Production release for CRVS2010: Couple of Questions regarding Merge module

Production release for CRVS2010: Couple of Questions regarding Merge modules

After reading and going through

1) /people/ludek.uher/blog/2010/10/14/whats-up-with-those-pesky-msm-and-msi-files

2) A statement from your SAP representative on:

Visual studio setup project with merge modules - C++ problem

"As I said, if you use the MSI redist rather than the MSM then everything is included. As long as we use a MSI then we can distribute everything required. Using the Merge Modules you have to manage and include all of the dependencies yourself."

3) KB [article|http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/com.sap.km.cm.docs/oss_notes_boj/sdn_oss_boj_dev/sap%28bd1lbizjptawmq==%29/bc/bsp/spn/scn_bosap/notes%7B6163636573733d36393736354636443646363436353344333933393338323636393736354637333631373036453646373436353733354636453735364436323635373233443330333033303331333533333331333433303339%7D.do]

Have couple of questions for you:

We prefer using merge modules for our setups instead of .msi files.

1) If we want to use merge modules, does SAP has a list of dependencies (e.g. VC++ 2005 redistributable) which should be taken care of by consumers like us to include it in our product's installer's. If it is present, could you please publish it? It will be very helpful.

2) As per above KB article, there are no merge modules for x64 platform and if there won't be in future, and if we decide not to use .msi, what could be the an option for us? Basically we want installation of Crystal Reports to happen behind the scenes. Please let us know.

Thanks,

Gulab.