Windows Installer Editor Reference
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Working With Wise Installation Files
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A 64-bit merge module can be merged into a 64-bit installation. The processor type
(x64 or Intel64) of the merge module must match that of the installation.
See also:
How to Specify the Target Platform
on page 63
Using 64-bit Merge Modules in the Windows Installer SDK Help
Creating Multiple, Platform-Specific Installations from One Project
File
You can create a single installation project (.WSI) that can produce 32-bit and 64-bit
installation files, or x64 and Itanium installation files.
Example:
You develop a graphics suite that consists of features for drawing, graphing, and page
layout. The application was originally developed as a 32-bit application, and you will
continue to support a 32-bit version, but you also will release a version that contains
some 64-bit components. To save development time, you want to maintain a single
installation project (.WSI) that can produce installation files for both platforms.
Your options are:
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Organize the project by feature. Do this to let the end user choose from different
platform-specific features during installation. In a large installation, this method will
work better than organizing the project by component.
Note
If you add a 64-bit component to a 32-bit feature, it will never be installed. A 64-bit
component will be ignored during installation on a 32-bit computer, and a 32-bit
feature will not be installed on a 64-bit computer.
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Organize the project by component. This method results in fewer features and
possibly less duplication. However, in a large installation, it might be less efficient to
have to assign a target platform to each component.
To organize a mixed-platform project by feature
1. On the New Installation File dialog box, select x64 as the target platform.
2. On the Features page, create separate features for the different target platforms.
Example:
3. When you add files, registry keys, and other resources to the installation, be sure to
select the appropriate feature. Example: Add Chart32.exe to the Charting32
feature, and add Chart64.exe to the Charting64 feature.
This feature is used by both
versions.