Overriding the Value of a Custom Path Variable for a Release

InstallShield 2015

Project: This information applies to the following project types:

Advanced UI
Basic MSI
InstallScript
InstallScript MSI
InstallScript Object
Merge Module
Suite/Advanced UI

InstallShield lets you override the values of your project’s standard path variables, environment path variables, and registry path variables for each release in your project. This functionality enables you to essentially replace certain files and folders in your project with others at build time, depending on the particular release that you are building.

For example, in a Basic MSI project, you could use this functionality to swap out the custom action DLL files—a 32-bit version for your project’s 32-bit release, and a 64-bit version for your project’s 64-bit release. Or perhaps for a Suite/Advanced UI project, you might want to use this functionality to swap out UI elements such as images and EULAs for different releases in your project; this would enable you to easily generate installations for different editions or branded versions of your product.

To override the value of a custom path variable for a release:

1. In the View List under Media, click Releases.
2. In the Releases explorer, select the release that you want to configure.
3. On the Build tab, in the Path Variable Overrides setting, click the ellipsis setting (...). The Path Variable Overrides dialog box opens.

The Path Variable Overrides dialog box shows check boxes for the path variables, environment path variables, and registry path variables that are configured in the Path Variables view. Note that it does not include check boxes for any predefined path variables, or for path variables that are already overridden for the same release in the Releases view.

4. Select the check box of each path variable that you would like to override for the selected release.
5. Click OK. InstallShield closes the dialog box. Under the Path Variable Overrides setting, InstallShield adds a new subsetting for each path variable that you selected.
6. For each path variable subsetting, specify the appropriate new value.

At build time, InstallShield uses the new values that you specified in the Releases view to override the default values that are set in the Path Variables view.

Additional Methods for Overriding Path Variables

As an alternative to overriding a path variable in the Releases view, you can override a path variable in the following ways:

If you are building from the command line with IsCmdBld.exe, use the -l parameter to specify a path variable and a new value.
If you are building through MSBuild or Team Foundation Server (TFS), use the PathVariables parameter on the InstallShield task. This parameter is exposed as the ItemGroup InstallShieldPathVariableOverrides when the default targets file is used.

Note those methods take precedence over any value that you set in the Path Variable Overrides setting in the Releases view.

See Also