ZGang
7th March 2006 19:17 UTC

Adobe Reader conflict.
In my NSIS installer i'm checking to see if the user has Adobe Reader installed and then asking them if they wish to install it if they don't. If they choose 'yes' I call the Adobe installer (ExecWait '"$EXEDIR\Adobe\AdbeRdr70_distrib_enu.exe"').
The problem is that when the Adobe installer is about halfway through it throws back the 'Files in Use' dialog saying 'The following applications are using files that need to be updated by this setup. Close these applications and click Retry to continue.' Then it lists my installer.
If I hit 'Ignore' the Adobe installer continues and installs just fine. I'm using Windows 2000 pro to code and test this installer.

Does anyone know what's going on or a way around this?
Thanks.

dienjd
7th March 2006 20:08 UTC

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but I recommend dropping the installation of Adobe Reader from your installer. If you detect that they don't have it, you can provide a link (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html).

The advantages are that your installer will be smaller, you won't have to worry about rebuilding just to include a newer version of Adobe Reader, and you won't have issues with the Adobe installer and your installer not getting along.

I personally don't like Adobe's install system, and by including it in your flow, you're associating that unpleasant installation process with your own.

If you really want to keep it in there, I'd try
ExecWait '"$EXEDIR\Adobe\AdbeRdr70_distrib_enu.exe" /S'
but I don't know if it will run silently.

dienjd
7th March 2006 20:12 UTC

Sorry, one more quick point. The Adobe website says their download is around 20MB. I think that most users out there will have the reader installed already, so by bundling that install, you're sort of punishing the majority of users by having a build that bundles this ~20MB file for the minority of users without the reader.

ZGang
14th March 2006 22:26 UTC

Hi, thanks for the reply, that all seems logical. Unfortunatly, the higher-ups want the Acrobat installer in this thing. So anyone else have a possible solution?

dienjd
14th March 2006 22:36 UTC

ah, makes sense since higher-ups are often illogical ;) What about executing the Adobe Reader installer just before your installer exits (use Exec instead of ExecWait)? That way they wouldn't be running at the same time and shouldn't have conflicts.

Red Wine
15th March 2006 05:59 UTC

Another thing you could possible do for the the minority of users without the Acrobat Reader in their system, is to bundle with your installation the Foxit Reader (~1.5 mb) and ask them if they wish to install it.