Windows Installer Editor Reference
338
Merge Modules and Transforms
Adding a Merge Module to an Installation
Use the Merge Modules page to add merge modules to an installation. By default, merge
modules are not installed with Windows Installer Editor. However, you can create merge
modules or use the Download Redistributables wizard to obtain third-party merge
modules.
See
Downloading Redistributable Files
on page 30.
When deploying software through a merge module, keep update considerations in mind.
Example: If you deploy MSDE through a merge module, end users cannot use
Microsoft’s MSDE security patches to update that installation of MSDE. Microsoft patches
only operate on software packages installed by Microsoft .MSIs. You would have to
incorporate the MSDE patch changes in an update to your own application and distribute
it to your end users. This could cause security and timing issues for your end users.
To add a merge module
1. Select Installation Expert > Merge Modules page.
2. From Current Feature, select a feature or condition. (Because any item you add
must be assigned to a specific feature, you cannot add an item when All Features
is selected.)
Items that you add to a feature are installed on the destination computer only if the
feature is installed. Items that you add to a condition are installed only if the feature
is installed and the condition is true.
3. Click Add at the right of the Merge Modules page.
The Select Merge Module dialog box appears and lists available merge modules in
the directories specified in Wise Options.
See
Setting Merge Module Directories
on page 43
.
(Professional Edition.) The Select Merge Module dialog box can also include merge
modules that are in the Software Manager database. You must have access to the
Software Manager database and the Read Merge Modules List From Software
Manager Database check box must be marked in Wise Options.
4. If the merge module you want is not in the list, do one of the following:
To add directories to search for merge modules, click Directories and the Merge
Modules tab from Wise Options appears. Click Add to add the directory that
contains the merge module. The merge modules in this directory are added to
the list of available merge modules.
See
Setting Merge Module Directories
on page 43.
Click Download to add merge modules from the Wise Web site, other vendors’
Web sites. If you download the merge modules to a directory that is specified in
Wise Options, they are added to the list of available merge modules.
See
Downloading Redistributable Files
on page 30.
5. Select one or more merge modules from the list by marking the corresponding
check boxes.
6. Click Next.
The Merge Module File Directory dialog box appears.
7. To change the destination for a merge module, select one or more merge modules
and click Change.
