MSI to execute a file

[randle]

Ok i'm struggling a bit here...

 

I'm trying to create a package around Visio 2007. So far i've run the OCT to create the msp file and placed this in the Updates folder. I'm now trying to create an msi which simply executes a batch file i've created which in turn executes the setup.exe with added commands (afaik you can't just add the command you want to run to an msi file!!?) but am not having a lot of luck. I've created a blank msi and added a CustomAction called "SetupExecute", I then added this action to the InstallExecuteSequence table with a condition of NOT Installed AND (REMOVE<>"ALL") and Sequence number 50.

 

When running this msi nothing really happens!! Any ideas?

[powdarrmonkey]

Wrong approach. MSI's aren't a replacement for scripts, which are what you want: either startup or login.

[randle]

Yes from trawling around the net i've gathered this isn't the right approach.

 

Startup/Login scripts aren't ideal in the environment i'm dealing with here as am using an RM network and so really need to deliver this via msi.

 

Thanks for the feedback though

[Michael]

I would agree, in an ideal world scripts would be perfect for this task. You can run scripts in an RM network, but it's much more complicated. Second problem is that workstations are locked down far too much with Software Restriction Policies.

 

I know RM CC3 uses a custom version of WinInstall LE to make MSIs RM compatible, but maybe using the real version of WinInstall LE to create an MSI might be the way forward?

[srochford]

I don't think you'll be able to use any kind of MSI to install Visio - it uses the Installer Service and you can't get one MSI running another one (you get to the situation which I often get when I impatiently try and run two installs at the same time where Windows says "you can't do this because another setup is in progress"

[PiqueABoo]

You can run scripts in an RM network, but it's much more complicated

 

Not really, provided you want the equivalent of computer startup scripts.

[Arthur]

... you can't get one MSI running another one (you get to the situation which I often get when I impatiently try and run two installs at the same time where Windows says "you can't do this because another setup is in progress"

You can with Windows Installer 4.5 and the chained installs feature.

[meastaugh1]

You can with Windows Installer 4.5 and the chained installs feature.

 

And you can do it in previous versions with Nested MSIs.

[Arthur]

I posted this on the RM Communities forums but I might as well post it here too, since it may be useful for other people.

 

If Visio is anything like Project 2007, you don't need to do anything special other than to create a couple of config.xml files and put the .msp file which contains the product key and settings outside of the 'Updates' folder.

Package.ini

[Package]
Description=Microsoft Office Project 2007 Standard SP2
Version=1.0.0.0
OS=5.1WS
ExeFile=Setup.exe
AddCommand= /adminfile "\\CC3-DC-01\RMPackages\Applications\Microsoft Office Project 2007 Standard SP2\v1.0.0.0\Settings.msp" /config "\\CC3-DC-01\RMPackages\Applications\Microsoft Office Project 2007 Standard SP2\v1.0.0.0\config.xml"
UninstallCommand= /uninstall "PrjStd" /config "\\CC3-DC-01\RMPackages\Applications\Microsoft Office Project 2007 Standard SP2\v1.0.0.0\config_uninstall.xml"

config.xml

config_uninstall.xml

Edited May 18, 2009 by Arthur

[Arthur]

Something else I found quite useful for Office 2007 was the following batch file. This can be used to extract the .msp files from the .exe update files all in one go.

 

Edit. Code won't post properly, so I have pasted it here (http://tinypaste.com/b724a). Original script from here.

Edited May 18, 2009 by Arthur

[randle]

I would agree, in an ideal world scripts would be perfect for this task. You can run scripts in an RM network, but it's much more complicated. Second problem is that workstations are locked down far too much with Software Restriction Policies.

 

I know RM CC3 uses a custom version of WinInstall LE to make MSIs RM compatible, but maybe using the real version of WinInstall LE to create an MSI might be the way forward?

 

In an ideal RM world this would be installed via a single msi file

 

Scripts aren't that more complicated on an RM network. You can created and assign them ala Vanilla along side the RM software but I don't want to have Two separate processes for this package.

 

I'm giving Arthur's solution a go but at the moment CC4 isn't liking the install command arguments and event viewer isn't really giving any hint on the problem

 

You can extract the SP files using the command

\\path_to_sp_exe\sp_filename /extract:"c:\chosen_extract_location"

Edited May 19, 2009 by randle

[MicrodigitUK]

I’m running a RM CC3 network and sometimes use “Bat To Exe Converter” to convert BAT scripts so they Ghost run in the background so the users cant cancel them.

Download

 

And then lunch the exe from a MSI by using “Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard” Articles - Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard (WIWW) 0.2.0

 

Or it can be just lunched by the RM application Agent by using an RM package ini file. (I use “Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard” as I come from the vanilla world)

 

This really helps when you have a script that you only need to rune once and want to send it to fix all of your workstations.

[randle]

I'll take a look at those tools Micro thanks

 

Arthur thanks so much for your examples. I had remove some bits for CC4 but was pretty much the same and can now allocate and deallocate this fine. Legend

[Arthur]

Glad you got it working in the end. Microsoft sure don't make it easy.

[randle]

No they don't but don't think i'll be forgetting how to allocate a MS application for a while though