User Guide

File Types

In Wise for Windows Installer, you can create and edit different types of Windows

Installer database files. You can work in the Windows Installer database file or in a

project file that contains instructions for compiling the Windows Installer database file.

See Project Files and Database Files on page 74. Each extension is described below.

Extension Description

.MSI Windows Installer database, which is a distributable installation. The .MSI extension is

associated with the Windows Installer executable, MSIExec.EXE. When an .MSI is

opened, Windows Installer executes it, thereby installing the application. You can open

and edit an .MSI in Wise for Windows Installer; however, options that have to do with

creating an .MSI, such as those on the Releases, Release Settings, and Media page,

are disabled. To convert an .MSI to a project file (.WSI), see MSI to WSI Conversion on

page 365.

.WSI Windows Installer project file, which describes an .MSI but does not store contents. It

is in the same format as an .MSI. You edit a .WSI in Wise for Windows Installer and

compile it to the corresponding .MSI. The .WSI is smaller in size and you can set

multiple options for the output of the .MSI.

.MSM Windows Installer merge module, which is a pre-compiled library of components (files,

registry changes, and other system changes) that installs a discrete part of your

application. It cannot be run alone, but must be merged with an .MSI during the .MSI

compile. Merge modules provide flexibility in developing installations because you can

break the installation into logical parts and share merge modules between

installations. See About Merge Modules on page 330.

.WSM Windows Installer merge module project, which describes an .MSM, but does not store

merge module contents. You edit a .WSM in Wise for Windows Installer and compile it

to the corresponding .MSM. See About Merge Modules on page 330.

.MST Windows Installer transform, which changes a Windows Installer package at runtime

and must be applied from the command line. See About Transforms on page 348.

.MSP Windows Installer patch, which updates an existing installed application. Patches

contain only the differences between the old and new versions of an application.

Create a patch with the Patch Creation tool, which creates an .MSP file to distribute to

end users. See Patches on page 302.

.PCP Windows Installer patch project, which describes and compiles to a Windows Installer

patch. A .PCP file is created from the Patch Creation tool. See Patches on page 302.

.EXE You can compile an .EXE that encapsulates the .MSI or that calls an external .MSI.

Doing so gives you the option of pre-installing Windows Installer software before

performing your own installation, which ensures the installation will run. For details,

see Setting Build Options for a Release on page 187 and Adding Prerequisites to a

Release on page 189.