About Advanced Installer Enterprise

A Windows Installer packaging tool for developers, ISVs and Enterprises.

Advanced Installer Enterprise is a Windows Installer authoring tool. It offers a friendly and easy to use Graphical User Interface for creating and maintaining installation packages (EXE, MSI, etc.) based on the Windows Installer technology.

Advanced Installer Features

  • Installer and Uninstaller - Create packages that completely install and register, respectively uninstall and unregister, your application .
  • Always valid MSI 2.0/3.x/4.x/5.0 packages - Each written and unwritten Windows Installer rule, recommendation and best practice is carefully followed.
  • Wizard for Simple Project creation - Use the provided wizard to create complete Windows Installer MSI installs in mere minutes.
  • Add/Remove (Control Panel) customization - Customize your application's information listed in the "Add/Remove Programs" page of the Control Panel.
  • Per-user and per-machine installs - Select which type of installation better suits your needs: per-user or per-machine if the user is Administrator.
  • Limit to Basic UI - For unassisted or automated installs: display only a progress dialog and the eventual error message boxes.
  • Project files in XML format - They can be easily checked into a version control system and shared between multiple developers.
  • Template projects - Create templates based on your current project and ready-to-use for your future projects.
  • Project Solutions - Simplify the process of working with multiple projects by having them into a solution and managing them all from one single place.
  • Context sensitive help and tutorials - Illustrated, integrated help and tutorials are provided for a simple and user-friendly learning of the application.
  • 64-bit packages - Create packages that run and install on 32-bit processors or on the latest 64-bit CPUs from Intel and AMD.
  • Optionally force rebooting - Prompt the user for a reboot even after a successful install, supporting sensitive components that require it.
  • Formatted fields - Use variables and parameters almost anywhere in your installs. They will be resolved at build or run time.
  • Visual formatted editing - Edit controls for Formatted and Condition fields offer reference auto-completion, highlight, errors and resolved value hints.
  • Run and log MSIs - Launch your MSI package while printing the full Windows Installer log. Syntax highlighting and log summary.
  • Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista and UAC installs - From Windows Vista to Windows 11, create installs that target the operating system's features and security model.
  • Visual Studio Integration - Use the Advanced Installer Visual Studio extension to easily access your installer directly from your IDE.
  • Build cache - Enjoy faster development and quicker installer build times with by caching and reusing unchanged archives.
  • PowerShell Integration - Create and configure your projects using PowerShell commands.

Installer Analytics (subscription required)

  • Installation data - Get essential KPIs for you application, and see how to improve your retention and user experience.
  • User data - Know your audience by getting information about active users, language preferences, platform specs, uninstall reasons and impact of updates.
  • Issue detection - Detect issues such as blockers, errors, stability and missing prerequisites before they impact your user base.
  • Custom properties - Use Custom Properties functionality to track any property that you declare within your setup package such as the package version or edition that each of your users has installed, or any control which has a property attached to it.

Application Resources

  • Files and folders - Install and uninstall files, create and remove folders. Visually define your distribution tree.
  • Create shortcuts - Shortcuts to your files, external files, commands, URLs. Placed anywhere: Desktop, Start Programs menu, etc.
  • Windows 11/10/8 support for shortcuts - Enable Windows 11/10/8 behavior like: "Pin to Taskbar", "Prevent auto Pin to Start", "Disable Pin to Start" and "Run as administrator".
  • Registry keys and entries - Install and uninstall; create or import them from your Registry or REG files straight into your MSI package.
  • Environment variables - User or system environment variables to be created, appended or prepended to existing ones upon install.
  • Font registration - Register fonts into the OS, specify registration names for non-TrueType fonts.
  • Auto register files - Auto registration, for files that support it (such as DLLs and OCXs), can be scheduled at install time.
  • Merge Modules into your installation - Create self-contained MSI packages, by including and configuring the required merge modules.
  • Application Tiles - Customize how application tiles look in the Start Menu and Start Screen.

