3 replies to this topic

[Pickings]

Hi,
I'm trying to create a stand-alone setup program using the Visual Studio Installer (VSI) 1.1 and a stand-alone extractor builder program called PaquetBuilder (similar to, but niftier and cheaper than winzip's self-extractor). Both PaquetBuilder  and windzip have a feature that allows you to extract files from the archive, run a program, and then delete the files after the program finishes.

As you might know, in addition to an MSI file, VSI creates a "bootstrap" setup loader called setup.exe that takes care of installing the windows installer and then executing the associated .MSI setup file.

My problem is this: When setup.exe runs, it spawns msiexec in another process and returns immediately. Then, PaquetBuilder deletes the .MSI file before msiexec can get to it - not good form.

Does anybody know how to tell when a VSI install is truly finished? I know Installshield's setup.exe can do this, but I don't feel like spending $1000 for this one feature.

Thanks in advance,
rdp

[Scott Williams]

Well, I can't help you much with your PaquetBuilder program, but the WinZip Self-Extractor has two entries when making one for a software install.  One is the command to execute after the files are extracted, in this case setup.exe, and then a Wait For field, meaning the process it should wait for to end to finish the install, in this case msiexec.exe.

Maybe PaquetBuilder has a similar setting?

[Stefan Krueger]

typically the msiexec.exe process keeps running even after the installation has finished. And there may be several msiexec processes running simultaneously. So that's not reliable.
I suggest you do not delete the setup files after the setup has finished. They may also be required for auto-repair, install on demand, update, patch, uninstall.

BTW InstallShield's PackageForTheWeb can be downloaded free of charge.

[Pickings]

Quote (Stefan Krueger @ Mar. 22 2002,14:17)

typically the msiexec.exe process keeps running even after the installation has finished. And there may be several msiexec processes running simultaneously. So that's not reliable. I suggest you do not delete the setup files after the setup has finished. They may also be required for auto-repair, install on demand, update, patch, uninstall. BTW InstallShield's PackageForTheWeb can be downloaded free of charge.

Thanks for all of the advice. I have decided to do as you say and leave the files. PaquetBuilder allows you to put a readme message before the extraction, so I can tell users that they can delete the files if they want.