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Creating Installations for Mobile Devices

InstallShield 2012 Spring Express Edition

InstallShield includes support for creating installations for mobile devices: Windows Mobile–powered devices and Palm OS devices.

Windows Mobile–Powered Devices

InstallShield lets you create installations that install products on Windows Mobile–powered devices. InstallShield supports different delivery methods. The delivery method that you want to use helps determine what type of project you should use to create the installation.

Creating a Straight-to-Device Installation

A straight-to-device installation installs a product directly to the Windows Mobile–powered device. This type of installation does not use Microsoft Windows Mobile Device Center, Microsoft ActiveSync, or any other desktop component. This type of installation also supports the deployment of a product through a storage card that is inserted into a Windows Mobile–powered device.

If you want to create a straight-to-device installation, create a Smart Device project. When you create or edit this project type, InstallShield launches the Smart Device Setup Wizard, which leads you through the process of identifying the files and other data for Windows Mobile–powered devices.

Creating a Desktop-to-Device Installation

A desktop-to-device installation installs a product to the end user's desktop computer first. The installation launches the Application Manager or uses either Windows Mobile Device Center or ActiveSync to install the mobile device product onto the Windows Mobile device when it is connected with the desktop computer. The installation can also optionally register an icon file on the desktop computer with Windows Mobile Device Center or ActiveSync, so that the icon is displayed within the Application Manager window.

If you want to create a desktop-to-device installation, create an Express project for your desktop installation. In this project, use the Mobile Devices view to add support for one or more mobile device installations to your project. For more information, see Adding an Installation for a Windows Mobile–Powered Device to Your Project.

If you have Windows Mobile–compatible .cab files that have already been built from an Express project, you can add them to your desktop installation. For more information, see Adding Existing .cab Files to Your Project.

The Windows Mobile Wizard, which InstallShield launches when you add or edit Windows Mobile support through the Mobile Devices view, leads you through the process of identifying the files and other data for Windows Mobile–powered devices. It lets you target certain platforms and processors as needed.

Palm OS Devices

InstallShield lets you create installations that install products on Palm OS devices. The product files can be deployed through HotSync to the Palm OS device. You can target either the device's memory or a storage card.

If you want to create a straight-to-device installation, create an Express project for your desktop installation. In this project, use the Mobile Devices view to add support for one or more mobile device installations to your project. For more information, see Adding an Installation for a Palm OS Device to Your Project.

The Palm OS Wizard, which InstallShield launches when you add or edit Palm OS support through the Mobile Devices view, leads you through the process of identifying the files and other data for Palm OS devices.

See Also

Mobile Devices View