Handling Versions

  • Upgrading older installs automatically - Older versions of your product found on the user's machine can be removed before installing the newer one.
  • Prevent installs of older over newer versions - Advanced Installer will not let the user install older packages over newer ones.
  • Side-by-side installs - Create packages (for different versions of your application) that can be installed simultaneously and run side by side.

Installer Conditions

  • Prevent installing on unsupported OS's - Easily specify which Operating Systems are supported, preventing the installation on the other ones.
  • MSI launch conditions - Conditions that have to be met (applications, frameworks, files, versions, etc.) in order for your package to run.
  • Smart condition editor - Quickly and easily edit Windows Installer conditions. Comes with auto completion, property values detection, predefined examples, multiple level undo, etc.

Import

  • Import Visual Studio Setup projects - Quickly convert your existing Microsoft Visual Studio Setup projects to Advanced Installer.
  • Import InstallShield LE projects - Quickly upgrade your existing Visual Studio 2010 InstallShield LE installer projects to Advanced Installer.
  • Import WISE projects - Create installation packages by importing WISE projects.
  • Import WiX projects - Leverage existing installer projects while accessing the numerous Advanced Installer features and capabilities.
  • MSI/MSM import - Import third party MSI installers and MSM merge modules into your own Advanced Installer Projects.
  • Import Microsoft Visual Studio projects - Jump-start your installer by importing your existing VS project. Auto-detect names, files and dependencies.
  • Import Visual Basic 6.0 applications - Import applications developed in Visual Basic 6.0 to get a head start on creating their installer.
  • Import Embarcadero RAD Studio applications - Create installers for applications developed with RAD Studio.
  • Import Real Studio applications - Develop installers for Real Studio applications.
  • Import Inno Setup projects - Switch to Windows Installer easier than ever before. Move to MSI setups without wasting the effort already spent.
  • Import NSIS projects - Switch your NSIS projects to Windows Installer. Enjoy Advanced Installer's ease of use and wealth of features.

Installer Continuous Integration

  • Command line mode execution - Build your release packages in a completely automated script, like Make, Ant or NAnt.
  • Azure DevOps - Build Advanced Installer projects using Azure DevOps.
  • Jenkins - Integrate the Advanced Installer project in your build system using our custom designed plugin.
  • TeamCity - Dedicated build runner for Advanced Installer.
  • Bamboo - Dedicated Bamboo tasks for Advanced Installer.
  • GitHub Actions - Automate the EXE, MSI, and MSIX building using the Advanced Installer's official GitHub Action.

Delivery Options

  • Single, self-contained MSI installs - Create a single MSI package that contains bundled everything required to install your application.
  • Unpacked installations - The files stay unbundled next to the MSI file, suited for regular installs or to run directly from (CD, DVD) source.
  • Archive files into CABs - Your application resources can be archived into CAB files, compressed (for size) or uncompressed (for speed).
  • Smart Cabbing - Automatically checks that files with the same source are included only once in the generated CAB file.
  • Online installs - The MSI packages can be launched from an URL, either directly by the user or by the EXE bootstrapper (in Pro edition).

