Including the DirectX 9.0 Object

DirectX provides supporting API libraries for multimedia applications and hardware, including the latest graphics cards. If your product requires DirectX to be installed on the target system, you can add the DirectX object—either the Windows Installer–based object for Basic MSI and InstallScript MSI projects, or the InstallScript object for InstallScript projects—to your project. If the target system does not have DirectX, it is installed during your installation.

After installation, the DirectX runtime cannot be uninstalled. DirectX is a system component; end users cannot uninstall it without reinstalling the operating system.

The DirectX object is not installed with InstallShield; you need to download it. To include the DirectX object in Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI projects, obtain the MSI object download. To include the DirectX object in InstallScript projects, obtain the InstallScript object download. To learn more, see Obtaining Updates for InstallShield.

Redistributable Files

The DirectX objects install all DirectX 9.0c core and optional components, including 32-bit- and 64-bit-specific components.

Including the DirectX Object in Basic MSI and InstallScript MSI Projects

When you add the DirectX object to a Basic MSI or InstallScript MSI project, InstallShield launches the DirectX Object Wizard.

You can use the DirectX object in compressed or uncompressed installations; the DirectX Object Wizard lets you specify whether the DirectX files should be in a folder in the Disk1 folder, or they should be streamed into the .msi file:

If you specify that the files should be in a folder in the Disk1 folder, InstallShield creates a DirectX folder for your installation at build time and places it in the Disk1 folder of your release. InstallShield lists the DirectX folder in the Disk1 area of the Support Files view (in Basic MSI projects) or the Support Files/Billboards view (in InstallScript MSI projects).

If you specify that the files should not be in the Disk1 folder, InstallShield embeds the files in your installation’s .msi file. InstallShield lists these files in the Language Independent area of the Support Files view (in Basic MSI projects) or the Support Files/Billboards view (in InstallScript MSI projects).

The custom action that launches the DirectX installation is sequenced in the Execute sequence and run in deferred system context so that it can be run with elevated privileges on Windows Vista systems.

Updating the DirectX Object Files for Basic MSI and InstallScript MSI Projects

If you obtain updates for any of the DirectX files and you want to include them in your DirectX object, place them in the appropriate InstallShield Program Files subfolder with the other DirectX files. The default location is:

You can also remove files from that folder if your product does not require them and you do not need to include them in your installation. For more information about the DirectX redistributable files, including details about any updates that Microsoft may have released since the current version of InstallShield was released, see the latest DirectX SDK or Microsoft’s Web site (http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx).

At build time, InstallShield uses whatever redistributable files are in that DirectX folder to build your release.