TestStand Deployment Not Installing Files

[pdobratz]

TestStand 3.1

We have created a custom OI and Process Model and we have attempted to create an installer using the TestStand Deployment Utility.  The problem is that when the installer is first run on the target system, some files are not being installed.  We had a similar problem with the Distribution Kit functiontionality of CVI 6, and were never able to fully resolve the issue.

Basically the installer examines files that already exist on the target machine and will not overwrite them if they have been modified.  The installer is smart enough to examine version numbers inherent to DLLs and EXE files (and adding REINSTALLMODE=amus to setup.ini causes these types of files to always be overwritten).  However, for other files such as *.ini and *.seq files, there seems to be no way to force the installer to overwrite these files.

The workaround that we used previously was to run the installer 3 times (once to install, once to uninstall which deletes all files including the old versions that were not overwritten, and then once to actually install the desired files).  Is there a way around this with the TestStand Deployment Utility?  We are actually considering bypassing the installer altogether and just copying the files in the image directory that the Deployment Utility creates.

Thanks,
Peter

[Eric M]

Hello Peter,

If you are using the same TestStand Deployment file, TSD, to build the installer each time, then your installations are likely using the same Product Code with each new install. The Product Code specifies a string that uniquely identifies the installer on the Windows system. The TestStand Help recommends that the system be uninstalled before installing a new system with the same Product Code.

This uninstalling first would have your three step process down to a two step process. You can uninstall the system from Add or Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel.

You may get the around this by generating a new Product Code for the new installation. This can be done from the Advanced Installer Options dialog. This dialog is launched by the Advanced Options button on the Installer Options tab of the Deployment Utility.

One last note, and sort of an aside, sequence files have version numbers as well. Go to Edit>>Sequence File Properties. There is a writable field for Version on the General tab.

Regards,

Eric M

[pdobratz]

Yes, we do keep the same GUID, and the installer uninstalls by default if it has already been installed.  However, for the very first install on a new system, the installer tries to install and won't overwrite certain files.  Then we have to uninstall and reinstall.  On all subsequent updates this is not an issue since we'll be uninstalling then installing in any case.

Also, TestStand sequence files do have a version number, but does the windows installer recognize them?

Thanks for the reply.

--Peter

[Eric M]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the information. I am not sure if the installer will recognize the sequence file version number. Are you deploying a Process Model from the NI folder, or have you copied it into the User folder? Are you adding the Process Model and INI files to a project in your workspace and deploying the workspace or are you deploying them by selecting to Deploy Files in TestStand User Directories on the System Source tab of the Deployment Utility?

In other words, what file specifically are not being installed correctly? What is their path on the development machine and what is the target path?

One last question, if the target is a new system and has not had a TestStand test system deployed to it, how does it have sequence and TestStand INI files on it already? Are you installing TestStand on the target machine before deploying a test system?

Regards,

Eric M

[pdobratz]

Eric,

Yes, the specific project I am referring to is our customizations of the NI Process Models and OI.  There is no TestStand workspace file for this installer, but instead we check the box that you mentioned "Deploy Files in TestStand User Directories".  The specific file that does not get installed is User\Components\Callbacks\FrontEndCallbacks.seq.  This file already exists on a clean install of TestStand in the User directory and the installer is not overwriting it.  All the files are installed directly to the TestStand directory and not to a separate directory.

Thanks,
Peter

[Eric M]

Peter,

For the <TestStand>\Components\User\Callbacks\FrontEnd\FrontEndCallbacks.seq file, you have a couple of options. The option you pick will depend on whether or not you have customized the FrontEnd Callbacks.

First, if you have not customized that particular sequence file, you can deselect it from the build just by deselecting the checkbox next to the file in the Distributed Files tab of the Deployment Utility. In fact, if you haven't customized any bit of the User\Callbacks\FrontEnd folder, you can deselect the whole folder. The deselected files will not be deployed.

Second, I did a little testing to confirm that a sequence file with a more recent version number will be installed in place of one with an older version number. I confirmed this with User\Callbacks\FrontEnd\FrontEndCallbacks.seq. I opened the sequence file, went to Edit>>Sequence File Properties and changed the version number from 3.1.0.9095 to 3.1.0.9096. I then deployed this file to a machine that had version 3.1.0.9095 of the sequence file. The newer version replaced it when I ran the installer.

I hope this helps,

Eric