Professional Edition Features

  • Configure Windows Features - Use the intuitive GUI to enable the optional Windows Features your application requires.
  • Microsoft Authenticode Digital ID signature - Digitally sign generated or included files - authenticate your products and MSIs for improved customer credibility. Device Guard and Azure Key Vault integration.
  • Software Identification Tag - The easiest way to implement ISO 19770-2 standard compliance in your software products.
  • Command line mode editing - Change the project without bringing up the UI - at command line or in batch scripts.
  • PowerShell Custom Actions - Run PowerShell scripts by using the dedicated editor, predefined prerequisites, launch conditions, and much more.
  • Multi-volume installs - Split large installs onto several disks, with customizable size and number of archives and volumes.
  • LZMA compression for installers - Reduce the size of your install packages using some of the best compression algorithms in the industry.
  • Large file support - Include in your project files larger than 2GB and pack them using multi-core-aware LZMA compression.
  • Installer encryption - Protect your installers using AES encryption. A password will be automatically requested before installing your package.
  • User registration, serial code validation, SKUs - Ask the user for a serial code during install. Validate it online, through bundled algorithm or your custom DLL.
  • Wizard for Professional Project creation - Use the provided wizard to create professional Windows Installer MSI installs in mere minutes.
  • Friendly Wizards - Easy to use, intuitive wizards are ready to assist you during your install creation. Get more done in less time.
  • Project Notes - Document every intricate detail of your projects in order to improve your installer team collaboration.
  • EXE/DLL dependency detector - Quickly and easily find out and include in your installation the libraries that your EXE and DLL files depend on.
  • Fast installation - Automatically optimize your packages for the fastest possible installation.
  • Single Package Authoring - Create a single MSI package able to install both per-user and per-machine with a selection dialog for the user.
  • Mixed 32/64-bit installers - Powerful wizard helps author single, unified installers that run as 32-bit on 32-bit and as 64-bit on 64-bit platforms.
  • Control Panel Applets - Install applets in Control Panel to configure and customize your system-level services and applications.
  • Visual Studio 2017 Extension and Add-In installers - Easily create dedicated installers for Visual Studio 2017 extensions and add-ins (in Ent. edition).
  • Microsoft Office Add-In installers - Easily create dedicated installers for Microsoft Office add-ins directly from a Visual Studio Project or from a disk location.
  • Adobe Products Add-In installers - Create dedicated add-in installers for most often used Adobe products.

Builds

  • Multiple Builds - Build multiple installers from a single project creating packages customized for various deployment scenarios.
  • APPX Bundles - Create APPX bundles for multiple architectures and platform types.
  • Pre/Post-Build Events - Customize your installer build process with pre- and post-build events: copy or move files, run commands.
  • Reports - At-a-glance reports outlining essential information about your installer.
  • ICE Validation - Run ICE validation suites as a final step in the build process, messages being appended to the Build Log.
  • Validation Fixes - Suggest and apply fixes for package validation errors resulted from running ICE validation suites.
  • Windows App Certification Kit Validation (WACK) - Run WACK validations as a final step in the build process for MSI, AppX and MSIX packages, messages being appended to the Build Log and inside an HTML report.
  • MSIX Packaging - Build MSIX packages from your existing projects. Get you desktop application in the Windows Store with just a few clicks.
  • MSIX Sparse Packages - Provide your non-UWP desktop app with deeper integration into the OS features using Sparse packages.

Professional Application Resources

  • Synchronized folders - Specify installation folders to be synchronized with folders on your disk, with include and exclude patterns.
  • Path Variables - Ability to use custom, per-machine configurable Variables in project paths.
  • Compute file hashes - Turn this feature on to eliminate unnecessary file copying during a repair process.
  • File associations and mime types - Associate files having certain extensions with your application for open, edit, view, print or other operations.
  • Vista Default Programs - Take advantage of the Windows Vista's new support for registering applications to handle file types.
  • Advertised shortcuts - Advertised shortcuts trigger installation of features on demand or application check and repair when launched.
  • INI files and entries - Import full INI files. Easily create and edit, update or change INI entries.
  • Search for applications and resources - Search for components, files, folders, registry and INI entries during the install process.
  • Test-run searches - Invaluable tool allowing you to test Windows Installer searches on the spot, seeing the results immediately.
  • Permissions - Set permissions to define in detail the allowed user access to files, folders, registry keys and entries.
  • Resource removal on install - Remove files, registry keys and values during both install and uninstall stages.
  • File install actions - Move, copy or duplicate any file during install. Reserve additional space for install costing.
  • Uninstall cleanup - Now it's easy to make sure your application doesn't leave anything on your user's system after uninstall.
  • Persistent user data - Persist user-modified settings and configurations through upgrades and repairs of your application.
  • Temporary installation files - Include additional files that must be present at install time, without being installed themselves.

