Chapter 13: Identifying and Resolving Application Conflicts Using ConflictSolverValidating PackagesAdminStudio 9.5 User Guide ADS-0950-UG00 1109Handling Invalid Windows Installer PackagesIdeally, all Windows Installer packages will pass validation. Realistically, many will fail. When a package failsvalidation, it means the package was not built to Microsoft’s specifications. It does not mean the installation doesnot work. However, there are a few things you can do when your package has validation errors:About ICE43, ICE50, and ICE57 Validation Rules forShortcutsEach entry in the CreateLink section of the .inc file is converted into an entry in the Shortcut table. The exactproperties of the shortcut depends upon the information in the CreateLink line as well as the nature of the targetfile itself.ICE 43, ICE 50, and ICE 57 are the most common validation rules for shortcuts.Shortcut TypesThe primary distinction between shortcuts is advertised vs. non-advertised. Here are two reasons why it ispreferable to create advertised shortcuts:• Advertised shortcuts are triggers for MSI’s self-repair mechanism.• Non-advertised shortcuts are intended for a per-user context only:• The target file must be a file installed in a user-specific directory.• The keypath of the component containing the target file must be a user-specific registry value.Table 13-3 • Validation Error SolutionsSolution ExplanationUse Tuner to correctvalidation errors.This involves opening the base package using Tuner and creating a transformfile which contains your corrections. The same validation tool is available inTuner.Contact the installationvendor.The company that created the installation (usually the same company thatcreated the software) may be able to resolve the validation issues andprovide you with a valid setup. Be sure to provide the validation report tovendors so they know where to focus.Reconsider using theapplication.Although it might be an extreme reaction to an invalid package, there may becompelling reasons not to use an installation not built to Microsoft guidelines.Ignore the problems andimport the package intoConflictSolver anyway.This is probably the most likely scenario. The invalid installation may not beworth trying to fix, or even have errors that you are concerned about.ConflictSolver allows you to import an installation package regardless of itsvalidity; just know that there could be problems in the future in doing so.From a practical standpoint, this may be your best option.
