Glad you got that working, Nicolas. You're following a path we're considering for future releases of AdventureWorks (that's pretty much what we're doing for the T-SQL scripts to build the databases now); thanks for sharing your learnings. We're also considering PowerShell and/or DTF. We're leaning toward DTF because of the unit testability. We're pretty sure that expecting the .NET Framework to be on a target machine is reasonable because it's a prerequisite for SQL Server these days.
Note: ASCMD (even in binary form) also requires that the .NET framework be installed on the target machine, just like your custom C# executable (that's all ASCMD is). -----Original Message----- From: Nicolas Bryant [mailto:n...@manpowersoftware.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 09:28 To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Creating a SQL Analysis Services DB As I've had no response to this, I suppose I may as well post the "solution" I've cobbled together: The installation contains ascmd.exe as a "binary", and installs the .xmla script and also a .cmd file to the Windows temp folder. A custom action then uses ascmd to execute the .xmla script. (The server included in the ascmd command-line is derived from a property set by the installation GUI). A second custom action launches the .cmd file which deletes the .xmla script, and also the .cmd file itself. I did try a few other possibilities but none of them worked out. Making .xmla a "binary" didn't work because I couldn't figure out how to dynamically modify a binary file. (I'm also not sure if one binary file can be used as the argument of another). I also tried using a VBScript custom action to delete the files, but that failed because the script had to be executed *before* InstallFinalize while (for some reason I don't fully understand) using ascmd to run the .xmla script only executes without erroring if it happens *after* InstallFinalize. I also tried using a little C# executable to do the file deletion (held as a binary); that did work, but wasn't allowable because it would require the .NET run-time to be installed on the box where the setup programme was running. > -----Original Message----- > From: Nicolas Bryant [mailto:n...@manpowersoftware.com] > Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 5:50 PM > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: [WiX-users] Creating a SQL Analysis Services DB > > Hello all. > > > > First thing to say is that I'm an Extreme Newbie(tm) when it comes to > Wix, so please be gentle! *anxious smile* > > > > Okay, what I'm trying to do is to create a SQL analysis services DB as > part of the installation. I've managed to add some GUI which sets the > value of some properties that store the name of the server (we assume > for the moment that the server has analysis services installed) and the > name of the database that we're going to create. The GUI also captures > the server, db, user and password for the SQL database that the analysis > services DB is based on. My automated build process creates a .xmla > script file which (I hope) can be used to construct the database (which > includes some dimensions and a cube), but it will need to have the > connection string for the SQL database configured dynamically as part of > the install. > > > > I've a few months of C# experience, but no experience at all with C++ or > VBScript, so I would prefer to avoid writing a C++ DLL or some VBScript > to handle this. (As I said above, I'm VERY new to Wix). > > > > Now, Microsoft distributes a utility called ascmd which (I think) can be > used to execute a .xmla script against the server to create the AS > database. My first thought therefore was that I could use a Wix > CustomAction to run ascmd with the .xmla script. (Does this seem > reasonable?) > > > > I can't, however, work out a comfortable way of doing this. I could > perhaps install ascmd and the .xmla file to the Windows temp folder. I > could then modify the .xmla file dynamically to include the correct > connection string and then delete them at the end of the install. I can > get most of that working, but not the eventual deletion. In any case, > this would presumably mess things up on the uninstall, as files that had > been a part of the install would no longer be there...? > > > > I know that there is supposed to be a way to bundle files into the Wix > installation package that are not actually installed, but I can't figure > out how to do that, either. (I know it's something to do with a <Binary> > tag, but the correct syntax and location to include it elude me). And, > if I do somehow manage to bundle (but not install) the files, how do I > dynamically change the connection string property in the .xmla file? And > how do I then launch ascmd correctly/ > > > > Any suggestions would be welcome! > > > > Rgds, > > > > Nicolas. > > > > This e-mail is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. It may > contain confidential information and/or privileged material. If you receive > this in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the > information from your computer; please do not copy or use it for any purpose > nor disclose its contents to any other person. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- > - > This SF.net email is sponsored by: > SourcForge Community > SourceForge wants to tell your story. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/sf-spreadtheword > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.net email is sponsored by: SourcForge Community SourceForge wants to tell your story. http://p.sf.net/sfu/sf-spreadtheword _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.net email is sponsored by: SourcForge Community SourceForge wants to tell your story. http://p.sf.net/sfu/sf-spreadtheword _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