Resource Registration

  • Extract registration information - The registration data can be extracted from files that can auto-register, and installed directly in the Registry.
  • Services - Install and register services. Control (start, stop, etc.) them both on install and uninstall.
  • ODBC drivers, data sources and translators - Install and easily set the attributes on ODBC drivers, data sources and translators.
  • COM, COM+ and DCOM - Fully specify COM, COM+ and DCOM components for registration at install time.
  • COM Interfaces - Create COM Interfaces using Advanced Installer GUI.
  • COM+ import - Import complete COM+ installation MSIs into existing Advanced Installer projects.

.NET Framework

  • .NET and Win32 assemblies - Install .NET and Win32 assemblies in Global Assembly Cache (GAC) or privately, side-by-side on Windows XP.
  • .NET/COM interoperability - Let Advanced Installer extract registration information and register your .NET assemblies for COM interoperability.
  • Precompile .NET assemblies - Improve .NET applications performance and startup time by precompiling them to native images on install.
  • Assembly attributes - Advanced Installer automatically scans and detects .NET assembly attributes freeing you from this task.
  • .NET project template - Use the provided template and wizard to create installers for .NET framework applications in mere minutes.
  • .NET prerequisite - Check if the right .NET framework is present on the target machine and, if necessary, download and install it.
  • .NET Custom Actions - Write Custom Actions using the .NET framework, taking advantage of InstallerClass.

Custom Actions

  • Custom actions - Extend your installer's capabilities by executing JS, VBScript, an EXE, or a function in a DLL during install.
  • Nested Install custom actions - Launch an embedded MSI file from your installation in order to install, repair or remove another product.
  • Multi-file Custom Actions - Provide resources in separate files. Call normal, third-party multi-file programs as custom actions.
  • Predefined actions library - Predefined Custom Actions, ready to be used and easy to customize: play audio file, detect/stop processes and services, etc.
  • Standard DLL call - Predefined Custom Action allows you to call any function in any standard DLL.

Package Organization

  • Organize package features - Organize your Windows Installer package in features and sub-features. Create, set attributes and install conditions.
  • Group components in features - Group installation components into features, share them or set their attributes and install conditions.
  • Build one CAB per feature - Save bandwidth by ensuring that for online installs only features actually installed will be downloaded.
  • Isolated components - Ensure the components you need are next to your application and will not be overwritten by other software.
  • Qualified/Published components - Another level of indirection in your components supports pluggable components and replaceable implementations.

EXE bootstrapper

  • Customized EXE bootstrapper - Bootstrap your MSI or MSIX(AppX) package into an EXE file with a custom icon, file description and version.
  • MD5 signatures - Setups can use MD5 for checking self and downloaded files (prerequisites or updates) integrity.
  • Prerequisites - Create setups that can automatically search for, download and install prerequisite applications. Full CLI support from Enterprise.
  • Install/update Windows Installer - Set it as prerequisite and your setup will be able to download and update it on the target machine.
  • Latest version check - On launch, check online for a newer version of this installer, and if available, download and install it instead.
  • Bootstrapper UI - The Bootstrapper UI has Enhanced UI rendering engine with MSI Dialog table, making the EXE and MSI dialogs indistinguishable.
  • Bootstrapper for Desktop Bridge apps - On launch, we check on which OS the package is running and install an MSIX(AppX) package, for Windows 11, or an MSI for older systems.

User Interface

  • Change banners and images - Customize the way dialogs look during the installation process by changing the background banner images.
  • Over 75 bundled setup themes - You have over 75 built-in custom themes to effortlessly give your application a professional (and gorgeous!) look.
  • Additional Dialogs - Select one of the available pre-built dialogs to appear in front of the user during the installation.
  • Background image slide shows - Schedule image slide shows during the install of your application. Advertise your brand and products, show off their abilities.

Localization

  • Create packages in other languages - Currently localizations in 31 languages for MSIs, EXE bootstrapper and all helper utilities are already included.
  • Localize in a new language - Translating additional languages is as easy as editing an XML file generated as a dictionary of untranslated strings.
  • Multilingual packages - Generate a single MSI or EXE file with all the desired languages. Automatically match the end-user's default language.
  • Language Selection Dialog - Allow your users to select any installation language from the languages included in your installer.
  • Localize UWP package - Localize your Universal Windows Platform package and distribute it worldwide through the Microsoft Store.

