RealDWG x64 from a 32 Bit Installer...???

[Superfreak3]

Hi all,

I posted this in http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/NET/bd-p/152

I'm not a CAD guy, but an install guy so not quite sure which is the correct forum for this type of inquiry.  Sorry for the duplication.  Anyway....

Our application and installation are 32 Bit (installer’s Template Summary Property set with ‘Intel’).  We are able to achieve installation and function on 64 bit systems.  In our installer, we do have some 64 bit pieces that we install conditionally based on running architecture (VersionNT64 Windows Installer Property).  Also, if 64 bit components need to be registered, we do so via custom action calling the 64 bit Framework’s RegAsm.exe to do so.

We do not have a native 64 bit installer for our Client application to date.

After reading the Redistribution Requirements and undertaking some cursory testing, I don’t know that we are going to be able to handle RealDWG 2013 64 Bit redistributables easily.

First, I tried to simply incorporate your 64 bit Merge Modules into our 32 bit installer.  We have included many third party 64 bit modules before, however, your internal module components are marked as 64 bit.  This is not allowed as we would have to create a native 64 bit installer to accomplish this.  We don’t have the timeframe to do that at this point and it would require code changes to our auto update mechanism as well.

My first thought would be to remove the 64 bit component attribute in your Merge Modules that we need to incorporate.  I wonder if this would work since any registry entries written would be written to the Wow6432Node on 64 bit systems.  Also, any files that need to be registered would have to be done so for 64 bit.  Pieces would also end up in Program Files (x86).

My next thought would be to use flat files and only install conditionally on 64 bit systems, much like we handle other 64 bit pieces.  Doing this however would cause the files to be installed to Program Files (x86) on a 64 bit system since they’ll be placed by a 32 bit installer.  I don’t know if that would cause problems.  Early testing, even redirecting Merge Modules to Program Files (x86), seems to be OK.

I don’t know if if anyone is able to guide me in deploying your 64 bit pieces through our 32 bit installer, or if this is even possible, but assistance of any kind would be greatly appreciated. 

I'm thinking that the direction I want to go is add the 32 bit modules to our 32 bit app installer and tie them to a feature that will only be installed if NOT VersionNT64.  To handle the 64 bit setup I was thinking of creating a 64 bit installer that would only be fired (chained through InstallShield) if VersionNT64.  I will configure the modules to install to Program Files (x86) to work in conjunction with our 32 bit app.  This will be my first attempt at chaining .msi's and I'm wondering if I'll run into problems calling a 64 Bit package from a 32 bit install package.  We'll see I guess.

I ramble, so, any help, tips, etc appreciated!

Thanks much in advance!!