I am developing an MSI installer by using WiX.
The main program installs to [APPLICATIONFOLDER]. I use the InstallDirDlg to set the directory of this without any issues.
I'd like to display a custom dialogue based on the InstallDirDlg to specify a directory to install a particular component. I'd like to set the default directory to [APPLICATIONFOLDER]\Resources. However when I run the installer, I get an error, code 2343.
I think this may be a problem with displaying a second level folder in the dialogue.
You could take a look at how this is done in the WixUI FeatureTree UI example. In particular, look at the CustomizeDlg.
The error 2343 means "Specified path is empty.", so you have probably set a property incorrectly. Looking at the log files generated by your installer may also help.
Related
I try to create a wix installer that has the need to create a file in the programme folder after Installation. For doing so, I have created a custom action, but I now have the following problem:
In order to write the file, I need to know the installation directory from session["INSTALLDIR"], which is only available if the action is executed "immediate".
However, if i run "immediate" after "install files", the target directory does not yet exist. If I run "deferred", it exists, but i cannot access session["INSTALLDIR"].
If I run "immediate" after "InstallFinalize", I can get the variable and the directory exists, but I am not elevated and hence not allowed to write the file.
What is the correct combination for writing a file to the installation directory?
You need to use CustomActionData to access property values from a deferred CA. You need something like this
or
another answer
Beyond using a built in extension for custom actions instead of writing your own, the next level would be how can I move complexity / custom actions out of the installer?
One thought is to write it to the registry instead. Another thought is for the application reading the value to be able to determine installation directory on it's own. One possibility is reflection to get the location another possibility is to query the MSI API for where the product is installed.
I am writing an installation script using WIX and have a question that arises in regards to the user selected location for installation. The program that needs to be installed needs to be installed at the root drive C:/, D:/, ext for the program to work. Using the Wix UI package WIXUI_INSTALLDIR the user can change the path that the program is installed too what I want to do is to make it impossible for the user to change anything except the root drive ie change D:\usr\sparrow\bin ---> C:\usr\sparrow bin if they so desired. Does anyone have any suggestions about how this might be accomplished?
You can do this with a custom action and a custom dialog, but I wouldn't do this. It is a lot of work, and doesn't seem to have any major benefits.
If I were you I would remove the chance to install to a custom location altogether. However, if the setup is run by command line, you won't be able to control what path they specify for TARGETDIR / INSTALLDIR anyway, unless you add a custom action check to abort the setup if the path is not to be allowed:
msiexec /i setup.msi TARGETDIR=c:\anypathcanbewrittenhere
I have a problem which is related to the execution of CopyFile on change/repair when using WIX to make a msi setup.
I have a feature which has a component which copies/moves a file from the source folder to a folder already present somwhere inside a users system. It is not the folder of my application. I am only moving this file and not installing it to the the target. This feature works fine if I install it using a complete setup. But when on initial install I chose not to install this feature and then try to install it during a " change " all other custom actions/components inside the feature are executed/installed except for the CopyFile component. This is critical to my setup and if it does not get copied my setup will fail.
Just wondering if anyone found a solution to a similar problem or ever came across a similar issue?
The component which contains the CopyFile operation is configured incorrectly. It should have an actual file or registry entry as a key path.
Although Windows Installer uses components to manage resources, the component key path is main factor which decides if the component is installed or not.
So a component without a resource as a key path will never be installed and the CopyFile operation it contains will never be executed.
When uninstalling my app, I'd like to configure the WiX setup to remove directories and like user settings and user data I want add a dialog with two check boxes and optionally remove all the files that were added. It looks like the uninstaller removes only the directories and files that were originally installed from the MSI file .
In other words, I want to give user a chance to Delete his data with a dialog while uninstall is called ?
Is this possible through WiX without resorting to custom actions? Any help would be appreciated.
To do this without using custom actions, see the WiX documentation regarding the RemoveFile and RemoveFolder elements. You can use these to remove files and folders on uninstallation. RemoveFolder will only work if the folder is empty.
Note that if the files are located in the user's application data directory, you will only be able to do this for the user that is uninstalling the application. You cannot easily do it for all users.
In the WIX I have a dialog where the user could select a folder [CUSTOM_FOLDER] from local machine, after the setup is finish I must give share to that folder and copy some files to it.
How could I archive this using WIX 3.5?
AFTER the setup is finished you want to install more files? Why not just simply install them during the process. That point aside, you can create as many empty folders as your heart desires during the installation process, then using CustomAction elements you can add the files after the installation has completed successfully. As for "give share to that folder" I have no idea what you are talking about. Please expand on that and I will try my best to answer it.