Application Runtimes (Application Information)

The Application Runtimes page allows you to automatically install runtimes required by your application as setup pre-requisites.

Runtimes selected in this page update additional elements in the Application Requirements page, so as to enforce the minimum system and software requirements of the runtimes in question.

Runtimes selected in this page also have accompanying elements inserted in the Web Media Blocks page. These accompanying elements associate web download segments with runtimes to allow partial web deployment of application runtimes, therefore delivering functional installers that still work without mandating an Internet connection.

This page additionally allows you to configure Windows Features and Windows Server Roles on Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and newer operating systems. These features and roles are installed directly by the operating system, and you may add them safely, including their dependencies, to your setup.

Configuring Operating System Features and Roles

First check the Configure Windows Features/Server Roles (requires Vista or newer) check-box.

Then, click the Select button to select the features to add to your installation.

If you would like to disable, uncheck the check-box.

Adding New Runtimes

To add new runtimes, just check the displayed runtime name. If additional runtimes are required by the selected runtime, they will be automatically checked as well.

Runtimes are supported by InstallAware plug-ins. If plug-ins required for runtimes on the system are not available, setup compilation errors will occur. In this case, just start the InstallAware setup program, and add the missing plug-ins using the Add or Remove Features setup option.

Configuring Runtime Installation Settings

Some runtimes have configurable installation settings. For these runtimes, the Options button will be enabled when the runtime has been checked and is highlighted. To configure the runtime, just click the Options button.

Of the built-in InstallAware runtimes, only the Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft SQL Server Express runtimes require configuration.

Removing Runtimes

To remove runtimes from your setup, just uncheck the runtime.

Creating New Runtimes

Click the New button to create your own application runtimes using the Application Runtime Wizard.

Downloading New Runtimes

To connect to the online InstallAware Community Center and download new InstallAware or third party authored application runtimes, click the Download Runtimes button.

Scripting Details

The two-way integrated IDE emits or updates the underlying setup script every time the visual view is used. If you are using InstallAware scripting in your setups, the following information identifies the changes made by this visual page to your setup script.

Commands Used

This page emits the following types of scripting commands: Include Script, Define Web Media Block, Windows Features. Additional general scripting commands may be emitted.

Commands Required

Only template and wizard generated setups provide all necessary commands for visually managing runtimes. Visual runtime management is a complex task and may not work with most custom built scripts, however as long as your customizations are based off of the template and wizard generated setups, you will be able to visually manage runtimes.

Additionally, older versions of InstallAware setup scripts (prior to version 5.0) use a different runtime management technique. When you open and edit setups built in those versions, the Application Runtimes page may not recognize some or all of your existing runtimes (but will be able to insert and manage new runtime installation commands).