Wise Installation System 10 · WiseScript
The Installation Expert sets up a project in minutes; the Script Editor lets you control every step after that. Compile it into a single setup.exe that installs, logs and uninstalls itself, with nothing else to deploy.
Everything in Professional
Everything in Standard
Compile · test · run and sign at every edition
Simplified authoring
The Installation Expert and the Script Editor edit the same project. Fill in a page and the actions appear in the script; edit the script and the page follows.
A step-by-step guide through the design of an installation: product details, files, components, registry, shortcuts, dialogs and the build, a page each. A page your edition does not include is left out of the sidebar, not greyed out.
| Expert page | Generates |
|---|---|
| Files | An Install File action per file |
| Registry | One Edit Registry action holding all your entries |
| Shortcuts | A Create Shortcut action per shortcut |
| Services | A Create Service action per service |
| Components | If … Contains blocks around the files in each component |
Wise’s scripting engine, presented as a list of actions rather than a text file. Insert an action from the palette, fill in its dialog, and the logic is written for you.
Remark Set up by the Installation Expert, then edited here Set Variable APPTITLE to Acme Widget Set Variable MAINDIR to %PROGRAM_FILES%\Acme\Widget If COMPONENTS Contains "A" then Install File C:\Build\Widget.exe to %MAINDIR%\Widget.exe Install File C:\Build\Widget.chm to %MAINDIR%\Widget.chm End Block If COMPONENTS Contains "B" then Create Service WidgetSvc End Block Edit Registry: 4 values in HKLM\Software\Acme\Widget Create Shortcut from %MAINDIR%\Widget.exe to %GROUP%\Widget.lnk
Create your own dialogs or change any of the included templates, with directory trees, masked edit fields, progress bars and billboards. Professional.
Display graphics or messaging while files copy, laid out on a WYSIWYG canvas, turning install time into a product introduction.
Author the script and the installer’s own messages in more than one language, chosen to match the end user’s PC.
Drop into a full scripting language for the routines that outgrow the action palette, without leaving the installation. Professional.
Call straight into a Win32 DLL, passing parameters and reading the result back into a variable. Professional.
Save commonly used settings, and apply them to every installation that follows.
Build acceleration & testing
The same project goes from the editor to the end user’s desktop without leaving the IDE, and without risking your own machine on the way.
Every edition compiles, tests, runs and signs: how a package is delivered is a packaging choice, not a tier.
System integration & deployment
Compile from a build server, and hand the finished setup.exe the options an administrator expects: silent, test, extract-only and pre-set variables.
Build any project without opening the IDE, so installation builds join your existing automated build.
/c compiles the script and exits; /s keeps it silent/d_VAR_=value defines a compiler variable for one run/d=file.txt reads them from a file, one _VAR_=value per lineREM Compile silently, for a scheduled build C:\Dev>"C:\Program Files\Wise\Wise32.exe" /c /s "C:\Dev\Application.wse" REM One compiler variable, for this run only C:\Dev>"C:\Program Files\Wise\Wise32.exe" /d_PATH_=C:\Test /c "C:\Dev\Application.wse" REM Every variable from a file C:\Dev>"C:\Program Files\Wise\Wise32.exe" /c /d=C:\Dev\Compile.txt "C:\Dev\Application.wse"
Every compiled installer accepts the Setup.EXE options of the original Wise installation system, so it fits the deployment scripts you already have.
KEY=VALUE anywhere on the command line pre-sets a script variable| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
/S | Silent: no dialogs, while the installation still runs |
/T | Test mode: file and registry actions succeed without touching the machine |
/X <dir> | Extract the payload to a directory without installing |
/Z <dir> | Extract, then restart the machine |
/M=<file> | Pre-set script variables from a value file, NAME=value per line |
/M5=<dir> | Use a different writable temporary directory |
/M1 | Verbose self-registration, naming each OCX and DLL |
/D | Attach the debugger: step through, read variables and the debug log |
Create, configure, start and stop Windows services, and check a service’s state before acting on it. Professional.
Install and configure the full ODBC stack an application depends on, from the driver down to the data source. Professional.
Add the Windows Firewall exceptions an application needs, so it works on a locked-down desktop. Professional.
Look for a file, directory or registry value before the installation runs, and branch on what is found. Professional.
Change individual values in configuration files on the target, rather than replacing the file. Professional.
Detect and install the redistributable runtimes an application needs, before it is installed. Professional.
The WiseUpdate client scans for updates on the destination PC, and downloads and installs new files. Professional.
