Replacing VDPROJ Setup files with InstallShield/WIX

Question

Our product currently installs via 4-5 MSI's which are created from .vdproj files which consist are created from the output from vs 2010 projects and additional information in merge modules.

I have been looking at InstallShield and WIX as a possible replacement due to VS2012 no longer supporting VS Setup Projects (oh no!) so we have to find something else.

I've had a little play with InstallShield and I couldn't really get to grips with it, additional to installing the product, the installer also has to take in a few parameters such as a database name and location etc. I couldn't seem to find a way to get this info into the InstallShield project - This was using InstallSHield limited edition for visual studio though

I'm not sure which would be the best to use? Has anybody had experiences with converting to WIX or IS from a VDPROJ?

EDIT It looks like WIX is going to be the easiest and I am trying to get to grips with it. I cant seem to find any useful posts that allow me to direct project output into my WIX installer, and how to create variables. (Without using plugins)

Answer 1

It's hard to give a simple answer because you are actually asking really high level questions that require an understanding of your installation needs and a whole bunch of training in the art of creating installers.

Personally I have installers that are 100% WiX, 100% InstallShield ( Both Limited Edition and Premiere Edition ) and a blend of the two.

Limited Edition is limited but it also does some things really well and provides some features that aren't really there and/or easy to implment in WiX.

One good strategy is to use InstallShield LE as a simple container and then do most of your authoring in WiX. I describe that pattern here in my blog:

Augmenting InstallShield using Windows Installer XML - Certificates

InstallShield Professional and above has a tool for migrating VDPROJ projects but I'd use it with caution. Most VDPROJ installers have some horrible authoring and it would be better to refactor rather then migrate.