Learn how Intel has extended the reach of its next-generation tools > to help boost performance applications - inlcuding clusters. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/intel-dev2devmay > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Achieve unprecedented app performance and reliability What every C/C++ and Fortran developer should know. 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