I've found the MsiBreak environment variable is a very useful tool for
debugging custom actions. See
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa368264.aspx for the details, but in a
nutshell:
1) Start a command prompt (if you are on Vista make sure it is elevated. XP
make sure you are an admin)
2) Set the MsiBreak environment variable to the name of your custom action
3) Run the MSI from within the command prompt window
MSI will throw a dialog up before it runs your custom action with the process
number you should attach to. Then attach to that process, click on on the MSI
dialog, and it'll automatically break at the start of your custom action. You
can then debug from there.
Neil
________________________________________
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tony Juricic [EMAIL
PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 4:47 PM
To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: [WiX-users] Debugging C++ Custom Actions
I often encounter problems debugging deferred C++ DLL CAs. Most of the
time DebugBreak() works. Now and then it won't and then I use __asm {
int 3 } which, for some reason, tends to work more often than
DebugBreak.
Then I encounter situations when even int 3 won't work in the sense that
Vista (and 4.0 Installer) does not offer me a chance to break into the
debugger but, instead, shows a dialog box saying "Windows installer
stopped working and was closed".
In this dialog I can only press Close button and my installation appears
successful. I just appears so because the bunch of CA code that was
supposed to execute after int 3 didn't execute and that is fatal for my
apps.
If I remove int 3 (or DebugBreak()) then I don't see the dialog box
mentioned above and but that doesn't help my debugging.
Do you encounter similar problems and can anybody suggest reliable
method to break into deferred action DLL code?
Thanks!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge
Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes
Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world
http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/
_______________________________________________
WiX-users mailing list
WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge
Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes
Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world
http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/
_______________________________________________
WiX-users mailing list
WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
