Directory structure design for Installers, which facilitates future updates

This post provides a folder structure design, which can be used while creating the installer for the first release or base version of a particular product. This helps to maintain the installer project files, support files for the installer, merge modules (if any), product staging area etc., The format should work with any Installer authoring tool like InstallShield, Wise, WiX or InstallAware. The following image depicts the directory structure design.

Note:    The above folder structure is designed to isolate dependency on the Packagage authoring tool's installation directory but however for InstallShield, the Setup-Prerequisites should still be under <InstallShield InstallDir>\SetupPrerequisites.             

InstallerProject

    Installer project file (say .ism for InstallShield) and associated folder
    Example:
        PRODv10.ism & PRODv10
        PRODv10SP1.ism & PRODv10SP1
        PRODv10SP1HF1.ism & PRODv10SP1HF1
Docs
    Installer design and related documents.
PatchDesign

This folder will be used only when you are working on upgrade as a Patch and not for Service Packs. This has the uncompressed msi file related to the minor upgrade and product files / folders.

             BasePRODv1.0 –base version
             Latest(PRODv1.0HFyy) – for any subsequent Hotfixes.
StagingArea
This folder will have the files resources / files to be bundled with the installer. The same folder can be used for the StagingArea all successive updates (as patches) or service packs

• <PRODv1.0> - base version
• SupportDir – files used at the time of installation say dialog images, splash screen, billboards, Custom actions etc.,
• msm – In-house as well as 3rd party merge modules used by the installer
• <PRODv1.0DeploymentStructure> - product binaries in the deployment structure. It is always recommended to have the product staging area similar to the deployment structure, which will help during maintenance.
• <PRODv1.0SPxxHFyy >
  Similar to base version structure and this contains the updated files / folders for the respective Service pack or Hotfix. So the actual folder name can be PRODv1.0SP02 or PRODv1.0SP02HF03 based on the release what you are working on.
• SupportDir
• msm
• <PRODv1.0SPxxHFyyDeploymentStructure>