Once you created an AIT file, repeat syntax checks, execution, and debugging to finish a complete AIT file that can simulate user operations correctly. You do not need to compile AIT files.

To debug an AIT file of a program that requires Administrator permissions in Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Vista Edition JP1/Software Distribution Client, open the Automatic Installation Tool window with Administrator permissions. If the program can be executed with non-Administrator user permissions, you can debug the AIT file with either type of permissions.

The following figure shows the flow of debugging an AIT file:

Figure 2-30 Flow of debugging an AIT file

When you open an AIT file with the Automatic Installation Tool, the Build and Debug menus for debugging are enabled.

The Build menu allows you to detect syntax errors in the AIT file and to execute the active (currently opened) AIT file.

The Debug menu allows you to set breakpoints at which you can stop execution of the AIT file. You can use the Watch window to view and update variable values.

These facilities can be used only for the AIT files that have the extension .ais.

Notes on debugging

In the PACKAGE_INFO section, the installer name is specified in InstallerName with a relative path from the packaging directory. During debugging, in the MAIN section, you have to replace the relative path temporarily with the absolute path. After completion of debugging, you must set the original relative path. During syntax checks, however, you do not need to replace the relative path with the absolute path. The following gives an example of replacing the value of InstallerName with the absolute path.

Figure 2-31 Example of replacing the value of InstallerName with the absolute path

Organization of this section

2.7.1 Syntax check and execution

2.7.2 Debugging