Windows Installer Editor Reference
99
Working With Wise Installation Files
Testing An Installation
You run an installation in test mode, which does not install files or change the system.
This lets you run through the user interface and logic of an installation without making
changes.
To test an installation
1. Click Test at the lower right of the main window.
In Visual Studio: select Project menu > Start in Test Mode.
2. If you have added command lines to the Command Line page, a menu appears with
further options. The menu contains the names of all command lines you created.
You can test with a command line by selecting its name. To avoid having to select
from the button menu, press Ctrl+T to test with no command line.
3. If you are working in a .WSI that contains multiple releases, you are prompted to
select one.
The installation is compiled and run in test mode.
Note
If you change the installation and then test it, but the change is not apparent, close the
installation. Reopen it and compile it, and then run it again.
Testing a transform or merge module
You cannot test a transform or a merge module by itself. It can only be run in
conjunction with an .MSI. To run a transform or merge module, run the base .MSI from
the command line with the appropriate command-line options, which are documented in
the Windows Installer SDK Help.
See also:
Compiling An Installation
on page 97
Running An Installation
on page 99
Running the Debugger
on page 488
Running An Installation
When you run an installation, you can either:
z
Install it on your computer.
This runs the installation as it would run on the destination computer and makes
changes to your computer.
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Install it into a virtual layer.
This creates a new virtual layer, installs the .MSI into the layer, and activates the
layer. After you test the installation, you can delete the virtual layer to restore your
computer to its original state. (Not available in the Visual Studio integrated editor.)
To perform side-by-side testing of two versions of an application without them
interfering with each other, install one version into a virtual layer and the other version
on your computer.