InstallShield 2026 R1
InstallShield 2026 R1 includes the following enhancements:
| • | New ISCmdBld.exe Command-Line Parameters for Configuring Custom Digital Signing |
| • | Ability to Retrieve Suite GUID Value |
| • | Enhanced Home Menu to Control MSIX Support |
| • | Defining Custom SQL Server Connection String for Database Import |
| • | Support for Windows 11, version 25H2 |
| • | New Microsoft Runtime and Database Prerequisites |
New ISCmdBld.exe Command-Line Parameters for Configuring Custom Digital Signing
InstallShield 2026 R1 enhances digital signing by introducing new command-line parameters. These command-line parameters allow you specify the location of a custom signing tool, configure a custom signing tool, and control whether the build-generated file (setup.exe) must be digitally signed. These command-line parameters must be used with the ISCmdBld.exe command-line tool when building a release to ensure that the setup.exe executable is digitally signed using a required or desired custom signing tool. The following are the newly introduced command-line parameters:
| • | -customsign_path <path to sign tool>—Use this parameter to specify the location of a custom signing tool that will be used to digitally sign the build-generated file (setup.exe). For example: |
ISCmdBld.exe -customsign_path "C:\Users\Admin\Documents\sign.bat"
| • | -customsign_args <arguments>—Use this parameter to specify the command-line argument for a custom signing tool's configuration. For example, |
IsCmdBld.exe -p "C:\InstallShield 2026 Projects\MyProject1.ism" -sign_output "Y" -customsign_path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.19041.0\x64\signtool.exe" -customsign_args "sign /v /a /fd SHA256 /tr http://timestamp.digicert.com /td SHA256 [filename]"
Important:Specifying -sign_output "Y" is a prerequisite for using the -customsign_path and -customsign_args parameters.
The [filename] variable is a placeholder for the full path of the file to be signed. During build time, it resolves to the complete path of the binary being signed. By default, the file path is appended to the end of the argument list and passed to the custom signing tool. Instead of using a hard-coded path, you can use path variables, environment variables, or property names defined within your project.
| • | -sign_output <Y/N>—Use this parameter to specify whether the build-generated file (setup.exe) must be digitally signed. For example, use the following command line to enable digital signing: |
ISCmdBld.exe -sign_output "Y"
These parameters are particularly beneficial for automated build pipelines in CI/CD environments, where the default InstallShield signing mechanism may not meet specific organizational or security requirements.
For more information, see ISCmdBld.exe in the InstallShield Help Library.
Note:This change was tracked in ISDEV-44198.
Ability to Retrieve Suite GUID Value
InstallShield 2026 R1 introduces a new installScript function, SuiteGetGuid, which enables retrieval of the Suite GUID value associated with a running Suite installer configured using an Advanced UI or Suite/Advanced UI project.
This function can be invoked from an InstallScript action within a Suite project. When executed during installation, it retrieves the Suite GUID of the running Suite installer and stores the value in a string variable for further processing. This enhancement provides greater flexibility for Suite-based installations by allowing developers to programmatically access the Suite GUID value during installation.
For more details, see ‘SuiteGetGuid’ in the InstallShield Help Library.
Note:This change was tracked in ISDEV-43853.
Enhanced Home Menu to Control MSIX Support
InstallShield 2026 R1 introduces a new check box named Enable MSIX in the MSIX section of the Home tab on the menu bar (at the top of the InstallShield user interface). The Enable MSIX check box allows you control the MSIX package support for the current project directly from the Home tab as:
| • | Selecting this check box enables the Build, Run, and Uninstall icons in the MSIX section simultaneously. |
| • | Clearing this check box disables the Build, Run, and Uninstall icons in the MSIX section simultaneously. |
You can use this check box when your project is configured to create an MSIX package. This feature also simplifies workflow management by allowing you to enable or disable all MSIX-related actions in a single step, ensuring consistency and ease of use.
Note:The Enable MSIX check box is available only for Basic MSI projects.
Note:This change was tracked in ISDEV-44874.
Defining Custom SQL Server Connection String for Database Import
InstallShield 2026 R1 allows you override or update the existing SQL Server connection string used to connect to the Microsoft SQL Server instance—specified in the Server Name field on the Database Import Wizard dialog box in the SQL Scripts view. This configuration is achieved by defining a custom SQL Server connection string under the <SQLScripts> node in the Settings.xml file, which is commonly stored within the project directory or under the user profile’s InstallShield configuration folders. By explicitly adding or defining the custom SQL Server connection string in this file, you can control how InstallShield establishes the database connection during the import process.
This enhancement is particularly valuable for supporting modern authentication mechanisms—Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) authentication. By incorporating the appropriate connection string parameters, including those required for Microsoft Entra ID authentication, InstallShield can securely connect to SQL Server instances that enforce advanced identity-based access controls.
Note:Support for Microsoft Entra ID authentication is available only when working with Microsoft SQL Server 2022 or later versions. Earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server do not provide the necessary capabilities required for this authentication method.
Note:This change was tracked in ISDEV-45055.
Support for Windows 11, version 25H2
InstallShield 2026 R1 allows you to configure installation conditions for Windows 11, version 25H2.
Note:This change was tracked in ISDEV-45127.
New Microsoft Runtime and Database Prerequisites
InstallShield 2026 R1 introduces the following new prerequisites, which are now available in the Redistributables explorer of the Application Data view:
| • | Microsoft .NET Core 10.0 Runtime |
| • | Microsoft Visual C++ 2017-2026 Redistributable Package (x64) |
| • | Microsoft Visual C++ 2017-2026 Redistributable Package (x86) |
| • | Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Redistributable (x64) |
These prerequisites enable your installation to install the required Microsoft technologies on target systems, if they are not already present, ensuring that your application has the necessary runtime components for successful execution.
Note:These changes were tracked in ISDEV-44897, ISDEV-45107, and ISDEV-44984.