General Actions

InstallAnywhere 2024 R2

The following table lists the general actions available in InstallAnywhere.

General Actions

Action

Description

Action Group Action

Adds a folder to the Action List in which you can group sets of InstallAnywhere actions. This action is available in the Install sequence as well as the Pre-Install, Post-Install, Pre-Uninstall, and Post-Uninstall sequences.

Note:For more information, see Assigning a Rule to a Group of Actions.

Comment Action Groups

To prevent an action group (and all of the actions that it contains) from being bundled with the installer, select the Comment Action Group option on the Properties tab of the Action Group customizer. When this option is selected, a overlay icon appears on top of the action group icon in the Visual Tree to indicate its change in status:

The Comment Action Group option gives you an easy way to retain the actions in an action group in your installation project but to not include them in the built installer. If, at some future time, you wish to include these actions in the installer, you can clear the selection of the Comment Action Group option.

Add Jump Label Action

Use this action to branch off the installation conditionally. By applying InstallAnywhere rules, developers may jump the end user to a later or earlier part of the installation, depending on the specifics of their system or install.

Use this action in conjunction with the Jump to Target action. (Available during the Pre-Install and Post-Install sequences.)

Comment Action

The Comment action is designed to allow developers to add a simple comment to the installer.

Copy File Action

Copy a file from one location to another location on the end user's system.

Copy Folder Action

Copy a folder from one location to another location on the end user's system.

Delete File Action

Delete a file from the end user’s system.

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Installed file—Select this option to delete a file to be deployed by your installer. Then click Choose Target to choose the file you want to delete.

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Existing file—Select this option to delete a file from the target system, and enter the path (fixed or relative) and file name for the file you want to delete.

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Delete Multiple Files—Select the checkbox to delete multiple files with the same extension from the target system, and enter the path (fixed or relative), wildcard, and file extension for the files you want to delete.

Delete Folder Action

Delete a folder from the end user's system.

Evaluate Dependencies Action

Evaluate dependencies on which the installer is based. This action sets the following InstallAnywhere variables:

$DEPENDENCY_SUCCESSES$

$DEPENDENCY_FAILURES$

$DEPENDENCY_REPORT$

$DEPENDENCY_STATUS$

Execute Ant Script Action

Execute Ant Script allows developers to execute scripts designed for the Apache Jakarta Project’s Ant application. If this action is selected, InstallAnywhere bundles Ant with the application.

Execute Command Action

Execute Command allows developers to run executable files as they would from the target system's command line.

Execute Custom Code Action

This action allows developers to extend the functionality of InstallAnywhere. The InstallAnywhere API is purely Java based and allows developers to do nearly anything that is possible in Java. The Execute Custom Code action represents the non-interactive interface for this API.

Execute Script/Batch File Action

Execute Script/Batch File allows developers to enter the text of a script or batch file which the installer executes on the target system. When this action runs, it first resolves any InstallAnywhere variables in the script. It then saves the script to the InstallAnywhere temp directory and executes the script. The Execute Script/Batch File action finishes by cleaning up and deleting the script from the temp directory.

Execute Target File Action

Launches any executable or opens a document that is included in the installer. If the target is a document that has the appropriate application associations set up, then the document is opened in the correct application.

Note:This action is available only during the installation of files and after files have been installed.

Note:To avoid the substitution of unknown variables for this action by instructing InstallAnywhere to only resolve InstallAnywhere variables which are listed in the project under Project > Variables (the known variables), select the Do not substitute unknown variables option. For more information, see Preventing the Substitution of Unknown Variables.

Execute Uninstaller Action

Runs the specified uninstaller with the settings provided for stdout, stderr, and exit code logging. This action also allows developers to define the GUI mode for the uninstaller.

Find Component in InstallAnywhere Registry Action

Determines if a component exists on a system through the cross-platform registry, as well as discover existing component versions, their location, and if there are multiple instances of a particular component on the destination system.

Get Windows Registry Entry Action

InstallAnywhere allows developers access to information stored in the Windows Registry through this action. This action retrieves the value or checks the existence of a key/value and then stores that information in InstallAnywhere variables to be used in the installation.

Tip:If you are targeting 64-bit systems, click the Access Specific Registries View (64-bit systems) check box. Then select whether you want this action to reference the 64-bit or 32-bit portion of the registry.

Jump to Target Action

Related to the Add Jump Label action, this action allows developers to jump over or back to a specific point in an installation. When controlled by InstallAnywhere rules, this action gives developers a conditional method of moving non-linearly through an install. (Available during the Pre-Install and Post-Install sequences.)

Launch Default Browser Action

This action launches the user’s default web browser with the arguments developers specify. It can open a URL or a file on the system.

Note:This action is available during the Pre-Install, Post-Install, Pre-Uninstall, and Post-Uninstall sequences.

Modify Text File - In Archive Action

This action alters text files within an archive (ZIP or JAR).

Modify Text File - Multiple Files Action

This action alters several text files on the target system. Use this action any time you need to make the same changes to multiple text files within the same directory.

Modify Text File - Single File Action

This action modifies a text file on the target system.

Output Debug Information Action

InstallAnywhere has comprehensive debugging built into the installer. This action sends developer-specified output to either the console or a file. Developers can output the entire contents of the InstallAnywhere variable manager, the install tree, Java properties, and other information related to the installation.

Output data options include:

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InstallAnywhere Variables—The values of all InstallAnywhere variables.

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Magic Folders—The values for all Magic Folder variables.

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Java Properties—The values for Java properties on the target system.

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Visual Tree—A hierarchical representation of the project’s visual tree.

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Component Tree—A hierarchical representation of the project’s component tree.

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Pre-install Actions—A list of actions executed in the Pre-Install phase.

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Post-install Actions—A list of actions executed in the Post-Install phase.

Output destination options include:

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Output to the console (stderr)—Check to send selected output data to the console of the target machine.

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Output to a file—Check to send selected output data to the file name referenced in the Path text box.

For more information, see Using the Output Debug Information Action.

Output Text to Console Action

This action outputs the text specified to the debug console. This is useful for measuring the progress of a non-interactive installer in silent or console mode, or the progress of a non-interactive portion of the installation.

Note:This action is available in the Pre-Install, Install, and Post-Install sequences.

Perform XSL Transform Action

This action allows developers to specify an XSLT and target for an Extensible Stylesheet Language transform. Predefined XSL Transforms can be found in

<InstallAnywhere>\resource\extras\presets

Perform XSL Transform - In Archive Action

This action works the same as the Perform XSL Transform, but does so for files in an archive—quite useful for configuring web applications in WAR, EAR, and JAR files.

Query InstallShield Universal Software Information Action

Queries InstallShield Universal Software registries for the UUID specified and returns the following information by default:

$ISMP_COMPONENT_COUNT$

$ISMP_COMPONENT_VERSIONS$

$ISMP_COMPONENT_LOCATIONS$

Read/Modify XML File Action

This action enables developers to read or modify XML files on the target system.

Refresh Windows Environment Action

This action forces Windows target systems to refresh the environment. Refresh Windows Environment ensures that environment variables you set with the Set System Environment Variable action are immediately available on the target system.

Registers a Windows Service on the end user's system.

Note:This action is available only in the Install sequence.

Restart Windows Action

This action restarts a Windows system. The system reboots as soon as this action is reached. Use this action carefully and only in conjunction with rules.

Note:This action is available in the Install, Post-Install, Pre-Uninstall, and Post-Uninstall sequences.

Set InstallAnywhere Variable - Multiple Variables Action

Use this action to create, and specify values for InstallAnywhere variables. This action can be used to control nearly any aspect of the installation.

To learn more, see Evaluation of InstallAnywhere Variables and Setting Variables in the Advanced Designer.

Important:Run-time variables are not supported for the uninstaller on OS or OS X–based systems. To learn more, see About Uninstallers and Variables.

Set InstallAnywhere Variable - Single Variable Action

Set the value of a single InstallAnywhere variable.

To learn more, see Evaluation of InstallAnywhere Variables and Setting Variables in the Advanced Designer.

Important:Run-time variables are not supported for the uninstaller on OS or OS X–based systems. To learn more, see About Uninstallers and Variables.

Set Windows Registry - Multiple Entries Action

Set multiple Windows registry keys, data, and values on target systems.

Set Windows Registry - Single Entry Action

Set an individual Windows registry key, data, and value on target systems.

Show Message Dialog Action

This action creates a modal dialog that requests end user input. The message dialog box appears over the currently displayed panel.

For more information, see Show Message Dialog Action.

Start, Stop, Pause Windows Service Action

If the application is interacting with a Windows Service, the installer may need to manage that service. This action, when the installer is run with sufficient privileges, allows the installer to stop, start, or pause registered windows services.

Uninstall InstallShield Universal Software Action

Uninstalls software previously installed by InstallShield Universal or InstallShield MultiPlatform installers.

Enable 8.3 File Naming Action

This action enables 8.3 naming on Windows target systems for all volumes and enables 8.3 file creation permanently for whole system when Installer has elevated privileges. This action can be performed in any sequence phase.

Associate File Extension/URL Prefix - Windows Action

Associates extensions to Installed Applications and existing Applications on Windows. New extensions or existing extensions can be associated.