Automatic Updater

  • Advanced Updater tool - Highly configurable and versatile, it automatically checks for, downloads and installs patches and updates.
  • Visual Updates Editor - Edit your updates configurations visually in dedicated projects and build in multiple locales.
  • HTTP authentication, HTTPS - Downloading over HTTPS is supported, as well as HTTP authentication which prompts for a user and password.
  • Server-side license check - Server-side license check is supported, as another way to hinder piracy.
  • Toast Notifications - Prompt your users with a notification and keep them up to date with the latest version of your application.

Windows Store

  • Windows Store Apps - Package your applications for next generation deployment in Windows 8/8.1/10 and beyond with AppX.
  • Import Windows Store Apps - Import and edit existing Windows Store App packages using the friendly Advanced Installer GUI.
  • Mobile Installers - Create CABinet packages that can be used to install applications on Windows CE / Mobile platforms.
  • MSIX ∙ Desktop Bridge - Full support to build, debug and customize MSIX(AppX) packages for your Win32/.NET applications, through Desktop Bridge. Create UWP and WSA packages from your existing projects.
  • Package Support Framework - Migrate to the MSIX package standard by using the built-in support for the Package Support Framework.

Internet Information Services (IIS)

  • Web Sites and Web Applications - Configure and deploy Web Sites, create Front Page Server Extensions, Web Application Mappings, etc.
  • Import Web Applications - Quickly configure web sites, virtual directories and application pools by importing directly from your working configurations.
  • Virtual Directories - Configure and deploy Virtual Directories, associate a Web Application, open FTP access, etc.
  • Configure IIS server - Configure the IIS server, register ISAPI filters, backup the metabase, open the Management Console, FastCgi Applications.
  • Application Pools - Assign specific configuration settings to a worker process (or processes) that services a group of applications.
  • IIS 5.1 to 10 - Full support for IIS 5.1, 6, 7, 8, 8.5 and 10 running on Microsoft Windows XP all the way to Windows 11 and 2012 R2 Server OSs.
  • User Accounts integration - Configure anonymous access for IIS or authentication fully integrated with the User Accounts functionality.
  • HTTPS/SSL configuration - Configure HTTPS/SSL parameters for websites: bindings, digital certificates and options.
  • ASP.NET support - Dedicated wizard. Register your ASP.NET (including .NET 4.5) web application with IIS 7/8 or with IIS 5/6.
  • Configure Custom Properties - In addition to the dedicated UI features, custom properties help you modify the majority of IIS 7 or above attributes/collections.

For Java Installer Features

  • Console/GUI Java applications - Package both console applications (within a terminal window) and GUI applications (that have a graphical user interface).
  • Write Win32 services in Java - Quickly and easily create, package, install and run Win32 services written in Java.
  • Multiple Java applications per package - Install several Java applications (each with its own settings and native launcher) with the same package.
  • 100% native code, no JVM overhead - Installers contain only native code and technologies, for the smallest footprint and the tightest platform integration.
  • Wizard for Java Project creation - Use the wizard to create complete Windows and Mac OS X installers for your Java application in mere minutes.
  • Import Eclipse projects - Point Advanced Installer to your Eclipse project and it will instantaneously create your installer and launchers.
  • Import IntelliJ IDEA projects - Powerful wizard employed to help you create installation packages by importing IntelliJ IDEA workspaces.
  • Pack200 packing for JAR files - Coupled with LZMA compression, can reduce the size of code archives to as low as 20% of the initial size.
  • Flexible ClassPath, Library and System paths - Include JAR files, folders, Windows Installer properties and environment variables in your application's paths.
  • Edit JVM parameters - Easy to use GUI to edit runtime options, system properties, VM command line and other parameters.
  • Powerful memory sizing options - Specify JVM initial and maximum heap and stack sizes, fixed or in bounded physical memory percentages.
  • JRockit JRE - Bundle or run your Java applications using the JRockit Java Runtime Environment.
  • JRE bundling - Create packages that include a private JRE for your application or a bundled one to install on the computer.
  • JRE/JDK prerequisite - Check if the right JVM is present on the target machine and, if necessary, download and install it.

