InstallShield AdminStudio 2.0 Testing Conflict Server D. E. Levine
To use ConflictServer, I launched it and connected to a Conflict Database. I used a database that contained information about common Windows Installer packages.
It was necessary to configure the ConflictServer options pertaining to import, validation, and conflict identification and resolution. The Wizard led me through the process.
After the options had been selected, I had to validate the package and transform. Using the Validation Wizard I selected the right MSI source and opened it I did the same thing in the Transform area. When I clicked Next I was presented with a Summary panel. After checking the information for accuracy, I clicked Finish to begin validation.
I guess I was lucky because when validation was complete there weren't any conflicts between the package I intended to import and the packages already in the Conflict Database. The conflict types checked by default are determined by the options set initially when configufing the ConflictSplver options. It is possible to change these options within the Conflict Wizard.
If I had discovered conflicts I would have been able to use the Resolution Wizard to resolve some of them. The Resolution Wizard will walk you through the steps for resolving the problems it can handle. Of course, the Resolution Wizard won't resolve everything and sometimes manual intervention will be necessary, but in my case it wasn't.
It's always good (and recommended by the vendor) to check for conflicts a second time. I did it although I hadn't had to resolve anything. In cases where you do resolve conflicts, it's especially important to check for conflicts again.
After validation, conflict identification, and conflict resolution were completed, I was ready to import the Windows Installer package, PFTW transform, and resolution transform into the Conflict Database so that in the future I can compare packages against it. Naturally, it was a wizard, this time the Import Wizard that enabled me to do the import. After the imports were finished a Summary panel enabled me to check that everything had been done.
