User Guide

Starting a New Installation

Follow the steps below to create a new standard Windows Installer installation. To create

a new transform, see Creating a Transform Based on an Existing .MSI on page 348, and

to create a new merge module, see Creating a Merge Module As a New Installation on

page 334.

To start a new installation in the Wise editor:

1. Select Start menu > Programs > Wise Solutions > Wise for Windows Installer.

The New Installation File dialog appears. If it doesn’t appear, select File menu >

New. For details on options in the New Installation File dialog, see:

• Options for New Installations on page 79.

• File Types on page 73.

• Project Files and Database Files on page 74.

2. In the Categories list, click Predefined Templates.

3. In the Templates/Tools list, click the Windows Application icon.

A Windows Application installation is a standard installation intended for a Windows

computer or server.

For information on other icons in the list, see:

• Web Application icon: About Web Installations on page 217.

• Server Application icon: Obtaining Logon Information From a Dialog on

page 447.

• Pocket PC Application and Smartphone Application icons: Creating a Pocket PC or

Smartphone Installation on page 239.

• Palm Application icon: Palm OS Installations on page 252.

4. In the File type section, specify the type of file to create:

• Create an .MSI (Windows Installer database), which is a distributable

installation. Because an .MSI typically encapsulates all the files in the

installation, it is larger and takes longer to save. Also, some options that

determine the output of an .MSI are not available when you work with the .MSI

itself.

• Create a .WSI (Windows Installer project), which contains instructions for

compiling an .MSI. When you work in a .WSI instead of an .MSI, the .WSI file is

smaller and you can set multiple options for the output of the .MSI.

For information on .MSI and .WSI files, see File Types on page 73 and Project Files

and Database Files on page 74.

5. Select a target platform if necessary: 32-bit or 64-bit. For details, see Specifying the

Target Platform in an Installation on page 82.

The Target Platform section appears only if Select platform in New Installation

File dialog is marked in Wise Options.

6. Click OK. The new installation opens.

To start a new installation in the Visual Studio integrated editor:

When you start a new installation, you have several options for how to proceed. Not only

do you choose whether to create a project associated with a solution, but you also

choose what kind of file to create. Typically, you will create an installation in one of these

ways: