Specifying Parameters for Installing an InstallShield Prerequisite

InstallShield 2020

The Application to Run tab of the InstallShield Prerequisite Editor is where you specify how a prerequisite should be installed on the target machine.

To specify parameters for installing an InstallShield prerequisite:

1. In the InstallShield Prerequisite Editor, open the prerequisite that you want to modify.
2. Click the Application to Run tab.
3. In the Specify the application you wish to launch list, select the file—typically a Setup.exe setup launcher or an .msi file—that should be launched on the target machine if the InstallShield prerequisite is installed. Only files that have been specified on the Files to Include tab are included in this list.

If the main installation is a Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI installation, and if you specify an .msi file and you indicate on the Behavior tab that the progress should be shown, the Setup.exe setup launcher captures progress messages and uses Windows Installer APIs instead of MsiExec.exe to launch the .msi package at run time.

If you specify any other file type, or if you specify an .msi file for which progress should not be shown, the Setup.exe setup launcher runs the file with either the open verb (for .msi and .exe files) or the default verb (for all other file types) at run time.

Project:If you specify an .msi file and you indicate on the Behavior tab that the progress should be shown, the Setup.exe setup launcher captures progress messages and uses Windows Installer APIs instead of MsiExec.exe to launch the .msi package at run time.

If you specify any other file type, if you specify an .msi file for which progress should not be shown, or if the main installation is an InstallScript installation, the Setup.exe setup launcher runs the file with either the open verb (for .msi and .exe files) or the default verb (for all other file types) at run time.

4. If the Windows Installer engine, the .NET Framework, or both must be installed before this InstallShield prerequisite is installed, select the Requires Windows Installer engine and/or .NET Framework to be installed first check box.

Note:Selecting this check box does not add the Windows Installer engine or the .NET Framework to your installation. It only specifies that if they are included in the installation, they should be installed before this InstallShield prerequisite is installed. To include the Windows Installer engine or the .NET Framework with your installation, you must add them to your project. To learn how, see Adding Windows Installer Redistributables to Projects or Adding .NET Framework Redistributables to Projects.

5. If applicable, in the Specify the command line for the application box, type the command line for the file selected in the Specify the application you wish to launch list. Do not include the name of the file in this box.

For more details, see Specifying Command-Line Parameters for an InstallShield Prerequisite.

6. If applicable, in the Specify the command line for the application when the setup is running in silent mode box, type the appropriate command line. Do not include the name of the file in this box.

For more details, see Specifying Command-Line Parameters for an InstallShield Prerequisite.

7. If the selected InstallShield prerequisite application requires that the target machine be restarted after the application is installed, type the return code in the Specify the return code (in decimal) the application returns if a reboot is required box.

Tip:If multiple return codes exist, list each one separated by a comma.

If you do not know the return codes for the file that you are launching as the InstallShield prerequisite, contact the author of the file.
For more information on InstallShield prerequisites that require a restart, see Restarting a Target Machine for InstallShield Prerequisite Installations.

See Also