Build a patch from the differences between two versions, and find the changes that would make it unsafe. Enterprise.
Read and write Windows Installer properties and evaluate its conditions, for custom actions inside an .msi. Enterprise.
Editions
Standard builds, tests and signs complete installations. Professional opens the dialog editor and system integration, and Enterprise adds patching, web deployment and Windows Installer interoperability.
| Feature | Enterprise | Professional | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Authoring | |||
| Installation Expert™A step-by-step graphic guide to designing and building a superior installation. This unique tool walks you through the design process by highlighting the steps involved in creating an installation. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Script EditorWise's industry-leading scripting engine, presented as a readable list of actions rather than a text file. Insert an action from the palette, fill in its dialog, and the installation logic is written for you. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VariablesInspect and set the variables an installation carries at run time, and see at a glance where each one is assigned. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Product Details And General InformationName, version, publisher and the identity the installation presents to the target machine, gathered on one page. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Add/Remove ProgramsControl exactly how the installation appears in Programs and Features, including its icon, publisher and support links. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ComponentsDivide an installation into selectable components so end users install only the parts they need. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File ManagementAdd files to the installation, copy them, move them, delete files from the destination machine, and change permissions on folders. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shortcuts And File AssociationsCreate Start menu and desktop shortcuts and register the file types your application owns. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Registry And INI FilesWrite registry keys and INI settings as part of the installation, and read existing values back into variables. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Environment VariablesCreate and modify environment variables on the destination machine, including additions to the system path. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pre-Built TemplatesSave commonly used settings and consistently apply them to subsequent installations. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Include ScriptShare a common block of script across projects by including it, so a change made once reaches every installation that uses it. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Lua ScriptDrop into a full scripting language for the routines that outgrow the action palette, without leaving the installation. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Call DLL FunctionCall directly into a Win32 DLL from the installation script, passing parameters and reading the result back into a variable. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Complete Customization | |||
| Dialog EditorCreate your own specialized dialogs or modify any of the included dialog templates. Edit dialog appearances and behaviors using a variety of specialized controls such as directory trees, masked edit fields, progress bars, billboards, and much more. | ✓ | ✓ | View |
| Dialog TemplatesStart a new dialog from a shared, pre-built template rather than an empty canvas, so every installation you ship looks like the last one. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Full Control PaletteThe complete set of dialog controls, including list views, masked edit fields, directory trees and billboards. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Per-Dialog ScriptAttach script to an individual dialog so it can validate input, enable controls or branch the wizard as the user moves through it. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Custom EventsOrganize script into named events beyond the mainline and call them where they are needed, instead of one long sequence. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Multi-Language InstallationsAuthor the script and the installer's own messages in more than one language, so the installation matches the default language of the end user's PC. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Installer MessagesEdit the text the installation runtime itself displays, so prompts and errors read in your organization's voice and language. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| BillboardsDisplay graphics or messaging while files are copying, turning install time into product introduction. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Billboard EditorLay a billboard out from text, lines, shapes and bitmaps on a WYSIWYG canvas, instead of drawing the whole screen in another program first. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Screen And Progress BarControl the background screen, wizard graphics and progress display the end user sees throughout the installation. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| System Integration | |||
| ServicesCreate, configure, start and stop Windows services as part of the installation, and check a service's state before acting on it. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| ODBC Data Sources, Drivers And FiltersInstall and configure the full ODBC stack your application depends on, from the driver down to the individual data source. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Firewall RulesAdd the Windows Firewall exceptions your application needs, so it works on a locked-down desktop without a manual step. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Scheduled TasksCreate scheduled tasks during installation and remove them cleanly on uninstall. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Users And GroupsCreate local user accounts and add users to groups as part of provisioning the application. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Event SourcesRegister the event log sources your application writes to, so its messages resolve correctly in Event Viewer. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| RuntimesDetect and install the redistributable runtimes your application requires before it is installed. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| FontsInstall and register fonts to the destination machine as part of the installation. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| XML And JSON FilesEdit XML and JSON configuration files on the destination machine, changing individual values rather than replacing the file. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| System SearchSearch the destination machine for a file, directory or registry value before the installation runs, and branch on what it finds. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| System RequirementsBlock or warn on a machine that does not meet the operating system, memory or disk requirements your application needs. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Register OCX And DLLSelf-register OCX and DLL components during installation, with verbose reporting available for troubleshooting. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Build Acceleration | |||
