[Python-Dev] RELEASED Python 2.4, alpha 2

[Tim Peters]

[Tim, tries the "upgrade" install for 2.4a2, notes that it's pretty slow]

[Martin v. Löwis]
> Yes. I should probably speed it up by changing the UI sequence number
> of RemoveExistingApplications from 1510 to 1450. In case you wonder
> what this means:

It's obvious:  you would add 3000, then cyclically permute the first 3
digits right one position.  Tell me something I don't know <wink>.

> Action 1500 is InstallInitialize; anything from then
> on is under transaction control. This means that installer will roll
> back the uninstall in case the subsequent install fails. This is
> expensive, as it first moves all old files out of the place, then puts
> the new ones in, then deletes the old ones. At 1450, the files would
> be deleted immediately (I believe), at the cost of not being able to
> undo the deinstallation if the installation later fails (e.g. by
> user Cancel).

I wouldn't do this; it's good that as much of the process as possible
is transactional.  I doubt it took longer overall than what I normally
do (run a full uninstall of the old version, then install the new
version).

>> One glitch:  I'm pretty sure I selected "install only for me" in the
>> first screen.  I wanted to go back to check, but it doesn't seem
>> possible to go back to the first screen.
 
> Yes. I don't know what to do about this: the screen sets ALLUSERS=1,
> then performs FindRelatedProducts to find the old installation. If the
> old installation was per-machine, we only find it if we commit to making
> the new installation also per-machine.

Except that in this case, I'm pretty sure my 2.4a1 installation was
also "only for me".  I could be wrong about that.

> That decision cannot be taken back; the user would have to cancel and start
> over.

Which is an option, so that's cool.

>> Anyway, the Python DLL ended up in a system directory, and that's "the
>> glitch".  I expected/wanted it to end up in my Python directory.

> Ok. I will see whether I can reproduce that.

I believe I later saw a checkin that intended to fix this, and, if so,
that's cool too.  I hereby nominate you as MSI-builder For Life
<wink>.