Java Native Launcher

  • JRE/JDK detection and selection - Powerful and customizable way to find the installed JVMs and to select the one fitted to run your application.
  • Your process name instead of java/javaw - Set your own process name to appear in the task manager and the Windows XP task bar groups.
  • Custom application/EXE icon - Include a professional native Windows ICO icon in your executable, with multiple resolutions and color depths.
  • File version and name for executable - Embed the version information and name into the generated executable file of your Java application.
  • Instant-on native splash screen - A custom splash screen displayed as soon as the EXE file is launched, without having to wait for the JRE to load.
  • Java 6 native splash screen - Use the standard Java 6 native splash screen API if available, or fall back on the one provided otherwise.
  • User friendly error handling - Errors are treated internally, or if not possible, presented to the user well explained and with solution suggestions.
  • Single application instance - Optionally enforce a system-wide unique instance of your product, redirecting secondary launches to this instance.
  • Stdout and stderr redirection - Redirect the standard streams to files so the user can check for errors and exceptions even for GUI applications.
  • Native 64-bit launcher - A native 64-bit Java launcher version allows you to load your application into a discovered (or bundled) 64-bit JRE.
  • Embed JAR in EXE - Protect your application code and simplify deployment by running your JAR directly from the native launcher, without an extraction.

Mac OS X Packages

  • Mac OS X standalone bundles - Create standard, standalone, native application bundles for your Java products to be installed on Mac OS X computers.
  • Java applications for Mac OS X - Build standalone Java applications ready to be signed and published on the App Store.
  • Translate Windows settings to Mac OS X - Every installer setting with an equivalent on Mac OS X will be used directly like it is used in the Windows package.
  • Platform-specific Mac OS X settings - Settings that are specific to Mac OS X can be specified separately for the best platform integration.
  • Minimum Mac OS X version - Specify the minimum version of Mac OS X required to run your application.
  • Native Mac OS X icon - Specify a ICNS file to be used to graphically identify your application on Mac OS X.
  • Mac OS X splash screen - Display a specified splash screen when launching your application on Mac OS X.
  • Mac OS X localization - The Mac OS X packages are also easily localizable, with a number of built-in languages already included.
  • Mac OS X file associations and mime types - Define document types and associate them with your application.

Enterprise Edition Features

  • XML Search - Search in XML files and return the values of elements, attributes or text nodes.
  • Update XML files - Insert, replace or remove elements and attributes in XML files. Patch XML config files, register in XML frameworks.
  • Update TXT files - Insert, replace or remove any string in any file type installed by your package or already present on the target machine.
  • Licensing - The licensing module offers ready to use trial and registration (with maintenance plans) functionality for your application.
  • Install Drivers - Specify drivers for install using the Windows Driver Install Frameworks (DIFx), version 2.1.
  • Convert EXE installers to MSIs - Powerful wizard will convert any EXE setup into an MSI ready for network deployment through Active Directory.
  • User Accounts and Groups - Allow your installers to create user accounts and groups on the user's computer.
  • Task scheduler - Create and fully configure tasks to be run by the native Windows Scheduler service.
  • Scheduled Updates - The Updater integrated with the Task Scheduler allows you to run updates from the Windows Scheduler service.
  • CD/DVD Autorun - Quickly enable your product to automatically start from CDs and DVDs. Powerful, customizable, Windows 7-Ready launcher.
  • Folder sharing - Easily share folders on install, setting the sharing permissions for secured access.
  • Configure Windows Firewall - Add your application to the exception list during installation, and remove it during uninstallation.
  • Games Explorer integration - Easily and fully integrate your games in Windows Vista's Games Explorer, specifying ratings, genres, art and more.
  • Media Center registration - Register your games in Windows Media Center and allow your users to run them directly from there.
  • Windows 7 Libraries - Easily create or add to existing Libraries like “Documents”, “Pictures” or “Music” on Windows 7.
  • Embedded Chainers - Embed multiple MSIs in a unified setup package and install them chained in a single, atomic transaction.
  • Prerequisites Repository - Save the prerequisites you defined and reuse them in other projects.
  • Multiple Instances - Allow the installation of multiple instances of your product on the same computer.
  • MSI Transforms - Capture user input during an install or the differences between two MSI databases into a Windows Installer transform.
  • Custom Tables editor - Visually define new tables and columns, insert rows in your MSIs. Add and edit additional data for your custom actions.
  • Direct Table editor - Visually edit your MSIs and MSMs at database table and row level, customizing your installers to the tiniest detail.
  • MSI and MST Diff - Highlight MST content or MSI differences within the Table Editor. Optimize your work by reverting changes on the fly.
  • Test in VM - Avoid damaging your local machine when testing the installation by running it in a provisioned virtual machine.

