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I have created a Basic MSI Installer using InstallShield 2014 for a server/client program and have to hide features dynamically based on the License Key of a database that is installed prior to our Server app being installed. I have created conditions for the features that need to be hidden, setting the InstallLevel to 0 if they are not licensed and 1 if they are licensed. I am getting the license key after the SQL Login dialog (because the installer wouldn't know what database to look in otherwise) but conditions are evaluated during the CostFinalize action, which runs before the dialogs are created. So after I get the license key and run some other custom actions to determine the availability of each feature, I call the CostFinalize action before the CustomSetup dialog is shown.

I am getting the correct behavior for the features that need to be shown, and you can select or deselect said features in the dialog, however, when the installation executes, the selected feature is not installed....and the log file says that the feature is not selected for install, even though the user clearly selects it. Why would this be happening? Is there another approach to hiding features dynamically (I have tried the FeatureSetData function in an InstallScript action, but to no avail)?

Also, after I added the conditions to the features, whenever I try to uninstall the program from the Programs and Features app, I get an Error 1606 Could not access network location. It's like the registry key gets messed up when there are conditions on the features...Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Christopher Cleary
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I found the problem...If you set the features InstallLevel to 0 to start with and have a condition that sets it to something greater than zero, then it will not install the feature, regardless of whether it's selected. If you invert this logic and start with the features InstallLevel set to 1 and have a condition that changes the installlevel to 0, it will hide or show the feature AND it will be installed properly. This also caused the error 1606 I was getting on the uninstall...

Also, if anyone ever has components that get installed that aren't supposed to be installed, then you might try switching the Dependency Checking to none. For some reason, the .NET dependency check that InstallShield does causes certain components to install all the time, even if their assigned feature is turned off. Hope this helps someone in the future.

Christopher Cleary
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  • At first I just changed the Dependency Checking for the whole project, but then found out it only applies for `new components`, future components you'll add. So I went to the Components section and manually, one by one, adjust every feature. And to my surprise .. It worked. Thanks, I was out of options / ideas ! – Daneo Jan 12 '16 at 10:16
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The CostFinalize can also be run by a dialog to refresh the feature list. Here are the steps: In the Next PushButton of the SetupType Dialog, create a new item at the top.

Event: DoAction

Argument: CostFinalize

Condition: 1=1

In my case, I was hiding a feature based on a previous dialog and needed it to reevaluate conditions in the Program Feature. Condition: Level:0 GLOBAL_VAR=0 Condition: Level:1 GLOBAL_VAR=1

user2957863
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