As of SPIDAcalc and SPIDAsilk v24.1, the installer [Setup_SPIDACalcx64_xx.x.x.x.exe] uses WiX Toolset version 3.14. They are installed by "SPIDACalc-x64.msi", which is hidden but can be extracted for repackaging. The primary installer is a "bundle installer", so command line options differ from the msiexec.exe.
WiX Commands
Below are available commands that may be useful to system administrators performing a silent install.
| Option | Description |
-h |
Show command line help. |
-q, -quiet, -s, -silent |
The installation will proceed without displaying any prompts or notifications. * |
-passive |
The installation will only display the progress bar in the UI; no user interaction will be required. |
-norestart |
Prevent the system from initiating any restarts during the installation. |
-forcerestart |
The installer will force a computer restart after installation is complete. |
-layout |
Create a local image of the bootstrapper. ** |
-l, -log |
Enable logging to a specific file path, which will need to be defined; e.g., -l FILE_PATH *** |
-uninstall |
Uninstall the software. |
-repair |
Enable the installer to restore or fix any issues within the installation; if the software is not yet installed, this option will trigger an install instead. |
-package |
This is the install product option to install or configure the software. |
-update |
Install one or more patches. |
-install |
Install the software. |
* To perform a silent install with a custom directory, use the form Setup_SPIDACalcx64_24.1.0.124.exe InstallDirectory=<CustomDirectory> -q, e.g., Setup_SPIDACalcx64_24.1.0.124.exe InstallDirectory=C:\Program Files\Testing -q.
** Using the -layout option, system administrators can control install locations, desktop icons, and the installation UI. A silent installer that doesn't need a command line argument can be created.
*** Logs are always generated, regardless of whether the -l or -log parameter is provided. By default, all log files will be generated in the user's Temp folder. The installer will zip all log files into one .zip file, named, for example, Bentley_SPIDA_product_suite_2024_20240906163133.zip, where:
- 2024: Year
- 09: Month
- 06: Date
- 16: Hour in 24hr format
- 31: Minute
- 33: Second
Installable Components
The SPIDA installer consists of five individually installable components.
- NDP481-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe: This is a Microsoft .NET 4.8.1 installer provided by Microsoft. Bentley's CONNECTION Client and the legacy SPIDA installer depend on this version of the .NET runtime.
- SPIDALegacyUninstaller.exe: This is a .NET executable that cleans up any previous installation known to the operating system.
- vc_redist.x64.exe: Visual Studio C++ runtime 2015-2022. Bentley's CONNECTION Client depends on it.
- Setup_CONNECTIONClientx64_xx.xx.xx.xx.exe: Bentley's CONNECTION Client.]
- SPIDACalc-x64.msi: This is the SPIDAcalc and SPIDAsilk combined installer.
The SPIDA MSI file checks for the existence of a previous installation. If present, the software can not be installed using this MSI file. In contrast, the bundle installer can silently uninstall the previous version and proceed with the installation. If the uninstallation fails and the registry entry still exists, the installation cannot continue.
There is a workflow change compared to the installers for SPIDAcalc and SPIDAsilk v24.0 and older. Now, if the same version of the product is already installed, running the installer will present the user with a repair/replace dialog box.
In the Windows "Installed Apps" section, there will be no option to repair, only to uninstall.
Upgrade Process
In the future, the upgrade path will be a simple one-click process for new versions. Windows Installer technology will take care of the in-place upgrade process.
There would not be an option to change the directory in the case of an in-place upgrade. The installer will automatically update or patch old files with newer versions; remove unused files, registries, etc.; and add new ones if necessary.