| CompileBuild a complete, self-contained installation executable from the project in one step. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compiler VariablesDrive what gets built from named variables, so one project produces a full, an evaluation and an internal build. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Build SettingsControl compression, the installation's icon, version resources and the properties stamped into the finished executable. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Source DirectoriesPoint the project at where the source files actually live, so a build works on any machine without editing every file path. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Command Line CompileBuild from a script or a build server without opening the IDE, so installation builds join your existing automated build. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Media OptionsCreate installations for various types of media, including custom media sizes, and define how each component is compressed and delivered. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Password ProtectionRequire a password before the installation will run, for packages that must not be executed by whoever finds them. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Multi-Language BuildsProduce one installation that carries every authored language and selects at run time, rather than one build per locale. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Testing Essentials | |||
| Installation TestingThe one-touch Test button performs a test run without making changes to your development machine. Check the appearance and logical flow of your installation without writing to your hard drive. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| RunExecute the compiled installation exactly as an end user would, straight from the editor. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DebuggerStep through the installation script line by line as it runs, watch variables change, set breakpoints and read the debug log. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Installation LogRecord what an installation did on the destination machine, and add your own entries to the log from the script. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Uninstall SupportGenerate a complete uninstall that reverses what the installation did, including the registry entries and services it created. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Repackaging And Interoperability | |||
| SetupCapture™Capture an existing setup by comparing the machine before and after it runs, then import the difference straight into the open project as Install File and Edit Registry actions. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| ApplicationWatchWatch a single application as it runs and record only what that application touches, for packages a full-machine capture would over-collect. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| SOE SnapshotRecord the state of a standard operating environment, so captures taken against it exclude everything the baseline already provides. | ✓ | – | – |
| Import From MSI PackageRead an existing Windows Installer package into a WiseScript project, bringing its files and registry entries with it. | ✓ | – | – |
Windows Installer InteroperabilityRead and write Windows Installer properties and evaluate Windows Installer conditions from script, for the custom actions that run inside an .MSI. | ✓ | – | – |
| Supports Latest Microsoft TechnologiesSupport for today's Microsoft ecosystem including modern .NET runtimes, ARM64 and x64 systems, and full compatibility with Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server platforms. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Flexible Distribution | |||
| Wise Digital SignaturesDigitally sign the finished installation, ensuring the integrity of every package and satisfying the trust prompts a modern desktop applies. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| WiseUpdate™The WiseUpdate client, installed on the destination PC, routinely scans the Web for updates and automatically downloads and installs new files. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Online RegistrationCollect product registration from the end user during installation and post it to your own server. | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| WebDeploy™Easily create Web-based installations for Internet and intranet distribution. A small installation downloads to the end user's PC and initiates the remainder of the download from the Web, so only the features the user selects are transferred. | ✓ | – | – |
| SmartPatch™Create patch installations containing only the differences between two versions of your software, and identify the changes that would make a patch unsafe before you ship it. | ✓ | – | – |
| DistributePublish the finished installation to the Wise Software Repository or a distribution location in one step from the editor that built it. | ✓ | – | – |
| Send ToHand a completed installation straight to a colleague or a target location without leaving the editor. | ✓ | – | – |
R — available to view, not to edit. A Standard seat opens, renders and builds a project containing custom dialogs; the authoring surfaces are a Professional feature.
This document and any related materials may contain references to anticipated, planned, or future features, functionality, or product direction of Wise Global Solutions. Such references are provided solely for informational purposes and shall not be relied upon in making purchasing, contractual, or business decisions.
All product development, release schedules, and feature availability are at the sole discretion of Wise Global Solutions and are subject to change, modification, or cancellation at any time without notice. No information contained herein shall be deemed to create any express or implied commitment, obligation, warranty, or representation by Wise Global Solutions regarding the delivery, availability, or timing of any described feature, service, or functionality.
Wise Global Solutions makes no guarantees that any future feature or functionality referenced will be implemented, released, or maintained in any specific product version or at all. Actual product capabilities may vary by release, edition, platform, licensing model, or deployment environment.
Part of Wise Package Studio
The Wise Installation System is the WiseScript Package Editor inside Wise Package Studio, beside Wise for Windows Installer, MSIX Designer and the shared repository.
Wise Package StudioEvery package format, a shared software repository and one packaging process for the team.
Workbench, the Windows Installer and WiseScript editors, MSIX Designer, SetupCapture and the Wise Software Repository.
Wise Package Studio →
Wise for Windows InstallerStandard Windows Installer packages, for deployment across an organization.
When the package must install through the Windows Installer service, with transactional install, repair and uninstall, and Group Policy deployment.
Wise for Windows Installer →