Software Object Key Properties

InstallShield 11 Universal

Universal defines all software objects, that is, the root product, features, and components, by their software object Key properties. The values of the Key properties determine the entries made and maintained in the Vital Product Data (VPD) Registry. These properties consist of the following:

Universally Unique Identifier (UUID)
Version

Major
Minor
Maintenance
Update

Universal utilizes the information stored in the VPD to enable you to create update and patch installations to products and assemblies previously built and installed with InstallShield 10.5+ Universal. These values are examined at various times during the installation of an update and patch to determine what action, if any, is to be taken on the software objects and their associated files. For example, if a patch installation includes a patched feature that includes a patch for its associated assembly, then the UUID for that feature is looked for in the VPD in order to determine its location so it can be replaced. The UUID of the assembly referenced by the feature is also looked for in the VPD for the same reason. For additional information, see Update Check dialog, Update Installations, and Patch Installations.

Key Properties

The Key properties for the root product, features (including nested features), and components are located and set in the Installation Design view under the Advanced heading. They are described below, along with recommendations for how they should be set. You must decide how they should be set based on whether you will ever need the capability to update or patch the product/assembly in the future.

The Version property of the root product is the most critical because it is utilized to determine what action, if any, should be taken during the run time of an update or patch installation. It should always be set in the Installation Design Advanced/Key properties, not in the General Information view.

Property Description

Property	Description
Universally Unique Identifier (UUID)	This is the identifier that must be unique for each software object in your project. Universal will generate a new value for you when you click Generate, or you can type a UUID in the text field—a maximum of 32 alphanumeric characters with no punctuation or spaces, and you can include underscores ("_"). If any non-alphanumeric characters are included, the Update Service will not work. The UUID of the root product, features, nested features, and components can be specified for each build configuration. See the Software Object Key Overrides property in the Properties topic for the build configuration that you will use to build your project: Product Build Configuration Assembly Build Configuration RPM Build Configuration RPM Assembly Build Configuration
Version	This represents the version of this software object. The recommended setting for these properties are listed below. The combination of them for the root product, separated by periods ("."), displays in the General Information/Product Properties/Version property. It is recommended, however, that the version of the root product be set in its Advanced/Key properties in the Installation Design view rather than in the General Information/Version property. Major—Represents the official release number of the product/assembly or a major update to it. For example, all of the software objects in an initial release of "My product" would have their Version/Major property set to `1`. Minor—Represents an update to the original installation of the product/assembly. For example, all of the software objects in the first update to "My product" could have their Version/Minor property set to `1`. Maintenance—Represents a patch to the current version of the product/assembly. For example, to permanently fix a bug in a file in the initial release of "My product," the patch installation project's root product, along with the feature that contains the component that contains the replacement file, would have their Version/Maintenance property set to `1`. In addition, the component's UID and Install Location properties would be set exactly the same as the component in the original installation that contained the bug. Update—Used to further define the Version of the product/assembly; its use is developer-defined. Formatted—Not used by Universal—it is strictly for your use. It could be used, for example, to store the release date or date of the last update/patch to this product/assembly.

Universally Unique Identifier (UUID)

This is the identifier that must be unique for each software object in your project. Universal will generate a new value for you when you click Generate, or you can type a UUID in the text field—a maximum of 32 alphanumeric characters with no punctuation or spaces, and you can include underscores ("_"). If any non-alphanumeric characters are included, the Update Service will not work.

Tip

The UUID of the root product, features, nested features, and components can be specified for each build configuration. See the Software Object Key Overrides property in the Properties topic for the build configuration that you will use to build your project:

Version

This represents the version of this software object. The recommended setting for these properties are listed below. The combination of them for the root product, separated by periods ("."), displays in the General Information/Product Properties/Version property. It is recommended, however, that the version of the root product be set in its Advanced/Key properties in the Installation Design view rather than in the General Information/Version property.

Major—Represents the official release number of the product/assembly or a major update to it. For example, all of the software objects in an initial release of "My product" would have their Version/Major property set to 1.
Minor—Represents an update to the original installation of the product/assembly. For example, all of the software objects in the first update to "My product" could have their Version/Minor property set to 1.
Maintenance—Represents a patch to the current version of the product/assembly. For example, to permanently fix a bug in a file in the initial release of "My product," the patch installation project's root product, along with the feature that contains the component that contains the replacement file, would have their Version/Maintenance property set to 1. In addition, the component's UID and Install Location properties would be set exactly the same as the component in the original installation that contained the bug.
Update—Used to further define the Version of the product/assembly; its use is developer-defined.
Formatted—Not used by Universal—it is strictly for your use. It could be used, for example, to store the release date or date of the last update/patch to this product/assembly.

Remarks

In addition to the software object Key properties, the Install Location and Replace Option properties for the root product and its features, nested features, and components are stored in the Vital Product Data (VPD) Registry. This database is accessed/updated during the run time of an update and patch installation to determine what action, if any, is to be taken on the installed product or assembly on the target machine. This database is located in the location you specify in the General Information properties.

Manual editing of the VPD Registry is not supported by Macrovision Corporation.