How to change RemoveExistingProducts to after InstallFinalize when using WixUI_Advanced? - wix

Question

Here's my scenario:
Using Wix 3.6
Using the WixUI_Advanced dialog set (adds ability able to control individual features during install)
Setting NeverOverwrite="yes" for a web.config component (so that local changes post-install aren't lost)
However, the installer still seems to remove and re-install the web.config file during upgrade.
Best I can tell the WixUI_Advanced dialog set has something like the following configured:
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<RemoveExistingProducts After="InstallInitialize"/>
</InstallExecuteSequence>
Here are logs snippets from the install:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:959]: Executing op: ActionStart(Name=InstallInitialize,,)
Action 18:37:00: InstallInitialize.
...
Action 18:37:00: ProcessComponents. Updating component registration
...
Action 18:37:00: UnpublishFeatures. Unpublishing Product Features
...
UnpublishFeatures: Feature: ProductFeature
...
UnpublishFeatures: Feature: AdditionalFeature
...
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:967]: Executing op: ActionStart(Name=RemoveFiles,Description=Removing files,Template=File: [1], Directory: [9])
Action 18:37:00: RemoveFiles. Removing files
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:967]: Executing op: ProgressTotal(Total=2,Type=1,ByteEquivalent=175000)
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:967]: Executing op: SetTargetFolder(Folder=C:\Program Files (x86)\MyTestApp\WebApp\)
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:967]: Executing op: FileRemove(,FileName=web.config,,ComponentId={B4A12A8F-56A3-4DD1-A0BA-B9C39EB305FD})
RemoveFiles: File: web.config, Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\MyTestApp\WebApp\
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:968]: Verifying accessibility of file: web.config
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:969]: Note: 1: 2318 2:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:969]: Note: 1: 2318 2:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:969]: Executing op: FileRemove(,FileName=somefile.txt,,ComponentId={B835CEF5-1A84-4C37-8CB0-BE983BAF73F9})
RemoveFiles: File: somefile.txt, Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\MyTestApp\WebApp\
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:970]: Verifying accessibility of file: somefile.txt
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:970]: Note: 1: 2318 2:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:970]: Note: 1: 2318 2:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:971]: Executing op: ActionStart(Name=PublishProduct,Description=Publishing product information,)
Action 18:37:00: PublishProduct. Publishing product information
...
Action 18:37:00: RollbackCleanup. Removing backup files
RollbackCleanup: File: C:\Config.Msi\7cd65c.rbf
RollbackCleanup: File: C:\Config.Msi\7cd65d.rbf
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:980]: Note: 1: 2318 2:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:981]: Note: 1: 2318 2:
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:981]: No System Restore sequence number for this installation.
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:981]: Unlocking Server
MSI (s) (74:8C) [18:37:00:985]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Deleting UpdateStarted property. Its current value is '1'.
Action ended 18:37:00: InstallFinalize. Return value 1.
Action ended 18:37:00: INSTALL. Return value 1.
As you can see it removes the web.config file after InstallInitialize
When I try to change the wxs file, adding:
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<RemoveExistingProducts After="InstallFinalize"/>
</InstallExecuteSequence>
I get:
error LGHT0091: Duplicate symbol 'WixAction:InstallExecuteSequence/RemoveExistingProducts' found. This typically means that an Id is duplicated. Check to make sure all your identifiers of a given type (File, Component, Feature) are unique.
Here is the Product.wxs file I'm using:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi" xmlns:util="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension">
