How to make this happen in setup project?

Hi,

I have a c# windows application project to be released. a setup project has been done for this and the msi file works correctly. The only thing pending is: If I reinstall the application over existing installation, I want to see a warning message to remind uninstallation the existing one first.

How to do this in setup project? I am using setup project in visual studio 2005

thanks
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viola123Asked:
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cavehopConnect With a Mentor Commented:
The trick is to check the undocumented public property PREVIOUSVERSIONSINSTALLED. Probably what you will need to do is create a custom action whose "Condition" property is set to PREVIOUSVERSIONSINSTALLED. This way, if this value is True, the custom action will run. In the custom action, simply prompt the user with an appropriate message and return the code to cancel installation if necessary.

Note: Just FYI, this property is created by Visual Studio not my MSI.
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MikeMCSDConnect With a Mentor Commented:
>> If I reinstall the application over existing installation, I want to see a warning message to remind uninstallation the existing one first.

If you change the release/revision number (in project properties) the new one will
automatically overwrite the old one, so you don't need to do this.
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Vadim RappConnect With a Mentor Commented:
>  If I reinstall the application over existing installation

please clarify what is "existing installation".  Same product, previous version? or same version?
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viola123Author Commented:
hi, vadimrapp1:

"existing installation" means previous version

thx
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viola123Author Commented:
hi, MikeMCSD:

I want to avoid automatically overwriting, this is why I have to check this.

thx
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Vadim RappCommented:
Instead of the custom action, you can add Launch Condition:

NOT PREVIOUSVERSIONSINSTALLED

and appropriate message.



Also, in setup project properties, you have to specify RemovePreviousVersions=True, otherwise PREVIOUSVERSIONSINSTALLED property is not created.
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cavehopCommented:
vadimrapp1,

I thought about using the Launch condition also, but the problem with that is that I think it will not prompt the user to decide whether or not to continue with the install. It will simply say something like, "Sorry, no installing for you."

Good catch with making sure the RemovePreviousVersions = True. I completely forgot about that.
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Vadim RappCommented:
> I think it will not prompt the user to decide whether or not to continue with the install. It will simply say something like, "Sorry, no installing for you."

Right.

I suggest that you learn best practices with major, minor, and small upgrades, for example here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370579.aspx
http://helpnet.acresso.com/robo/projects/installshield12helplib/MajorMinorSmall.htm

You probably have to consider the possibility that the user won't uninstall old version, but install the new one into the same directory :-(
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