I've read How do I pass msiexec properties to a WiX C# custom action? , but that didn't answer my question, or maybe I just don't see what I am doing wrong.
My install package fails to install, and the logs say that my property wasn't found in the custom actions collection. My code is:
<CustomAction Id="SetCustomActionDataValue" Return="check" Property="Itp.Configurator.WixCustomAction" Value="G=G2" />
<CustomAction Id="CreateDatabase" BinaryKey="Binary1" DllEntry="CreateDatabase" Execute="deferred" Return="check" />
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action='SetCustomActionDataValue' After="InstallFiles"/>
<Custom Action='CreateDatabase' After="SetCustomActionDataValue">
NOT Installed AND NOT PATCH
</Custom>
</InstallExecuteSequence>
And code inside the custom action is:
string Property1 = session.CustomActionData["G"];
The name of the property in your first element must be exactly the same as the name of the deferred custom action you'd like to pass the value to. So, if the deferred action is CreateDatabase, then the first element should look like this:
<CustomAction Id="SetCustomActionDataValue" Return="check" Property="CreateDatabase" Value="G=G2" />
Related
So I created this customAction that gets me the path of another app using Registries
string value = Registry.GetValue(userRoot, key, -1).ToString();
session["INSTALLLOCATION"] = value;
And it works. The problem is how I send it back to the .wxs file and set the installation path of something to be that string value. I have this thing in the Wix file:
<CustomAction Id="CustomAction" Property="CustomAction2" Value="path=[INSTALLLOCATION]" />
<Binary Id="CustomActionBinary" SourceFile="$(var.ProAdmin_TargetDir)ExtractRegistryPath\bin\Debug\ExtractRegistryPath.CA.dll"/>
<CustomAction Id="CustomAction2" Impersonate="no" BinaryKey="CustomActionBinary" DllEntry="CustomAction1" Return="check" Execute="deferred"/>
<InstallUISequence>
<Custom Action="CustomAction" Before="CustomAction2" />
<Custom Action='CustomAction2' Before="ExecuteAction" />
</InstallUISequence>
This thing throws an 2762 error code.
You're getting error 2762 because you can't have deferred actions in the InstallUISequence. The custom action that populates the INSTALLLOCATION property should be called at the beginning of both the InstallUISequence and InstallExecuteSequence as an 'immediate' action - and - INSTALLLOCATION should be a folder in the Directory table.
I am using Wix 3.11.1 with VS2017 Extension. I set a property from a control on a custom Dialogue and then try to execute an immediate custom action. When I try to read the session, it is always empty.
As recommended I changed my action to differed execution and used an immediate action to set my property. When I run my installer I get the error: "DEBUG: Error 2896: Executing action [ActionName] failed."
In CustomDialog.wxs
<Control Id="ConnId" Type="Edit" X="60" Y="110" Height="17" Width="300" Property="CONN"/>
<Control Id="installButton" Type="PushButton" Text="Continue" Height="15" Width="60" X="240" Y="260">
<Publish Event="DoAction" Value="RegistrationInfoCustomAction">1</Publish>
<Publish Event="EndDialog" Value="Return">1</Publish>
</Control>
<Fragment>
<Binary Id="CustomActionBinary" SourceFile="..\..\CustomActions\bin\Debug\CustomActions.CA.dll"/>
<CustomAction Id="SetPropertyForShowProperty" Property="RegistrationInfoCustomAction" Execute="immediate" Value="[CONN]" Return="check" />
<CustomAction Id="RegistrationInfoCustomAction" BinaryKey="CustomActionBinary" DllEntry="SaveUserInfo" Execute="deferred" Return="check" HideTarget="no"/>
</Fragment>
In Product.wxs
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action="SetPropertyForShowProperty" After="InstallInitialize"/>
<Custom Action="RegistrationInfoCustomAction" Before="InstallFinalize"/>
</InstallExecuteSequence>
In CustomActions.cs
[CustomAction]
public static ActionResult SaveUserInfo(Session session)
{
Debugger.Launch();
CustomActionData data = session.CustomActionData;
session.Log("Begin SaveUserInfo");
var connectionString = data["CONN"];
session.Log($"content: {connectionString}");
session.Log("End SaveUserInfo");
return ActionResult.Success;
}
The custom action works when it contains only logging statements but adding any other code make it fail. Also, the session is always empty.