Dialog Editor

  • Modify and Create Dialogs - Control every detail of the UI of your MSI packages. Add, change or remove controls, dialogs, texts and more.
  • Full Billboard Editor - Spice up your installs, advertise your application's features (in text and images) during setup.
  • Dialog Repository - Save time and work by reusing the dialogs and dialog templates you create in other projects.
  • Wizard for Control Event creation - Handy wizard to assist you when accomplishing the more difficult tasks of Windows Installer UI.
  • Print Control - With just a couple of clicks, add a fully functional Print... button to your License or Readme dialogs.
  • Browse for File - Add a predefined Custom Action allowing your users to select a file (license, DB, etc.) during your installer's UI.
  • ListBox & ComboBox controls - Predefined Custom Actions for populating, deleting and extracting data from ListBox and ComboBox controls.
  • Collect user info - Predefined Custom Action for collecting user information during install and POST-ing it to your web server.
  • UI Testing - Test your installer's User Interface as you create it, without building the full package every time.

Enhanced User Interface

  • External UI - External UI implementation improving the way your installers look and feel. UAC compliant.
  • Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista controls - On Windows Vista or higher, use true color icons as large as 256x256 pixels and Command Link controls.
  • HTML Host control - Create HTML UIs in your installer, scripting with JavaScript. Included Windows Installer - JavaScript full two-way bridge.
  • Additional controls - Feature Selection Tree with checkboxes, checklist, native OS Browse for Folder dialog, hyperlink, enforced EULA lecture.
  • Global Progress - Deterministic, installation-global progress tracking events. Correctly estimate installer completion and avoid user confusion.

Patches

  • Windows Installer MSP patches - With Advanced Installer you can quickly and easily create patches for your applications.
  • Removable Patches - Advanced Installer generates patches that can be uninstalled separately on Windows Installer 3.0 or higher.
  • Patch Sequencing - Guarantees your patches are always applied in the order you want (Windows Installer 3.0 or higher).
  • Wizard for MSP Project creation - Use the provided wizard to create Windows Installer Patches in mere minutes.
  • Patch EXE bootstrapper - Pack your patches in EXE files for simpler deployment. Specify custom icons, file descriptions and versions.

Merge Modules

  • Create Merge Modules - Package the independent components you use in your applications as stand-alone MSM files.
  • Wizard for MSM Project creation - Use the provided wizard to create Windows Installer MSM Merge Modules in mere minutes.
  • Configurable Parameters - Allow your users to customize the Merge Modules you provide. Specify what can be changed and how.

