I'm using InstallShield 2009 to create an installation package for a C# program that is to be deployed on many client sites, each with hundreds of workstations. When we release a patch, I simply cannot go to each workstation to run an upgrade manually, and the users are about as computer savvy as the Wild Man of Borneo, so I'm certainly not going to rely on each operator to handle his own upgrade.
Microsoft handles this requirement very nicely using ClickOnce, but since my installation is non-trivial, and has already been written using InstallScript, I would like to add the auto-upgrade functionality to my InstallShield project... if, indeed this is possible.
Regrettably, I cannot find anything in the help documentation on the subject. Perhaps I am searching for the wrong keywords.
Does InstallShield support automatic upgrades? If so, please provide a link to their online documentation where it explains how.
Thanks!
InstallScript support for FlexNet Connect has been more difficult the last few years, but it is possible. The steps on this article should get you there, although be sure to use the latest version of FNC. Note also that FlexNet Connect is a service you will likely have to purchase in order to use it. Further it does not automatically update the machine; it informs users of updates to the products they have installed on their machines and guides them through a download and installation process.
As a side note, InstallScript MSI should be available in the Professional edition, but I wouldn't recommend migrating your project to it for this purpose.