<Product Id="*" Name="MyTestInstaller" Language="1033" Version="1.0.9.0" Manufacturer="Acme, Inc" UpgradeCode="6ca3779c-e8ce-42e8-bf81-3166bd96e585">
<Package Id="*" InstallerVersion="301" Compressed="yes" InstallScope="perMachine" Platform="x64" InstallPrivileges="elevated" />
<Upgrade Id="6ca3779c-e8ce-42e8-bf81-3166bd96e585">
<UpgradeVersion Minimum="1.0.9.0" OnlyDetect="yes" Property="NEWERVERSIONDETECTED" />
<UpgradeVersion OnlyDetect="no" Minimum="0.0.0.0" IncludeMinimum="yes" Maximum="1.0.9.0" Property="OLDERVERSIONBEINGUPGRADED" IgnoreRemoveFailure="yes">
</UpgradeVersion>
</Upgrade>
<Condition Message="A later version of [ProductName] is already installed.">NOT NEWERVERSIONDETECTED</Condition>
<Media Id="1" Cabinet="myapp.cab" EmbedCab="yes" />
<MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of [ProductName] is already installed." />
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="MyTestInstaller" Level="1">
<ComponentGroupRef Id="ProductComponents" />
</Feature>
<Feature Id="AdditionalFeature" Title="Additional Features" Level="10">
<ComponentGroupRef Id="AdditionalComponents"/>
</Feature>
<Property Id="ApplicationFolderName" Value="MyTestApp"/>
<!-- BEGIN: DISABLE THE Per User Install -->
<Property Id="WixAppFolder" Value="WixPerMachineFolder"/>
<WixVariable Id="WixUISupportPerUser" Value="0" />
<!-- END: DISABLE THE Per User Install -->
<UI>
<UIRef Id="WixUI_Advanced" />
</UI>
</Product>
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Name="ICS">
<Directory Id="WebApp" Name="WebApp">
<Component Id="WEB.CONFIG" Guid="B4A12A8F-56A3-4DD1-A0BA-B9C39EB305FD" DiskId="1" NeverOverwrite="yes">
<File Id="WEB.CONFIG" Name="web.config" Source="web.config" KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
<Component Id="SOMEFILE" DiskId="1" Guid="B835CEF5-1A84-4C37-8CB0-BE983BAF73F9">
<File Id="SOMEFILE" Name="somefile.txt" Source="somefile.txt" KeyPath="yes"/>
<util:XmlConfig Id="WEBCFG_1" File="[WebApp]Web.config" Action="create" Node="element" Name="module" ElementPath="/configuration/autofac/modules" VerifyPath="/configuration/autofac/modules/module[\[]#type='ICS.Automation.JDE.Base.JDEModule, ICS.Automation.JDE.Base'[\]]" Sequence="10" On ="install" />
<util:XmlConfig Id="WEBCFG_2" ElementId="WEBCFG_1" File="[WebApp]Web.config" Name="type" Value="MyDll, MyDll" Sequence="11" />
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents">
<ComponentRef Id="WEB.CONFIG"/>
</ComponentGroup>
<ComponentGroup Id="AdditionalComponents">
<ComponentRef Id="SOMEFILE"/>
</ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>
</Wix>
How can I change the RemoveExistingProducts to come after InstallFinalize?
Ultimately, I just need this file to never be overwritten.
Thanks!

Answer 1

The MajorUpgrade tag is the preferred way to do the upgrade, and that will sequence RemoveExistingProducts (REP) wherever you specify - that should simplify some of this. There's no reason for the UI to move REP around.
The default for scheduling REP is after InstallValidate, which is basically a uninstall of the old product followed by an install of the upgrade, so it's not so much an update/overwrite of the config file as an uninstall/remove followed by a fresh install.
If the REP is scheduled afterInstallExecute then overwrite rules apply during the upgrade (because the upgrade "overwrites" the existing installed product before it's uninstalled). The web.config file just needs to have the same component id in both the old and new products, and if it has indeed been changed after it was installed then the overwrite rules should mean it won't be overwritten.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa370531(v=vs.85).aspx
In other words just use the major upgrade element with afterInstallExecute, have the same component ids in both old and new resources (files etc) and the web.config file shouldn't be overwritten, and you don't need to set neveroverwrite.
In my opinion having REP afterInstallExecute is better than after InstallFinalize because the latter is outside the install transaction, so the upgrade install can succeed, then the REP after InstallFinalize can fail and roll back, leaving both products simultaneously installed. Having REP within the transaction results in a full rollback if the uninstall of the older product fails.