In Installer Log:
MSI (c) (88:34) [16:30:21:255]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\Users\Andre\AppData\Local\Temp\MSIF1A3.tmp, Entrypoint: SaveUserInfo
MSI (c) (88:F8) [16:30:21:256]: Cloaking enabled.
MSI (c) (88:F8) [16:30:21:256]: Attempting to enable all disabled privileges before calling Install on Server
MSI (c) (88:F8) [16:30:21:256]: Connected to service for CA interface.
Action ended 16:30:41: RegistrationInfoCustomAction. Return value 3.
DEBUG: Error 2896: Executing action RegistrationInfoCustomAction failed.
The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2896.
The arguments are: RegistrationInfoCustomAction, ,
Action ended 16:30:41: SetupDialog. Return value 3.
MSI (c) (88:8C) [16:30:41:911]: Doing action: FatalError
Similar Answers: I want to add some linkes to previous answers on the topic of deferred mode custom actions. There are links to github-samples in these answers - including one sample which uses the DTF class CustomActionData to easily send properties to deferred mode (once you are properly set up):
How to hide the value of customactiondata in logs of MSI?
Pass ConnectionString to Custom Action in WiX Installer (escape semicolon)
UPDATE: It is late, I didn't see this on first sight, but only immediate mode custom actions can be run from the setup GUI. Make a new, immediate mode custom action to set a value to your PUBLIC property CONN, and then set the value of CONN via a type 51 custom action to be assigned to the Id of the deferred mode custom action - as described below.
SecureCustomProperties: Add the property you specify to SecureCustomProperties by setting the Secure="yes" attribute:
<Property Id="MYPROPERTY" Secure="yes">Send this text to deferred mode</Property>
Name Match: the property name you assign the value to must match the deferred mode custom action Id. Looks OK in your source.
More Technical: the Property attribute's value of the type 51 action must be identical to the Id of the custom action that is consuming CustomActionData:
<!-- Declare property with value -->
<Property Id="MYPROPERTY" Secure="yes">Send this text to deferred mode</Property>
<!-- Type 51 CA: Send value of MYPROPERTY to the deferred mode CA named MyAction -->
<CustomAction Id="MyAction.SetProperty" Return="check" Property="MyAction" Value="[MYPROPERTY]" />
<!-- The deferred mode custom action -->
<CustomAction Id="MyAction" Return="check" Execute="deferred" BinaryKey="CAs" DllEntry="MyAction" />
<!-- ... -->
<!-- Inserting the CAs in sequence -->
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action="MyAction.SetProperty" After="InstallInitialize" />
<Custom Action="MyAction" Before="InstallFinalize" />
</InstallExecuteSequence>
Here are some resources:
How to pass CustomActionData to a CustomAction using WiX?
https://www.firegiant.com/wix/tutorial/events-and-actions/at-a-later-stage/
How to access installer properties from deferred custom actions
Accessing or Setting Windows Installer Properties Through Deferred, Commit, and Rollback Custom Actions
Getting CustomActionData in deferred custom action
Just for debugging reference. And you can use: string data = session["CustomActionData"];
Tell you what, let me slide in the code to test using VBScript so you can use message boxes. Should not be necessary, just in case you have a debugging issue:
VBScript "Simple.vbs" (save as file):
MsgBox Session.Property("CustomActionData")
WiX markup change:
<Binary Id='Simple.vbs' SourceFile='Simple.vbs' />
<CustomAction Id="MyAction" Return="check" Execute="deferred" BinaryKey="Simple.vbs" VBScriptCall='' />
Just in case that is easier. Recommend you use VBScript for debugging only. I like VBScript to get a "heartbeat" when I want to eliminate all other error sources.
