Can you get application version from installer

[pRoFiT]

I am trying to figure out how to pull the application version out of the installer without installing the application.

If it helps, I'm working on a couple labview application management tools. Which will keep track of installed application versions and new versions available on the network. First i need to make a tool that can take the installer, zip it up to a single file on our file server and update the list of available versions. If i can not find the version from the installer then i need the tool to build the installer. Which may be the way i end up going if i cant get the version.

On that note: Does anyone know if the labview installer can be command line driven? Then i could have our build server make the installer 😉

Thanks.

Message Edited by pRoFiT on 12-31-2009 07:29 PM

[Guruthilak]

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I am trying to figure out how to pull the application version out of the installer without installing the application.

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Yes. It must be posbile and this information goes along with the exe or the installer. there is a seperate field for entering the version information while creaing the exe or the installer... But i dont know how. Some one will know about it and i am sure they will throw some light on to it.

I am not sure whether the LV installer creation can be command driven. but in earlier version (i guess i tried it in LV 8.0) it is possible to do the same by writing a wrapper vi that will call the application builder vi's dynamically. it got a little complicated in 8.0 bt it was much more easier in 7.0.

Guru

[Guruthilak]

if you look in to the "Setup.ini" file under the section "[Distribution]" there is a item called "Version" and that tells you which is the current installer version.

Guru

[Nate.H]

Hi pRoFiT,

In addition to the information provided by Guru, you can run the LV install from the command line with the options mentioned in the following Knowledgebase:

What Are the Options With a Command Line Install for the LabVIEW Run-Time Engine for Windows?

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=465495#M465495

This is also a handy resource for manipulating installers and executables:

Creating a Batch File

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/B2640E34C4654F7B86256D07006D843D?OpenDocument

 Best Regards,

~Nate

[pRoFiT]

Guruthilak, The version in the "setup.ini" file is the version of the Installer. Not the version of the EXE the Installer is going to install.

[pRoFiT · Accepted solution]

Nate,

Your first link is the link to this thread? Is there another link?

Creating a batch file is kinda what i had to do. Sorta. 😉

The Solution:

So i figured out one way to do this. I will try to add PNG snippets of what i did.

First off i know how to get the version from a file using .net calls. So one PNG snippet is that process.

Then i needed to figure out how to get the exe file out of the installer folder without installing everything. I tried building the cabinet.dll CAB commands into labview but got stuck after an hour. My next way was the cheating way but it works. I use windows EXPAND.exe command line program and send it the path to the CAB file that has the exe i need to look at. I then run FileVersionInfo on the EXE and delete the file.

My assumption so far is that the installer will make a /bin/dp/data.cab file and the main EXE will be in there named somthing.EXE.something so *.EXE.* is what i extract. If there are multiple EXE files then i will need to rethink my subvi. For now most of our applications are single EXE files.

Maybe this will be helpfull to someone else? maybe not.

Message Edited by pRoFiT on 01-05-2010 06:00 PM

[Nate.H]

Oops,

I think I meant to put something along these lines:

Automating the Installation of a Single Installer

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/878FC4C374013ADF8625733D00688F67?OpenDocument

I can't find the KB I was going to link yesterday. Anyway, this one contains some of the same setup commands, and I'm glad that you got it figured out for your specific case!

~Nate

[pRoFiT]

Nate,

Thanks. I may use the silent installation with progress part. Will make my tool simpler. This way i can update and install apps without needing input from users.

-pRoFiT aka Corey S.

[Schwede]

pRoFiT,

can you post a picture of your solution?

thanks

schwede

[pRoFiT]

.png files are pictures. in post 6.