This Bugzilla instance is a read-only archive of historic NetBeans bug reports. To report a bug in NetBeans please follow the project's instructions for reporting issues.

Bug 246709 - How to allow over-installs from the generated installer?
Summary: How to allow over-installs from the generated installer?
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: installer
Classification: Unclassified
Component: NBI (show other bugs)
Version: 8.0
Hardware: PC Windows 7
: P3 normal with 2 votes (vote)
Assignee: Libor Fischmeistr
URL:
Keywords:
: 250460 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2014-08-26 21:39 UTC by unpocoloco
Modified: 2015-09-29 17:51 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Issue Type: ENHANCEMENT
Exception Reporter:

Attachments
Add an attachment (proposed patch, testcase, etc.)

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description unpocoloco 2014-08-26 21:39:34 UTC 
Hi,

I have created a Maven NetBeans Platform Application (NBPA) (let's call it "SampleApp") and I generate installers by running the "nbm build-installers" goal.  This creates an .exe that the user can then run to automatically install my application. (In an ordinary NBPA, this would be "Package as -> Installers". Both have the same issue)

The problem we have is that even if the version of the application is incremented, once the application is installed users will see:
"SampleApp-app 1.0 is already installed at C:\Program Files\sampleapp. It is not possible to install it again."

It actually IS possible to install it again, but you have to first go to the Control Panel and uninstall the app.  Afterwards, you can once again run the installer .exe.  This is not obvious to most end-users and in the simplest case of a product upgrade, we would like users to simply be able to run our newer installer file.  It should take care of it from there.

Basically, the scenario I'm describing is an over-install, not requiring the user to uninstall first.

As NetBeans currently exists, is there any way to do this?  If not, could this be added as a feature?
Comment 1 Zom-B 2014-10-20 11:30:00 UTC 
We have a similar problem in our company. Our goal is a little different but it boils down to the same fix.

We make stable and developer versions of our product. We want end-users who have the stable builds installed to also be able to install a develop build next to it, so they can easily switch back when needed.

We've tried to change the branding.token, the app.title, and app.name properties, even all at once, but it keeps claiming the application is already installed. We start to wonder, what defines an application as the same and what separates one application from another? 

Predefining the Installation Folder in the harness also doesn't work (the change does show in the installer, but of course, the other version needs to be uninstalled first).
Comment 2 phansson 2015-09-29 17:51:35 UTC 
*** Bug 250460 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***