CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windows-installerwise
Nirmalya Misra
Nirmalya Misra

Reputation: 97

Custom Timestamp for files when using Wise for windows installer

if I am making a MSI package with say 10 files, then can I give all the files a specific timestamp say, 10th august 2016, while creating the MSI package using wise for windows installer version 5.0 or would I need some other tool?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 149

Answers (1)

PhilDW
PhilDW

Reputation: 20790

Windows Installer uses timestamps on data files during updates to decide if a data file needs to be updated:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa370531(v=vs.85).aspx

and the Creation and Modify dates get set at install time. So modifying dates before install doesn't make any difference because Windows Installer sets the Creation and Modify dates the same to detect any change after they've been installed. Changing them after the install will potentially break the update detection mechanism. If they are binaries then versions are used to identify the particular build.

See also:

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/astebner/2013/05/23/updating-the-last-modified-time-to-prevent-windows-installer-from-updating-an-unversioned-file/

where he deliberately changes dates after install to prevent overwrite. In other words, as I said, if you change dates after install you are altering patch/upgrade overwrite rules.

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions