Advanced Installer is intended to build installation packages for Windows operating system. The tool can create not only MSI and EXE files but also other types of packages. It has a modern and intuitive interface. Despite the evident complexities of the operations it supports, you will not feel overwhelmed. It is enough to select the kind of project and let the corresponding wizard lead the way. Yet, if you have any difficulties, it is possible to consult its excellent online user guide.
Besides from the desktop, the program can be used from the command line as well as a Visual Studio extension. It can build a wide range of packages. In this regard, there are installer templates for Visual Studio, ASP.NET, Real Studio, Visual Basic, .NET, RAD Studio and client/server applications, among others. Likewise, it allows creating Java applications, patches, add-ins, merge modules, as well as apps for Windows Store and Windows Mobile. Besides, the tool lets you convert between installer types. What is more, you can publish the apps on the Cloud for easy distribution.
When you create an installation package, you can add several identifying details as well as software identification. Similarly, you can set the target folders. It is good that the installer can detect and upgrade outdated versions which avoids installing two different versions of the same product on the same machine.
As to security, the program lets you use a license key or configure a trial period for shareware products. Fortunately, it also uses a strong standard (SHA256) to digitally sign the package and protect its integrity.
Good news is that the interface of the installation package is quite customizable. For instance, there are various themes to choose from. Also, you can build multi-language installers. Besides, you can have the package display a sequence of images while it is being installed.
To sum up, Advanced Installer is probably the best software of its type out there. It comes with multiple features, which can even be extended through writing your own code in various popular programming languages. Although it is good that the program can be evaluated for free, this is absolutely an expensive product and it is way beyond the reach of many users, particularly those working on low budgets.
v15.3 [Sep 15, 2018]
New features:
- Create MSIX Modification Packages.
Enhancements:
- Predefined prerequisite for Apache Tomcat 8.5 and 9.0.
- Sync only valid COMs for MSIX.
- Accept pseudo-formatted references in file paths.
- Option to duplicate XML elements and attributes.
- Ability to copy missing files from the previous location after AppPaths change.
- Project Output displayed names from the Files and Folders view in a Visual Studio project automatically update.
- Associate web config files with XML files.
- Windows Defender added to the ignored process list in default scan Profile.
- Context menu option to automatically scan and add dependencies from all Visual Studio projects found in the solution.
Bug fixes:
- Duplicate FTA when synchronizing the MSIX build in a specific package.
- Fixed Visual Studio UI issue when adding multiple Advanced Installer projects to a solution.
- Controls toolbox is not visible when switching between displays.
- Multiple instances COM versions conflict when handling setup projects with different Advanced Installer versions.
- Configuration tab icon for MSI build has the MSIX icon.
- AI_PROCESS_STATE property is not available in the Edit Condition dialog.
- The "Run Log" tab does not support scrolling.
- Crash when converting a project with pre-install prerequisites and notes.
- The Notification pane buttons disappear for smaller resolutions.
- Path variables used by synchronized folders are not used by their containing files.
- The active view unsaved modifications are not kept when changing the project type.
- Saving a project that contains an SQLServerConnectionDlg dialog causes a stack trace error.
- The product name resets on save after selecting an ICO file.
- Dialog image of Classic\Aero has artifacts next to the right border.
- The log file is not created next to the EXE setup.
- CRC error is not displayed anymore for pre-install prerequisites.
- EUI options are not kept when the build is duplicated.
- Remove predefined prerequisite for "Internet Explorer 06 SP1 x86".
- "Private variable available only in this project" state is not saved.
