6 replies to this topic

[DhirenC]

I have a setup in MSI of the third party software. I want to integrate that one in my MSI and it will be based on the user selection while installing.

How to create an MSM (merge module file) from that MSI of third party setup ?

Thanks in advance.
Dhiren

[abowman]

I also have this issue. Did you ever figure out how to create a MSM from a 3rd party MSI?

[Stefan Krueger]

Using InstallShield X for instance, you could create an empty merge module project, then open the MSI file and export components from the MSI file to the merge module project.
Note that there are some limitations with merge modules: They can't include features, using custom actions requires some additional modifications, and you shouldn't have dialogs in merge modules. Also if the original manufacturer releases an update for their product you cannot install it. Instead you have to update the merge module and publish an update for your own product.
Therefore in most cases it is not recommended to convert and MSI to an MSM. Microsoft has decided to no longer provide merge modules to install MSDE for instance, and instead only provides an MSI. The suggested method is to use a launcher exe that will run the two MSIs sequentially.

[russellperry]

Stefan, Is this still the recommended method? I need to distribute the MS Office 2003 PIAs with a PowerPoint add-in.

[Stefan Krueger]

You can still export components from an MSI project to a MSM project.

MSDE should not be installed as MSM but by running the MSDE setup from a launcher. Same applies to SQL Server Express (which isn't available as MSMs in the first place) and other third party software. This enables the third party package to be serviced independently from your application, e.g. security hotfixes. A launcher is the only recommended way to chain multiple msi setups.

Any redistributables from a third party vendor like Microsoft should be installed in the package they provide. Don't try to extract the components from these packages. You would lose the advantage of independent servicing, and typically this would also be a violation of the EULA.

[russellperry]

Ok, thanks Stefan. Do you have any tool recommendations for generating the wrapper exe?

[Stefan Krueger]

Please take a look at the links here:
http://www.msifaq.com/a/1036.htm