6 replies to this topic

[Andrzej]

Hello everyone,
I have a problem with a sequence, especially with a back sequence. If I go forward without clicking back button it is ok. When I click back button the problem starts. I have several custom actions that I need to run between dialogs. If I put these action in pushbutton “DoAction” event I am getting warning: “Calling DoAction from a control event on an InstallScript custom action may not work in all cases …” – so it is not too good idea to do. What I did next, was that I have inserted in the sequence view those custom actions along with dialogs. Dialogs that had custom actions inserted in between did not pointed directly to each other. When I clicked back button on dialog no.4 I went back to dialog no.3, but next button on dialog no.3 took me to dialog no.5 (dialog no.4 and custom actions that were between 3 and 4 weren’t executed). The last thing that I did, I pointed next button on dialog no.3 to dialog no.4 and back button of dialog no.4 on dialog no.3 etc., but all it does it goes in the back and forward sequence fine from dialog to dialog but without executing custom actions not even once. Does anyone has an idea what am I doing wrong? Any help is appreciated. If I am not expressing my self clearly pleas ask questions.

Andrzej

[SkipSailors]

Maybe it is useful to think of the installation in this way.  There are sequences, which are a series of Custom Actions and dialog streams.  Notice I say 'dialog streams' as opposed to dialogs.  A dialog stream is inserted into the Sequence by adding the first dialog in the stream of dialogs into the Sequence.  Other dialogs that follow the first one are connected to each other in the User Interface panel, by attaching them to control events.

At the end of a dialog stream, the next action in the sequence starts.

When you have a mix of Actions and dialogs, the strategy is to design the sequence of actions, puncuated with various dialogs streams.

It sounds like your case is one where the sequence of actions is not very sequential, and that responses from conversations with dialogs will determine if subsequent actions will occur.  So what I see is that you have to map your design to a flatter representation.  You have to clutter you actions with conditions about if they execute or not based on responses collected in dialogs.  And instead of designing one dialog stream, you maybe should design lots of little dialog streamlets.  Shift from a dialog-centric paradigm to an Action-centric paradigm.

In the example you gave below, Dialog 3 would be the e end of a dialog sequence and dialog 4 would be the beginning of the next stream, with some custom actions inseted between them in the sequence.

This is good motiviation for trying to design installations as a single conversation, asking for information and collecting responses in properties, doing as few actions as possible until all the information is collected.

HTH

[Leigh Ravenhall]

I assume the warning that you are getting is the one that mentions SOURCEDIR, TARGETDIR, etc.  This warning is given because some functions/properties cannot be called until later in the dialog sequence.

If you don't actually use any of these functions/properties, then you can place the custom action in the next button of the dialog.  It will execute every time.  The warning are generated regardless of whether your script contains any of the functions that cannot be called.

[Andrzej]

The problem I have is to manage to execute custom actions that resides between dialog streams each time I go through it (for example if I have ca between dialog 3 and 4 and I go back from dialog 4 to dialog 3 and again go forward from dialog 3 to dialog 4 I want to execute my ca). The first time I go through the sequence ca is being executed, the second time it isn’t. Is there any setting that I have missed or is there a way that I can force my ca to execute any time I want (besides sequence number or DoAction event) and keep right dialog sequence?

[Andrzej]

I am using SystemFolder in one action and SUPPORTDIR in another, rest of actions use properties created by me
Andrzej

[SteveK]

Are the custom actions conditioned?  Are they changing the test condition?