I have some problems with managed code custom actions. I have 3 custom actions but only one of them is working. They are called at different times in InstallExecuteSequence but moving them makes no difference. I know there not getting very far because if I place a message box at the beginning of the routine(for debugging) it never get called . Where am I going wrong ? The actions are created like so.
<Binary Id="CA" SourceFile="$(var.ca.Custom.Actions.TargetDir)$(var.ca.Custom.Actions.TargetName).CA.dll" />
<CustomAction Id="WriteRemoveArpEntry" Property="CustomActionData" Value="PNAME=$(var.ProductName)" HideTarget="yes" />
<CustomAction Id="RemoveArpEntry" BinaryKey="CA" DllEntry="RemoveProductFromARP" Return="ignore" />
<CustomAction Id="SetValueforProductFolder" Property="CustomActionData" Value="SDIR=[INSTALLDIR];TDIR=[MANUDIR]\backup\$(var.ProductName)\$(var.VersionNumber)" HideTarget="yes" />
<CustomAction Id="Backup_Product_DIR" BinaryKey="CA" DllEntry="BackupDIR" Return="ignore" />
<CustomAction Id="WriteInstallAttemptData" Property="CustomActionData" Value="PRODUCTNAME=$(var.ProductName);APPVERSION=$(var.VersionNumber)" HideTarget="yes" />
<CustomAction Id="WriteInstallAttempt" BinaryKey="CA" DllEntry="WriteXMLServer" Return="ignore" />
I then call them here
<Custom Action="SetValueforProductFolder" Before="Backup_Product_DIR">NOT Installed AND NOT REMOVE</Custom>
<Custom Action="Backup_Product_DIR" Before="InstallFinalize">NOT Installed AND NOT REMOVE</Custom>
<Custom Action="WriteRemoveArpEntry" Before="InstallFinalize">NOT Installed AND NOT REMOVE</Custom>
<Custom Action="RemoveArpEntry" After="WriteRemoveArpEntry">NOT Installed AND NOT REMOVE</Custom>
<Custom Action="WriteInstallAttemptData" After="InstallFinalize">NOT Installed AND NOT REMOVE</Custom>
<Custom Action="WriteInstallAttempt" After="WriteInstallAttemptData">NOT Installed AND NOT REMOVE</Custom>
</InstallExecuteSequence>
The headers for the routines look like this
public static ActionResult BackupDIR(Session session)
{
public static ActionResult RemoveProductFromARP(Session session)
{
Public static ActionResult WriteXMLServer(Session session)
{
However only WriteXMLServer works. In the log file I get the following .
MSI (s) (BC:9C) [07:23:45:562]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL:
C:\Windows\Installer\MSI2E2A.tmp, Entrypoint: BackupDIR CustomAction
Backup_Product_DIR returned actual error code 1154 but will be
translated to success due to continue marking
In the one that works I get
MSI (s) (BC:A0) [07:24:25:994]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL:
C:\Windows\Installer\MSICC20.tmp, Entrypoint: WriteXMLServer SFXCA:
Extracting custom action to temporary directory:
C:\Windows\Installer\MSICC20.tmp-\ SFXCA: Binding to CLR version
v4.0.30319
The answer was very simple I forgot the
[CustomAction]
For the other two routines.
I have custom action which stores the file location into property at immediate phase.
Then I have another action at deffered phase, which reads this property and creates the file:
String configFilePath = session.CustomActionData["configPath"];
String configFileName = session.CustomActionData["configFile"];
...
Everything works so far.
At uninstall I would like to remove this file, so I have another deffered action, which executes after removing files. Action works, the problem is that property is empty(session.CustomActionData is empty).
Why? I have setted it at immediate phase also when uninstall is happening. And if I can read it at custom setUpConfig action, why I can't read it at custom removeConfig action?
I guess one option is to store this value into registry at installing phase and then read it from there when uninstalling. But I would like to know why i can set the property when installing the program, and why it is not setted at uninstalling. The action, which sets the proeprty is executed in both cases.
