Question

I am developing an Outlook plugin solution that involves the plugin itself and a windows application working in tandem.

1. The plugin targets multiple versions of Outlook – 2007, 2010 and 2013.
2. The windows app uses different libraries for x86 and 64 bit processors.
3. Of course there are dependencies of both the plugin and the app.

In addition to pure installation, I would like to make automatic updates possible. It could be something as simple as custom code in the windows app to check for updates in a predefined location. But I would like to know my options.

The solution I have in mind right now, and which I would like to ask the SO community to evaluate is as follows:

1. Separate Windows Setup Projects (producing MSI files) for each combination of application and configuration (This could be as many as 8 different msi files)
2. One common bootstrapper project, detecting current system configuration and installing prerequisites and selected msis.
3. MSIs would not have prerequisites embedded in them, only the uber-installer/bootstrapper would have those.

Am I missing something? Is this solution viable? Are there third party alternatives to Windows Setup Projects that would make my life easier? Full featured Install Shield maybe?

Answer 1

In case this actually is helpful for someone, the solution I went with is the incredibly customizable installer solution: InstallMate 7 by Tarma.

You can find out more from their website, but the features that got me are:

1. Built in support for x86 and x64
2. Customizable prerequisites
3. Stand-alone update tool also provided by Tarma, which simplifies
   automatic updates a lot.
4. PRICE! Forget about spending 5K on similar features elsewhere.