How to detect an update using .NET 2 System.Configuration.Install?

Question

I created a class derived from System.Configuration.Install for my installer.
But the code in Uninstall() is being called when I try to update the application.
How can I detect that the user is trying to update instead of uninstall?

Maybe this post explains it better than me:

My problem boils down to: when the user performs an update (i.e. double clicks on MyAppVer2.msi when they already have MyAppVer1.msi installed) the Uninstall method inside my Installer is called first, but I have no apparent property to check from inside this method to detect that an update is being performed so that I can branch my code appropriately.

Answer 1

Blind guess here, but I'd start out by checking the Installer.Context property for a parameter. If that's no help, there may be something in the savedState parameter passed to Uninstall.

Last chance would be to prompt the user, and set the child installers as appropiate.

Answer 2

The deployment project that ships with Visual Studio is SEVERELY underpowered to deal with anything beyond the simpiliest scenarios.

In your case, you'll need to do one of the following:

1. Figure out a way to set a flag prior to the original MSI being uninstalled, which you can check in the installer class.
2. Prompt the user visually in the installer class.
3. Redesign your install/uninstall logic to not be dependant on the situation in which the uninstaller was called.

Answer 3

There is a setting in your setup project that will "uninstall" previous versions by default, turn this flag OFF, then you will not have to worry!

Answer 4

Is there a reason why you can't use WIX, which can handle this sort of thing more efficiently, have a look at the Upgrade tutorial, Here