File commands

The File menu contains commands that perform operations on the project file or related disk files. Some of the commands also appear locally on context menus. The Project manager page contains a subset of the commands to create new and open existing projects.

Command Description Keyboard
New Project Open the New Project wizard that allows you to specify the options for the new project, then creates the new project. Any currently open project will be saved and closed before the new project is created. Ctrl+N
Open Project...

Displays the standard Open dialog and allows you to browse for an InstallMate project to be opened.

InstallMate can open (and if necessary convert) the following project types directly:

  • InstallMate 9.x projects (with an .im9 extension, QML syntax)
  • InstallMate 7.x projects (with an .im7 extension, XML syntax)
  • ExpertInstall 3.x and Installer 5.x projects (with a .tip extension, XML syntax)
  • QuickInstall 2.x projects (with a .tin extension, INI-style syntax)
  • InstallShield Express Wizard projects (with an .iwz extension)
  • Visual Basic 5 and 6 projects (with a .vbp extension)

Any currently open project will be saved and closed before the new project is opened.

Ctrl+O
Open Project As Copy...

Similar to Open Project..., but the project is opened as a copy. It is not associated with a disk file until you perform a Save Project or Save Project As... command.

If you use this command, then InstallMate Builder will offer to generate new GUIDs for the project. This is required if you want the project to produce an installer that is independent from the current product, but should be avoided if you want to maintain backward compatibility.

Ctrl+Shift+O

Open Recent Project

Displays a submenu that lists the most recently opened projects; selecting one will open that project. The number of recently opened projects is set in the Preferences - General dialog box; the list can also be cleared there. Any currently open project will be saved and closed before the new project is opened.  
Close Project Closes the currently open project, offering to save any changes first. After the project is closed, the Project manager page appears. Ctrl+W
Ctrl+F4
Save Project Saves the current project to its disk file if it has changed since the last time it was saved. If the project is not currently associated with a disk file, this command behaves as Save Project As... Ctrl+S
Save Project As...

Displays the standard Save As dialog that allows you to specify a file name and folder in which to save the current project.

If you use this command, then InstallMate Builder will offer to generate new GUIDs for the project. This is required if you want the project to produce an installer that is independent from the current product, but should be avoided if you want to maintain backward compatibility.

Ctrl+Shift+S
Revert Project Discards all changes to the current project and reloads the project from its disk file.  
Import > Project Items... Displays the standard Open dialog and allows you to browse for an InstallMate file that contains previously saved project items (in XML format). These items are then imported into the project. See Using project items for more information.  
Import > Registry File... Displays the standard Open dialog and allows you to browse for a Registry export file (.reg file). This registry file is then imported into the Registry tree of the project. Both REGEDIT4 (ANSI) and RegEdit 5.00 (Unicode) files are supported. An additional Import RegEdit File dialog box allows you to preset additional options to control the import process.  
Import > RichText... Displays the standard Open dialog and allows you to browse for a RichText (.rtf) or plain text (.txt) file. This file is then added to the RichTexts resources of the project.  
Import > Translations... Displays the standard Open dialog and allows you to browse for a language text (.txt) file. The translations from this file are then added to the project; if necessary, a corresponding project language is created on the Languages page.  
Import > Visual Basic Project... Displays the standard Open dialog and allows you to browse for a Visual Basic project (.vbp) file. The executable files and its dependencies as listed in the .vbp file are then imported and added to the project.  
Properties Displays the Project Properties dialog with information about the project's disk file.  
Exit Closes InstallMate after saving the currently open project, if any. Ctrl+Q
Alt+F4