How does this affect your current library of Packages and Self-Installing Files?

Packages

-      Do not need to be upgraded to be installed by the version 8 or newer Prism client.

-      It is recommended that you upgrade the Packages to take advantage of the new Known Folder support, especially if Vista exists in your environment.

Self-Installing Files (SIFs)/Executable Packages

-      Must be upgraded to version 8 or newer. A version 7 SIF will silently fail if the version 8 or newer PrismXL Service exists on the target computer. The version 8 or newer PrismXL Service would exist if the system has already run a version 8 or newer SIF or if the Prism Client has been upgraded to version 8 or newer. Therefore, it is recommended that you upgrade all SIFs and the Service on target computers to version 8 or newer.

-      Open in the version 8 or newer Package Editor to perform the upgrade.

How to Upgrade Packages and SIFs to Version 8 or newer

When you open a package created with an earlier version of Prism, the Editor asks you whether you wish to upgrade the original package, or save it as a new upgraded file. 

Select “Upgrade” to open the original Package in the Editor and upgrade it to version 8 or newer format.

Select “Save As” to keep the original Package and create a copy that will be upgraded.

Note:  Upgraded Packages cannot be installed by versions of the Prism Client that are earlier than the Package version. They must be installed by the upgraded version of the Prism Client.

What Happens when you Upgrade Packages

When you open an existing package in the version 8 or newer Package Editor, it converts the folder names contained in the package to the new Known Folder format.  For example, “C:\Program Files\AppFolder” becomes “Computer\Program Files (x86)\AppFolder”, where “Computer” represents machine-specific data contained in the Package and “Program Files (x86)” represents a Known Folder that will resolve to the appropriate “Program Files” path on each target computer.

Version 7 Package - before upgrade

Version 8 or newer Package – after upgrade

Important

·         The conversion is only successful if the computer where the package is converted has the same “platform” (Windows version and language) as the system where the package was originally created.  If you convert a package on a different platform, the folder names will not be converted to the new format.  You can fix this later by opening the package on the platform where it was created, opening the Paths Editor, and clicking the “Convert All” button.

·         A package that is not correctly converted is likely to encounter problems when installing on Vista.