repackage msi files

[PEO]

Is it possible to extract an msi file. make changes to a .ini file and then repackage the msi file again?

[ZeroHour]

Kinda, if you use the steps in the ACTIVstudio guide to extract the compressed MSI and then you deploy the resulting MSI that is created it will deploy the modified file if you replace it in the extracted directory structure. The only time you would have a problem is if the MSI had checksums for files turned on but generally they dont. Also remember that this will probably only work for standard MSI's.
Not sure if I am explaining it properly though.

[ajbritton]

You should not have to extract the contents of the MSI package to edit an INI file. The MSI file contains an INI table which holds all the settings for all INI files that are created or edited by the package. You can edit this with ORCA.

[ZeroHour]

Your assuming its a well made msi for one. It sounds like the Activstudio msi actually lol.
The ini table is not a requirement anyway so a lot don't bother with that method especially since ini is shunned upon in the developer world as old tech as opposed to the registry for storage of program settings.
It is very easy for sys admins though