Re: [WiX-users] How to selectively NOT install file if file already exists on system

[Rob M. <ro...@wi...>]

1. The customer is not always right. Its hard enough to get developers 
to care about setup and sustainability (which is actually going to be 
your problem here). Users don't want to even care about setup and they 
shouldn't have to. However, I don't know how you can "delight the 
customer" if your app is broken. <shrug/>

2. I don't know what to say. It's all just code. Some code is better 
than other code. Some designs are better than other designs. If you put 
too many road blocks between you and writing good code and creating a 
good design then I don't see how your product will be successful in the 
long term.

Also, I don't think my second suggestion is that good so I'd personally 
work toward the first one.

Finally, I'm not trying to be contrary or difficult. I guess I believe 
in Engineering Darwinism. You can have bad designs and bad code and 
possibly survive for quite a while. Eventually, though, when competition 
shows up you will be ill prepared to handle it. It is very important to 
note that sometimes your competition is your previous self.

David Bartmess wrote:
> 1. I agree. But that's what the customer has convinced our PM to do. I'd rather have it selected from the code to be included from a non-install directory.
>
> 2. The components and component groups are being created via Paraffin, so I have no control over the condition of the component, unless I go in manually and run a script to set the condition on the particular file.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Mensching [mailto:ro...@wi...]
> Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 8:28 PM
> To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset.
> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] How to selectively NOT install file if file already exists on system
>
> 1. That is a very poor app design for installation. A few cases that are going to just be painful to get right declaratively. For example, what do you do on repair? Ick.
>
> Installation Tenet: don't let people modify the files that you install.
>
> 2. Why not do a FileSearch and Condition out the Component that installs the header if it finds it is already there.
>
> David Bartmess wrote:
>   
>> I'm trying to create an install that can check if the file being installed already exists, and not install over the top of the existing file. The reason is the customers are customizing their website that we install with a custom header GIF file, and every time we install we have to manually copy from a backup of the file over the newly installed default file.
>>
>> Is this possible? Or do I need to write a custom action to copy the file somewhere else, then copy it back over the newly installed file?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> <Directory Id="dir_WebUI_img_branding_default_logo_7" Name="logo">
>>
>> <Component Id="comp_WebUI_93" DiskId="1" KeyPath="yes"
>> Guid="128474CB-A2F2-4203-94CD-434DA75F9925">
>>
>> <File Id="file_WebUI_93" Name="header.gif"
>> Source="WebUI\img\branding\default\logo\header.gif" />
>>
>> </Component>
>>
>> </Directory>
>>
>>
>>
>> David Bartmess
>>
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>>     
>
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> Check out the new simplified licensing option that enables unlimited
> royalty-free distribution of the report engine for externally facing
> server and web deployment.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/businessobjects
> _______________________________________________
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> WiX...@li...
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