Silent instalation - InstallShield

Silent Install / Uninstall

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A normal (non-silent) setup receives the necessary input from the user in the form of responses to dialog boxes. However, a silent setup does not prompt the user for input, it gathers setup data from the InstallShield Silent response file (.iss file).
A response file contains information similar to what an end user would enter as responses to dialog boxes when running a normal setup. InstallShield Silent reads the necessary input from the response file at run time. The format of response files resembles that of an .ini file, but response files have .iss extensions. A response file is a plain text file consisting of sections containing data entries. The best way to create an InstallShield Silent response file is to run the setup and have InstallShield automatically record and create the response file. If necessary, the response file can be manually edited after it is created.

Note

All passwords are saved in human readable form in the recorded silent setup file.

Command line switches for Setup.exe

/f1 or -f1

Specifies an alternate location and name of the response file (.iss file).

 If this option is used when running InstallShield Silent, the response file is read from the folder/file specified by.

 If this option is used along with the -r option, the response file is written to the folder/file specified by.

If no path defined it will be written at %windir%

/f2 or -f2

Specifies an alternate location and name of the log file created by InstallShield Silent.
By default, Setup.log log file is created and stored in the same directory as that of Setup.inx.

 

/r or -r

Causes Setup.exe automatically to generate a silent setup file (.iss file).

/s or -s

Runs InstallShield Silent to execute a silent setup.

Note

Separate multiple command line switches with a space, but do not put a space inside a command line switch (for example, /r /f1Install.iss is valid, but not /r/f1 Install.iss).

When using long path and filename expressions with switches, enclose the expressions in double quotation marks. The enclosing double quotes tell the operating system that spaces within the quotation marks are not to be treated as command line delimiters.

 

Create a response file

1. Open a DOS window (Command Prompt).
2. Type the directory path of the Setup.exe. If spaces appear in the path, place quotes around the path. For example:
   "C:\my setup dir\Setup.exe"
3. Type a space, then type the command line switches to use. For example:
   "C:\my setup dir\Setup.exe" -r -f1C:\MySilentFile.iss
   The above switches record a silent setup file to the file C:\MySilentFile.iss
4. Press Enter.
   The Setup program runs.
5. Complete the installation or uninstallation process as you normally would.
   All responses are recorded for use when Setup is run silently.

After the file is recorded, you can verify your responses by viewing the silent setup file in Notepad or Wordpad.

Install with the silent option

1. Open a DOS window (Command Prompt).
2. Type the directory path of the Setup.exe. If spaces appear in the path, place quotes around the path. For example:
   "C:\my setup dir\Setup.exe"
3. Type a space, then type the command line switches to use. For example:
   "C:\my setup dir\Setup.exe" -s -f1C:\MySilentFile.iss -f2C:\install.log
   The above switches read a silent setup file at the location C:\MySilentFile.iss
4. Press Enter.
   Setup runs silently without asking for user feedback.
5. Verify the process was completed properly. For example, if you used Setup to install LanSafe, be sure LanSafe is running properly.

Note

A Setup run in silent mode uses the same settings as the Setup you ran through to create the response file. Essentially, you are creating clone installations.

Troubleshooting errors

Setup.log is the default name for the silent setup log file that contains the results of the last run of a silent setup. This file is saved in the same location as the recorded .iss file. The result code shown in the file is one of the following:

0 Success.
-1 General error.
-2 Invalid mode.
-3 Required data not found in the Setup.iss file.
-4 Not enough memory available.
-5 File does not exist.
-6 Cannot write to the response file.
-7 Unable to write to the log file.
-8 Invalid path to the InstallShield Silent response file.
-9 Not a valid list type (string or number).
-10 Data type is invalid.
-11 Unknown error during setup.
-12 Dialog boxes are out of order.
-51 Cannot create the specified folder.
-52 Cannot access the specified file or folder.
-53 Invalid option selected.

Usually, errors occur because a specified command line switch is invalid or the .iss file has been manually edited incorrectly.