Troubleshooting

• Before You Ship
• After You Ship

Before You Ship

Problem
When I drag over any icon in my installer, nothing happens.

Solution
One thing that would cause this behavior is the installer name being longer than 24 characters. The Builder application prevents you from entering names longer than this, but the file name can still be changed in the Finder. Be sure that the names of all segments are 24 characters or less.

Another thing that would cause this behavior in an installer is missing resources. There are certain resources necessary for the proper operation of the installer. If they are removed, replaced, or not created properly by the Builder, an installer may not work correctly. Rebuilding the installer would correct this problem.

Problem
When I run my multiple disk installer, it refuses to accept the second disk of the set.

Solution
Failing to recognize the second (or any subsequent) disk of an installer set can be caused by several factors. These include:

• The segment name has been changed. All installer segments must have the base name, a space, and a number representing that segment's number (e.g., "My Installer 4"). The exception is the first segment, which does not have a number. Note that disk names should also match segment names, unless custom disk names have been specified in the STR# 32201 resource (see Customizing DragInstall).
• The second disk contains a segment from a different build. When the Builder application creates a set of installer segments, a unique build number is assigned to all segments. This prevents segments from different sets being interchanged. This can also cause the installer to reject an inserted disk.
• The disk is damaged or the disk drive needs repair. If the installer cannot read the contents of an inserted disk, it will reject that disk. Copying all segments to the hard drive and re-trying would show whether the disks or disk drive was at fault.

Solution
The likely cause of a single icon not starting an installation is that the installation does not have any items assigned to it. Reopen your script document with the Builder application, change the selected installation, and be sure that all necessary items are assigned to that installation.

Problem
When I drag an icon over to the hard drive, no files are installed, but I do get the "Installation is complete" dialog.

Solution
The most likely cause for this is that the only folders and files assigned to this installation were not installed because of the rules set for those items. DragInstall's rules for folders and files (with the exception of "Ask to replace") are "silent". They do not warn the user that a folder or file is not being installed. This was done to allow the installer to install only one of two items without unnecessarily alarming the user (e.g. color graphics file vs. black-and-white graphics file). Check the script to see if rules are preventing items from being installed.

Problem
Items are not being installed in the proper locations.

Solution
One possible reason for incorrectly installed items is the use of XRays. Since control over the current install folder is possible from within an XRay, an improperly written XRay can cause problems during an installation. Check your XRays over carefully. Remove the XRay temporarily to see if it could be causing the problems observed.

Another possible cause for items being installed in the wrong place is the use of a Find item which changes the current install folder when an item is successfully found. Use the RestoreFind XRay, if necessary, to reverse the effects of a previous Find item.

If everything in the script checks out and you suspect a problem within DragInstall, send us the script document, any extra resources used, and the problem installer to look at.

After You Ship

1. Restart the machine and turn off all startup documents (INITs and cdevs). Under System 7, this is simply a matter of restarting with the shift key held down. Under System 6, this requires removing the files from the System Folder or using one of the available INIT managers. Although DragInstall has been tested with many INITs and cdevs, an incompatibility with a startup document is still a likely cause of problems during installation.
2. Try copying all installer segments onto the hard drive and install directly from there if there is enough space.
3. Try installing with a fresh set of disks. Faulty media is one of the most common causes of problems during installation. If any of the floppy disks in the installer set is damaged, the installation will be stopped.
4. Try installing the software on another hard drive. If the problem is due to a "bad disk," installing on another hard drive should be successful. Also, check all device connections for good contact and proper termination. Try temporarily disconnecting devices like scanners and reinstalling.
5. Try installing the software on another machine if possible. If the problem is due to a machine's configuration, then installing on another machine should be successful.
6. Try reinstalling system software before retrying the installer. Damaged System Software could prevent proper installation.

• Userπs hardware configuration: machine type, memory, connected drives (with available space), other devices, etc.
• User's software configuration: system software, other software installed (drivers for cards or devices).
• The exact error message, if any.
• Progress of installation: did it complete and not install anything, did it stop after the second disk was inserted, etc.
• User's name and phone number in case we need to contact them directly.

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