New Features in InstallShield 2023 R2
For information about new features added in InstallShield 2023 R2, refer to the following sections:
| • | Ability to Digitally Sign Internal Files |
| • | Ability to Configure Custom Signing Solution for Digital Signing |
| • | New Hourly Scheduling Settings for Scheduled Tasks |
| • | Command-Line Support to Download Prerequisites During Standalone Build |
| • | Ability to Store Token Password for EV Digital Signing |
Ability to Digitally Sign Internal Files
The InstallShield 2023 R2 Premier edition includes new settings named— Prepare Files Event and Execute Batch file at Prepare files in the Events tab for a release in the Releases explorer on the Media view— which enable you to digitally sign the unsigned InstallShield internal files, by specifying custom script/commands using a batch file (.bat or .cmd) or executable file (.exe).
These settings are not required if you are using the InstallShield in-built signing flow, since the signing of all binaries, including internal files, are managed by the default signing behavior.
These settings are required only if the customer would like to use the custom signing solution instead of the InstallShield standard signing solution.
For more information, see the following:
| • | Events Tab for a Release |
| • | Prepare Files Event Dialog Box |
Ability to Configure Custom Signing Solution for Digital Signing
InstallShield 2023 R2 introduces new signing type settings that enable you to select and configure a custom signing solution to digitally sign build-generated files.
These settings are required only if the customer would like to use custom signing solution instead of the InstallShield standard signing solution. Selecting the Custom signing type enables additional fields where a custom signing utility path and arguments can be configured. To configure a custom signing solution, you can use the following new settings available in the Signing tab for a release in the Releases explorer on the Media view:
| • | Signing Type—This setting enables you to specify the method to digitally sign build-generated files. The available options for this setting are: |
| • | Standard—Select this option to use the default InstallShield sign tool to digitally sign build-generated files. |
| • | Custom—Select this option to use a customized sign tool to digitally sign build-generated files. Selecting this option enables the Path and Arguments settings. |
| • | Path—Specify the sign tool's location to digitally sign build-generated files by using that sign tool. To specify sign tool's location, click the ellipsis button (...) in this setting. |
| • | Arguments—Specify the command-line argument for a sign tool’s configuration. For example, command-line argument below can be used if the Microsoft built-in signing tool is configured as a custom option to sign the binaries: |
sign /fd SHA256 /f "<ProgramFilesFolder>\testCA.pfx" /t http://timestamp.digicert.com /p MyPassword [filename]
Note:A custom signing tool path uses <ProgramFilesFolder>\Windows Kits\10\bin\<WinSDKVer>\x86\signtool.exe.
The [filename] variable is a place holder for full file path to be signed. It resolves to full path of the binary file to be signed during build time. By default, a file path will be added at the end of an argument and passed to a custom sign tool. Instead of using a hard-coded path, you can use any path variables and environment variables that are defined in your project.
For more information, see the following:
| • | Signing Tab for a Release |
| • | Digital Signature Tab (for a patch configuration in the Patch Design view) |
| • | Digital Signature Tab (in a QuickPatch project) |
Note:By default, the Signing Type setting is set to Standard.
New Hourly Scheduling Settings for Scheduled Tasks
In InstallShield 2023 R2, you can now specify how often you want hourly scheduled tasks to repeat, and specify the duration of each scheduled task. The following settings have been introduced in the Schedule setting for a new task on the Scheduled Tasks explorer of the System Configuration view:
| • | Repeat Interval (minutes)—Use this setting to specify the interval, in minutes, that determines how often you want consecutive tasks to be executed in a specified duration. This interval calculation is based on the starting time of the previous scheduled task. |
For example, to run a task every hour from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, enter 60.
| • | Duration Interval (minutes)—Use this setting to specify the interval, in minutes, that determines the duration during which you want to repeat a scheduled task with an active trigger. Here, the interval that is specified must be greater than or equal to the interval value in the Repeat Interval (minutes) setting. |
For example, start running a scheduled task at 8:00 AM and want to run it until 5:00 PM, enter 540.
For more information, see Schedule (Schedule Task’s settings in Scheduled Tasks view).
Note:The Duration Interval (minutes) setting is enabled if the Repeat Interval (minutes) setting is specified with an interval value.
Command-Line Support to Download Prerequisites During Standalone Build
Project:This information applies to the following project types:
| • | Basic MSI |
| • | InstallScript |
| • | InstallScript MSI |
InstallShield 2023 R2 introduces a new command-line parameter named -prqdownload which directs the Standalone build to automatically download missing InstallShield prerequisite binary files into the appropriate project directory when building a project from the command line with ISCmdBld.exe.
For more information, see ISCmdBld.exe.
Note:When a Suite/Advanced UI project is built using the Iscmdbld.exe without this parameter, the required InstallShield prerequisite binary files for the ISM package get automatically downloaded into the project file. Therefore, this parameter is not appplicable for the Suite/Advanced UI project.
Ability to Store Token Password for EV Digital Signing
InstallShield 2023 R2 now provides an option to encrypt and store an EV token password in a project file. Prior InstallShield versions supported EV certificates via the Use a certificate store option. However, when using this option, the user would be asked for the token password each time the file is signed with an EV certificate.
There is also an option called Enable single logon that comes with an EV vendor which would restrict user interventions per session with only one token password request. Configuring the token password in the InstallShield signing tab will continue to work until the password expires. The token password can be changed using the the InstallShield IDE or the InstallShield automation layer.
For more information, see the following:
| • | Signing Tab for a Release |
| • | General Tab for MSIX Release |