<CustomAction Id="ConfigFileLocation" Property="setUpConfig" Execute="immediate"
Value="configPath=[WEBSITE];configFile=config_template.asp" />
<CustomAction Id="setUpConfig" BinaryKey="MyCustomAction" DllEntry="configFile"
Execute="deferred" Impersonate="no" Return="check" />
<CustomAction Id="removeConfig" BinaryKey="MyCustomAction"
DllEntry="removeCustomFile" Execute="deferred" Impersonate="no" Return="check" />
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action="ConfigFileLocation" After="LaunchConditions" />
<Custom Action="setUpConfig" Before="InstallFinalize"><![CDATA[NOT REMOVE="ALL"]] />
<Custom Action="removeConfig" After="RemoveFiles"><![CDATA[REMOVE="ALL"]] />
</InstallExecuteSequence>
To pass data to a deferred custom action you must set a Property with a name that matches the CustomAction/#Id. You are doing that correctly for the setUpConfig custom action via the immediate ConfigFileLocation custom action.
However, the removeConfig custom action does not have an immediate custom action setting a Property named removeConfig.
Ergo the removeConfig custom action's CustomActionData property is blank.
i got a problem regarding wix and managed custom actions: I already managed it to create an managed custom action and got it called from my installer (verified it in the installation log files). My Problem is now that i did't manage it to pass data to the custom action. Afaik if i choose to run the custom action in such a late stage i must mark the action as "deferred". With this limitation it's only possible to access the CustomActionData Property right? Why does this not work in my case? (As far as i can see i adoptet everything correctly from the samples?)
Here is what i already tried:
Custom Action:
public class CustomActions
{
[CustomAction]
public static ActionResult RegisterDflHelp(Session session)
{
session.Log("Begin CustomAction1");
session.Log("Before Access to customactiondata");
//string helpdir = session["HELP_DIR"];
string cad = session["CustomActionData"];
Debugger.Break();
session.Log("Help dir is: " + helpdir);
session.Log("Custom Action Data is: " + cad);
return ActionResult.Success;
}
}
Merge Module which calls custom action:
<CustomAction Id='RegisterDflHelp' BinaryKey='RegisterDflHelpDll' DllEntry='RegisterDflHelp' Execute='deferred' />
<CustomAction Id="HELP_DIR.SetProperty" Return="check" Property="HELP_DIR" Value="Teeest" />
<Property Id='HELP_DIR' Secure='yes'/>
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action='HELP_DIR.SetProperty' After='InstallFiles' />
<Custom Action='RegisterDflHelp' After='HELP_DIR.SetProperty' />
</InstallExecuteSequence>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
</Directory>
<ComponentGroupRef Id="HelpGroup"/>
Product which includes Help-Merge Module:
<Product....>
<Package....>
...
<Directory>
<!--Directory which gets the help folder--!>
<Merge Id ="DflHelpInstaller" SourceFile="DflHelpInstaller.msm" Language="1033" DiskId="1" />
Anyone an idea? Thanks in advance!!
Daniel
Btw: What would also be interesting to know: At which stage in the installationprocess must an action marked as deferred? And if i managed it to call my custom action before this stage. Whats the advantage?
You are still setting the HELP_DIR property instead of the custom action data. If you are trying to set the CustomActionData for the RegisterDfHelp action to "Teeest", then I think you should do this:
<CustomAction Id="SetRegisterDflHelpCustomActionData" Return="check"
Property="RegisterDflHelp" Value="Teeest" />
<InstallExecuteSequence>
<Custom Action='SetRegisterDflHelpCustomActionData' After='InstallFiles' />
<Custom Action='RegisterDflHelp' After='SetRegisterDflHelpCustomActionData' />
</InstallExecuteSequence>
somethimes using your head really helps;-)
the reason why the sample above does not work is quite simple:
Instead of:
CustomAction Id="HELP_DIR.SetProperty" Return="check" Property="HELP_DIR" Value="Teeest" />
I head to set the Property Attribute to the Action which should get the custom data!! here:
<CustomAction Id="HELP_DIR.SetProperty" Return="check" Property="RegisterDflHelp" Value="$(var.HelpSourceDir)" />
Hope that helps others to save the time i spend to solve this silly problem;-)