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Differential vs. Full Releases

InstallShield 2014

Project: This information applies to InstallScript projects.

If the original installation for your product was created with an InstallScript project, you need to create a differential release or a full release to update your product.

If some of the target systems have an earlier version of the product, and some do not have any version of the product, you can package your upgrade as a full release. This type of release behaves as a first-time installation if an earlier version of the product is not already present on the target system. It also is capable of installing over an earlier version and replacing that version completely.

If all of the target systems have an earlier version of the product, you can package your upgrade as a differential release. This type of release contains the files that are absent from—and/or have a different date, time, size, or attribute than the version in—one or more of a specified set of existing releases. A differential release is used to update the versions of your product that were installed by those existing releases.

Note: If you used a version of InstallShield Professional earlier than 6.0 to create media for an InstallScript project, the media cannot be updated.

See Also

Differential Releases

Full Releases

Creating an InstallScript Release to Update Previous Versions