Server & Web Apps

  • Microsoft Web Deploy - Publish Web Applications to Microsoft Azure and IIS from installers using Microsoft Web Deploy.
  • Tomcat Web Applications - Simple-to-build installers to easily and quickly deploy your web applications into Apache Tomcat.
  • Deploy SharePoint 2016 solutions - Included wizard will painlessly create standard MSI installers to deploy SharePoint 2016 solutions.
  • Windows Server Roles - Advanced Installer simplifies how you install roles on the server and lets you install multiple roles at the same time.
  • IIS Browse - Help your users easily pick target Web Sites, Virtual Directories and Application Pools by showing a list with what's available.
  • Microsoft Silverlight Applications - Use the dedicated UI to manage deployment solutions for Microsoft Silverlight OoB (out of browser) applications.

Databases

  • SQL Scripts - During install, configure servers and deploy SQL scripts for Microsoft, Oracle, Postgre and MySQL databases.
  • SQL Queries - Interrogate SQL databases and use the retrieved information during the installation.
  • SQL Server Reporting Services - Upload reports, datasets or data sources to an instance of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services.
  • Transaction Support - Full transaction support for running SQL Scripts on transaction-capable DBMSs.
  • Sandbox Test - Test SQL Queries and Connections in an isolated environment on your development machine.
  • SQL Server Browser - Automatically discover and list Microsoft SQL Servers available on the network at install time.
  • Allowed Databases List - List all databases the user with the associated credentials is allowed to connect to.

Architect Edition Features

  • MSI/MST Editor - Create transforms or quickly edit existing MSI packages directly from the Advanced Installer GUI.
  • MSI Conflict Detector - Detects possible installation conflicts between a selected MSI and other MSIs from the repository.
  • MSIX Modification Packages - Extended and update your MSIX packages. Decouple your main application package from its updates, speed up Windows 11 updates.
  • MSIX Package Editor - Get an instant view of your package content and customize anything from Advanced Installer’s friendly user interface.

Repackage

  • Installation Repackager - Painlessly capture and repackage existing installations into MSI packages. The repackager has UI automation and its own CLI.
  • VMware Repackager - Choose between performing the capture either on your development machine or on a VMware virtual machine.
  • Hyper-V Repackager - Choose between performing the capture either on your development machine or on a Hyper-V virtual machine.
  • Docker Repackager - Native integration for Docker containers. Repackage applications that support silent installation switches and convert them to MSI or MSIX.
  • Repackaging in Remote Machines - Choose to complete a repackaging session into a remote machine.
  • Smart Repackager - Detect and preserve high-level constructs like services, drivers, file associations, environment variables and assemblies in scan results.
  • 64-bit Repackager - Capture and repackage installations on 64-bit systems, detecting 64-bit specific components and behaviors.
  • Desktop App Converter - Capture installations of Win32/.NET desktop applications, with full UI or silent, and convert them to MSIX(AppX) format. Customize them using the dedicated GUI.
  • Compare output with original package - Verify what resources were added, modified or removed in the repackaged installation by comparing the results with the original installation.
  • Repackager Assistant - Record repackager settings, take notes and capture screenshots of the installation.
  • Repackaging Updates - Migrate your project customizations from an older version of your repackaged application when repackaging a newer version.

Application Virtualization

  • Build App-V Packages - Full support for Microsoft's Application Virtualization technology. Effortlessly build App-V 4.x or App-V 5.x packages for your software.
  • App-V Import - Create installation packages by importing existing App-V packages. Convert App-V 4.x applications to App-V 5.x.
  • App-V GUI Editor - Open App-V 5.x packages with Advanced Installer, edit and save the changes from our friendly GUI, no sequencing.
  • App-V CLI Editor - Use the TweakAppV.exe command line interface tool as a scripting alternative to the graphical interface editor.
  • VMware ThinApp - Full support for VMware's ThinApp technology. Easily create a virtualized version of your application from your installer.
  • VMware ThinApp Import - Create installation packages by importing ThinApp project folders.

Mobile Device Management

  • SCCM Deployment - Save time by using the integrated deployment to System Center Configuration Manager. CLI is included.
  • Deploy App-V packages with SCCM - Comfortably manage virtual and physical applications deployment through SCCM and more.
  • Microsoft Intune Deployment - Deploy your applications to Microsoft Intune by using our wizard or CLI.