Delphi 2007/C++Builder 2007 Update 2
A critical update for C++Builder 2007 users has been made available, details can be found here:
http://dn.codegear.com/article/36777
Now here we found the results of our best intentioned change to allow users to not need to install the ‘file cache’ to their systems during the main product install. There was a section of text, which several folks missed, indicating that not installing this cache would prevent future updates. It seems we could do a lot more - put this option on a separate dialog, make a dialog raise ensuring folks clearly understood the impact, and providing some general workarounds. Nick had a good one - which was users install the cache, then copy and burn it to a DVD or network location, for use in the future, if folks really are that short on hard drive space.
Regardless, this update is for C++ users, or for those who like to run the IDE in undocked mode and encounter the minimize/maximize bug. Those were important fixes we needed to get out.
What also is worth mentioning - a bigger update is coming soon. With the upcoming release of Highlander, we’ll be doing a major Update 3. This will be similar to Update 1 where the entire file set is updated and will include several hundred fixes, mixed across all personalities. Also worth mentioning- Update 3 will apply, even if the cache is not present.
Now, some ask- why is a cache required in the first place? Good question. Some history to this - in the past we released 16 different products, which took QA several months to process. These products were 4 SKU’s in 4 Languages, and had a massive hit to the development team. InstallAware let us combine all of these into one single install image, which is great for development, and does save us several months during release. Which means more fixes, more features and more regular updates. Even past Highlander, we’re thinking of ways to use this ‘extra time’ in addressing some long standing issues, feature requests and more.
Now, to do what it does - InstallAware has to conform to the MSI rules. This means an ‘Install Image’ needs to be present during Modify/Repair/Upgrade or Feature Changes. So the ‘cache’ is effectively this Install Image. It’s why we highly recommend making sure you put it on your system. There are some kooky ways around it (such as the backup method explained above), but frankly with hard drive space being so cost effective it doesn’t seem worth the hassle.
We’re also doing a few other things with the installer in Highlander - such as breaking out the Help fileset (which is almost half of the files!). This will allow us to do more effective updates in the future of either the core product binaries or the help documentation. More effective in terms of install speed, testing turnaround and isolation of changes.
So things are planned to keep improving - we acknowledge the install is a bit clunky, and that was due to the best of intentions implemented with certain expectations. We expected everyone to read the disclaimer on how updates wouldn’t work without the cache - folks probably skipped it and went right to ‘Click here to not install cache’. I can see how that would happen. Now the hard choice is whether we need to start enforcing the install of the cache again, right now that seems like the right choice - however we want to review all the options before making that choice.
August 11th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Thanks for the info. I hope you guys can "patch" things up with DevExpress soon, they are an important component vendor and the reason I can’t use my shiney new CB 2007 yet.
http://community.devexpress.com/blogs/ctodx/archive/2007/08/10/more-delays-with-c-builder-2007-bug-fix.aspx
August 11th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Hope all CodeGear Delphi/C++Builder 2007 users can see your words here, Chris (I guess most of them not).
The explanation should be published in that article as an important notice to remove unnecessary complains.
August 11th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Thank you very much for these info. At this point we have 2 questions:
- How do we know for sure if one has the cache installed or not?
- Is update 3 going to require all previous updates to be installed?
Thanks again.
HFS programmers team.
August 13th, 2007 at 8:42 am
i count the d2007 installer to be an unmitigated disaster. grade for borland on this installer: F. d2005/6 installer wasn’t a favorite either but at least i was always able to upgrade.
1. in the installer i thought the cache was my internet file cache.
2. i had no idea what files to save so after the installation i looked everywhere for those files. eventually i saved some files from my internet file cache.
3. if your frail installer requires this, it shouldn’t be possible for a user to, without knowing, empty the cache. i have no idea how that occurred. i still believed i had the cache.
4. if you do ESD, do it right by providing a full installer and genuinely protecting the user’s interests:
- ability to apply patches in future.
- all the files necessary to re-install later.
the only reason i got your name is because i used filemon and saw mention of B7031148 and googled for B7031148 because i was trying to understand what the upgrade was looking for. it shouldn’t need to come to that!
QUESTION FOR THE DAY
i’m "screwed" for update #2 (thank you for using borland products)…am i "screwed" for update #3 too?
grade for borland on this installer: F. d2005/6 installer wasn’t a favorite either but at least i was always able to upgrade.
August 13th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Hi all, to be very clear - Update 3 will not require the cache to be installed. It will be a similar process to Update 1. Very long, but necessary since it’s effectively a new product.
As far as cache, I believe we’re going to have users require to install it, but provide more clear instructions on where it is installed, and how to back it up, so they can move it off temporarily if they need the space. Better to be concerned that a bit of extra hard drive space was used, then be blocked from upgrading.
We’re working on documentation right now, the first phase will be explaining how to restore the cache files and apply update 2. Should see this up very soon.
A short version of ‘Where the heck is my cache?’ is look under your shared application directory for a GUID.
For example, on XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{2EB4C530-C94F-4893-ABDC-C1E05A89956E} . Browsing in this directory you should see a number of sub-directories that with very delphi like names. If you only see a handful of files, 6 of them being setup.* (like setup.dat) and a installedupdates.dat, then this is the correct directory, but you are missing the cache.
Under Vista, the directory is named a bit differently. It’s in C:\Users\All Users\ on my Vista laptop.
Hope this helps - documentation will be provided on developer network. I was reviewing a draft on the weekend.
August 13th, 2007 at 9:02 am
DanB, thanks for the comment - I hope there is misunderstanding because the issue they were concerned was not part of the fixes WAS listed in the fixes internally. It’s just that two QC numbers referred to the same bug number.
I can’t wait until we merge the two bug systems into one. (QC47133 points to RAID 251521, just like QC47943 does.) The underlying issues that caused both should be fixed. Need to do a QC sync ASAP it seems.
August 13th, 2007 at 9:05 am
will update 3 include update 2?
will update 3 require update 2?
August 13th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Update 3 will require Update 1.
It will not require Update 2.
It will include Update 2.
August 13th, 2007 at 9:27 am
thank you!
August 13th, 2007 at 9:55 am
If you don’t have a CD for the install (you used the web downloader) can you copy the Cache from machine to machine to do an install?
I have 8 developers - 8 licenses, 8 pc’s - please don’t tell me that I need to install the base image 8x, and update1 8x, and do it all via the download.
Is there an ISO for Update 1 or 2 thats all inclusive that I could download, burn to CD and install off of?
August 13th, 2007 at 10:00 am
"…with hard drive space being so cost effective it doesn’t seem worth the hassle."
Let me guess: you’ll get on a plane, visit my office and *completely* reinstall and testall the software and tools on a larger hard drive in my computer, and all I have to do is pay the $100 for the drive?
Seriously, cost of disk space is *not* the issue here - it’s the pain factor when you run out. And space on the C drive is typically at a premium - You should NEVER clutter up the C drive. If I could put the cache files anywhere else, I’d have no issue with this.
"InstallAware has to conform to the MSI rules" - you should recognize this is a hole of your own digging: Nobody is forced to use MSI-based installers.
"look under your shared application directory for a GUID".
GUID-based directory names don’t seem a very helpful idea to me. Luckily, nobody else seems to use them, so when I see one in Users/All Users, I can usually blame you guys…
- Roddy
August 13th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Download of Update 1 files (minus pre-reqs to keep it small) can be found on the registered users download page.
http://downloads.codegear.com/default.aspx?productid=2012
Look for the section: Full download zip file(757MB)
You can also download the Update 2 from this location.
We will be providing similar download for Update 3 when it’s released, so users can also go directly from whatever they have to Update 3. Actually, I need to correct my above post - Update 1 will NOT be required for Update 3.
The auto-updater will detect if Update 3 is available if Update 1 is installed. Otherwise a user can go and download directly from the registered users site (and can bypass the auto-updater requirements).
Hope this makes sense, I’ll explain more if needed.
August 16th, 2007 at 5:53 am
Disk space could be an issue, especially on laptops - you get only one disk and it may not be a large one.
At least the uses should be able to choose a destination for the cache (not document&settings, please - never used a roaming profile????!!!), the user could select a larger disk or even a removable one, I use one with my laptop to store stuff I do not need often.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Installer cache - harddisk space is not a matter nowadays - correct. However, on my machine i have several partitions. The problem to me was, that the installer chooses to install the cache on drive C: whereas i installed Delphi on drive D: - Now the problem is, drive C: is a limited partition in size, mentioned to be used for the OS only. It would be great if the installer would let me choose drive+path for the installation of the cache. kind regards Thomas
August 20th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Agreed, we’re going to look at several options - if the original install media can regenerate the cache on demand (might mean another 30 mins to an hour for an update though…) and/or the ability to select where the cache files can be stored.
To be clear, I don’t expect these changes for Highlander. We need to get our install team together with InstallAware and properly plan the best course of action for all our customers.
August 27th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Keep going DELPHI
Greetings for you all
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:21 am
I’m acutually new to .NET. I applied Update 3 for delphi studio. My understanding is that, I’ll have the option to create ASP.NET after update 3. I installed update 3 with no error but when I started Delphi, I still don’t have the option to create ASP.NET on File/New/Others… Please help.
Thank you very much.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:55 am
good thanks a lot