Build Menu

InstallShield 2024

Project: This information applies to the following project types:

• Advanced UI
• Basic MSI
• DIM
• InstallScript
• InstallScript MSI
• InstallScript Object
• Merge Module
• MSI Database
• MSIX
• MSM Database
• Suite/Advanced UI
• Transform

The following table lists the Build menu commands, as well as associated keyboard shortcuts and icons.

Build Menu Commands

Command

Shortcut

Icon

Description

Release Wizard

 

Opens the Release Wizard, which lets you specify the settings for a release and build it.

Compile

Ctrl+F7

Compiles your script file.

Build

F7

Builds your release with default settings, or—if you have already built your release—rebuilds your release with your most recently saved settings.

Build Tables Only

SHIFT+F7

Rebuilds only the .msi file tables of your installation to enable you to see your changes take effect more quickly than with a complete rebuild.

Build Tables & Refresh Files

ALT+F7

Project:This command is available for Windows Installer–based projects.

Rebuilds only the .msi file tables and updates only the modified files of your installation. This type of build works only when the media is an uncompressed network image.

Refresh Build

ALT+F7

 

Project:This command is available for InstallScript projects.

Rebuilds the active media. This command regenerates only those items that you changed since the media was last built.

Batch Build

 

Lets you rebuild multiple releases with different configurations simultaneously.

Stop Build

Ctrl+Break

Cancels the current build process.

Test User Interface

Ctrl+T

Enables you to run through the user interface portion of your installation without making any changes to your system. All custom actions are executed.

Debug

F5

Starts debugging.

Run

Ctrl+F5

Enables you to run your completed installation without leaving InstallShield.

Uninstall

 

Uninstalls the most recently run release.

Project:This command is available for the following project types:

• Basic MSI
• InstallScript MSI
• MSIX

Run Package

 

Enables you to run the installation package. This command is available only for InstallScript projects with the Network Image media type and with all files compressed into an .exe file.

Debug Package

 

Enables you to debug the installation package. This command is available only for InstallScript projects with the Network Image media type and with all files compressed into an .exe file.

Run from Web

 

Displays the One-Click Install Web page, which lets you run your completed installation without leaving InstallShield.

MSI Debugger

 

Provides several commands:

• Start MSI Debugging— Starts debugging in the MSI Debugger view.
• Toggle Breakpoint—F9 or —Sets or removes the breakpoint in the line that has the insertion point.
• Remove All Breakpoints—SHIFT+F9 or —Removes all breakpoints set in the debugger.
• Step Over—F10 or —Steps through the current action or dialog and continues the execution in the debugger.
• Step Into—F11 or —Steps into the current custom action in the debugger.
• Stop MSI Debugging—SHIFT+F5 or —Stops debugging in the MSI Debugger view.

Validate

 

Provides several commands:

• Upgrade Validation Wizard—Opens the Upgrade Validation Wizard, which performs a set of tests to determine if your Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation will properly upgrade earlier versions of your product.
• Browse for a New Validation Module (.cub)—Lets you browse to select a new or custom validation (.cub) file.
• InstallShield Validation Suite for Windows 8—This suite consists of a number of InstallShield internal consistency evaluators (ISICEs) that help you identify issues that may make your installation behave unexpectedly on Windows 8 systems. This suite checks for issues that may not be revealed in the Full MSI Validation Suite.
• InstallShield Merge Module Validation Suite for Windows 8 or InstallShield Merge Module Validation Suite for Windows 7—These suites consist of a number of InstallShield internal consistency evaluators (ISICEs) that help you identify issues that may make your merge module behave unexpectedly on Windows 8 (or Windows 7) systems. This suite checks for issues that may not be revealed in the Merge Module Validation Suite.
• InstallShield Certified for Windows Vista Validation Suite—This suite consists of a number of InstallShield internal consistency evaluators (ISICEs) that help you identify issues that may make your installation behave unexpectedly on Windows Vista systems. This suite checks for issues that may not be revealed in the Full MSI Validation Suite.
• InstallShield Certified for Windows Vista Merge Module Validation Suite—This suite consists of a number of InstallShield internal consistency evaluators (ISICEs) that help you identify issues that may make your merge module behave unexpectedly on Windows Vista systems. This suite checks for issues that may not be revealed in the Merge Module Validation Suite.

Validate (cont.)

 

 
• InstallShield Best Practice Suite— Scans your Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation to determine whether it meets best-practice guidelines.

Edition:The InstallShield Best Practice Suite is available in the Premier edition of InstallShield.

• Full MSI Validation Suite— Scans your Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation to determine whether it is valid. Your built .msi package is compared against the ICE rules.
• Windows 2000 Logo Validation Suite— Scans your Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation to determine whether it meets the Designed for Windows 2000 logo requirements.
• Windows XP Logo Validation Suite— Scans your Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation to determine whether it meets the Designed for Windows XP logo requirements.
• Windows Vista Logo Validation Suite— Scans your Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation to determine whether it meets the Certified for Windows Vista logo requirements.
• Merge Module Validation Suite— Scans your merge module package. The Merge Module Validation tool is the merge module version of the Full MSI Validation Suite. Your built merge module is compared against ICE rules to help you determine whether it will function properly.
• InstallShield Virtualization Suitability Suite—Scans an .msi package running all tests related to virtualization suitability. Any tests that found issues are listed in a report, and for each issue, an associated column in the report indicates applicability to known virtualization formats (App-V v5, Server App-V, App-V-v4, ThinApp, or XenApp).
• InstallShield MSIX/UWP App Suitability Suite—Scans an .msi package for signs of items that are unsuitable for the Windows App package (.appx) format. Any tests that found issues are listed in a report and for each issue, an associated column in the report indicates applicability to the known Windows App variants (UWA, Desktop, Store, WSA, or Nano).
• Recent Validation Modules—Displays a list of recently used validation (.cub) files.

To learn more, see Validating Projects and Viewing Validation Results.

Settings

ALT+F6

Opens the Settings dialog box, which enables you to set preferences for how InstallShield builds your installation.