Not too long ago I got a new job working on a tool that the company created to make people's lives easier when working on AWR.
I have successfully done multiple fixes and improvements which I was able to distribute via HotFix installers (simply overwrite the files that are already there).
My latest change/addition to the tool requires I create a complete installer for the tool. This particular tool always installs 2 versions, the current/new and the previous/old, to give a smoother transition to users. I have never done an installer before so I am learning as I go.
I was able to create an installer using the previous installshield project by simply updating/adding/removing files and folders. This works great when there is no version of the tool installed on the computer and there are no files/folders of any version of it on the installation locations.
I looked online and found that to make an installer that will install over a previous version I would need to do a major upgrade with installshield, which I did do after reading that. Now the installer successfully installs over the old version, it successfully places the new files and folders on their locations but always leaves one particular empty folder behind, the one for the 1.1.1 version.
That didn't seem like a problem until I realized that the .exe failed to modify the .ini file that it needs to modify to let AWR know where to look for the scripts. I looked through the .exe code and after running some tests, running it alone, I realized the .exe is not the problem, it does the job correctly. After doing many tests I found that as long as those empty folders exist the .ini files cannot be modified. I have no clue why since the .ini file is pretty much a .txt file and it makes no sense for there to be some sort of dependency on the 1.1.1 folder.
So my problem is one of two, either I have to figure out a way to make sure that the upgrade deletes those 1.1.1 folders or find a way to modify the .ini files with those folders still there. I have looked online and every solution requires me/the user to manually do something and I am being asked to make the installer simply work when used. They are asking me to make it so the installer takes care of everything and the user should not do anything except run the installer.
Since the installer works correctly as long as those folders are not there I figured making sure the installer removes them is the best way but I am stuck and I do not know how to proceed.
Thank you for any advice and help you can provide with this issue.
