InstallShield Professional

Pros

• Flexible across technologies and platforms
• Powerful scripting functions and features
• Ability to set installation to follow precise timing sequences

Cons

• Doesn't address mobile or tablet users

Installshield Professional has long been one of the most used tools for developers and IT professionals interested in providing a user interface when distributing their Windows applications.

What types of applications or patches would someone use Installshield Professional with?

In many IT departments, when there is a windows security patch or system update that is distributed and needs some specialized configuration, it is popular to take the .msi package and wrap it in an Installshield Professional wizard- giving the user the opportunity to enter in specific information as the patch or update installs.

When it comes to development teams, Installshield Professional allows the developer to build in detailed configuration parameters into a .msi file or an Installscript file. An excellent example would be a corporate application that requires outside configuration with a company database so that the installation of the application is successful. Because Installshield allows developers to incorporate scripts that configure the database and test the connection before completing the installation, it is a solid option when putting out a custom application to many users.

Another powerful use is to take an existing application such as a word processor package and create a configuration script using Installshield Professional, before building both the program and the script into an executable file that utilizes the Installshield Professional wizard when an installation is done. In this type of scenario, most companies keep the completed installation file on a company server that is accessible to everyone inside the company. When a new worker gets their new compute and needs to install new applications from a centralized location, they merely visit the server that holds the applications and click on the correct Installshield Professional file to start their installation.

It can also be used to provision web-based applications

Many companies have shifted their application development to web services and other web-based applications. At a base level, Installshield Professional has always been a popular choice for creating configuration scripts that add any details that end users will need to have on their machine to utilize either hybrid applications or a cloud-based connection to corporate applications.

Pros

• Flexible across technologies and platforms
• Powerful scripting functions and features
• Ability to set installation to follow precise timing sequences

Cons

• Doesn't address mobile or tablet users