TestStand 3.5 deployment error "TARGETDIR undefined...Directory table malformed...aborting"

[Erik_Wilmot]

Hi all,

      I'm getting an error message on my target PC when I try to run the "setup.exe" from the deployment utility (either directly off the CD or after I copy the CD contents to a folder on my hard drive).  The error message dialog box pops up very soon after the intaller starts to run...here's the message :

"TARGETDIR is undefined, the Directory table seems malformed.  Aborting..."

Here's the directory tree on the CD :

d:\target

      sequence_file_1.seq

      sequence_file_2.seq

      cvi.dll

      TestExec.exe

      TestExec.uir

      property_loader.xls

d:\Volume1

      \bin     (note: \bin has 30 folders in it...one of which is \p0\TestStand)

      \license

      \supportfiles

      setup.exe

      setup.ini

      nidist.id

My target PC does not have TestStand installed yet...I'm deploying the engine along with my application (which consists of a number of sequence files, a LabWindows/CVI DLL, an Excel spreadsheet for the property loader, and a simple CVI user interface).  I already have a license for the TestStand runtime engine.

Anybody know what this error message is trying to tell me?   Any idea what options I should set differently to correct this when running the deployment utility?   Or do I need to add any special PATH variables on my target PC (I've already tried all the obvious ones)?  Or do I need to create special directories on my target PC hard drive (again, I've tried all the obvious ones...C:\TestStand 3.5...C:\National Instruments\TestStand 3.5...etc.)?

Thanks for your suggestions,

Erik

[Jon_M]

Hi Erik,

You shouldn't need to create any directories or path variables when running an installer on a deployment machine. From what it sounds like it seems as though your installer didn't build correctly when you created it in TestStand.

I'd recommend first rebuilding the installer. If the install on a target machine still fails, try stripping it down by removing individual components of the installer incrementally (run-time engines, drivers, etc) and then rebuilding and installing to see if it still fails with the TARGETDIR error each time. Once you get to the point where the installer works with a certain component but fails when adding X component, let me know and I'll have you put it on our FTP server in order for us to examine and see what is failing inside of the MSI and providing a fix or workaround.

[Erik_Wilmot]

Thanks Jon...that did the trick...turns out the problem was with my Drivers and Components settings in the deployment utility.

I think I had sabbotaged the Drivers and Components installation somehow (possibly by first checking the "NI-488" option or "MAX" option and then un-checking the "LabView 8.0" since I'm not using LabView).  Anyway...thanks for your advice on how to troubleshoot the installer by gradually removing/adding first my application, then the TestStand Engine and finally Drivers and Components...that strategy of isolating the problem worked very well.

I'm glad you were checking the discussion forums while the Call Center was closed by the nasty weather...I really needed an answer this week and your advice was very timely and super helpful.

Happy New Year !

Erik