Hey Bryan, That is correct. It is always why I am suggesting, if possible on your timeline, to wait for Burn. It will allow you to do your custom UI in native (possibly managed) and develop it any way you would like. It would also allow for multiple packages (MSI and exe). It would support the same ACID level that an MSI itself supports.
Again, timing. Hope that helps, Brian Rogers "Intelligence removes complexity." - Me http://icumove.spaces.live.com On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 10:44 AM, bryan costanich <br...@corp.tixsmart.com>wrote: > You make good arguments for MSI, and i will second the transactional > support, but as i dig deeper into the MSI offering, i'm starting to believe > that it simply will not work for what i'm trying to do. > -> specifically, the msi from another msi problem that stefan pointed out > (and i subsequently researched and validated and found that this is a > common > problem that has no easy/adequate solution). > -> the lack of control over the install process (including not just custom > dialogs, but complete full-screen control) > > i can use windows workflow to get turnkey transactional support, but i > still > miss out on a lot of the cool MSI features, such as costing/progress, and > now i'll have to figure out how to manually add things into the program > registry (for uninstall via control panel), etc. > > but in the end, i think i'll need a completely custom pipeline, where i > call > MSIEXEC to execute msi distributables. and i'll probably package everything > up in a winzip self-extracting exe. > > > On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 9:22 AM, Brian Rogers <rogers.br...@gmail.com > >wrote: > > > Hey Bryan, > > > > For the complications that you face and the possible points of failure I > > would say that MSI would be the right choice in its ability to handle > > installations as a transaction (install, rollback, uninstall, commit). > This > > might help you maintain a stable system state. Your install/uinstall > should > > be A.C.I.D. > > > > That being said there is a learning curve to getting involved in MSI. The > > WIX toolset goes out of its way to make that curve smaller and handle > some > > of the "gotchas" along the way. However, it is still up to you to > > understand > > the Windows Installer API and its limitations. > > > > In the coming months the WIX toolset is going to be releasing a > > bootstrapper > > as well. This would be something for you to add to the pros for using > WIX. > > Although it is not out yet, and there are others, make sure that you > choose > > wisely in which bootstrapper you use if you can't wait until "Burn" comes > > out. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Brian Rogers > > "Intelligence removes complexity." - Me > > http://icumove.spaces.live.com > > > > > > On Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 6:36 PM, Stefan Sinnige <s...@vasco.com> wrote: > > > > > One thing we came across: > > > > > > We had trouble with Windows Installer (not just WiX) when calling an > MSI > > > from another MSI, stating that a Windows Installer was already running. > > > > > > We opted for a simple MFC executable that would then invoke the MSI's > > > using msiexec instead. > > > > > > Stefan > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: bryan costanich [mailto:br...@corp.tixsmart.com] > > > Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 11:24 AM > > > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > > Subject: [WiX-users] noob/strategy questions > > > > > > Hi all! > > > I'm evaluating WiX for use in a project. I have some pretty hairy > > > installation requirements, and i'm trying to figure out if WiX is the > > > right > > > tool for the job. > > > > > > I need to create an install that does a number of things: > > > -> install various other packaged software (MySQL, SQLExpress, etc.), > > > these > > > come in the form of msi and exe files that i can make silent via > command > > > line arguments > > > -> install my own software (in the form of an .exe + a bunch of dlls) > > > -> do a bunch of custom configuration tasks (that i can take care of > > > with a > > > dll call or whatever, will include modifying files, creating/modifying > > > databases, etc.) > > > > > > some of this is fairly easy, for example, i could just use windows > > > installer > > > and point it at my application project to figure out dependencies and > > > create > > > an msi that would install it, it's dlls, etc. however, some of the > > > other > > > stuff is less easy. i could, potentially use windows installer to do > the > > > third task as well by defining custom actions. > > > > > > however, to make this even more complicated the installer needs to run > > > full > > > screen and use custom branding. > > > > > > also, this install package can/will be called by the software it > > > installs > > > (as an auto-update), needs to wait for the application to shut down, > > > then > > > install (potentially restart), and re-launch the application. > > > > > > finally, everything needs to be packaged into one exe (or at least an > > > exe > > > and one .msi). > > > > > > so, with all that said, would WiX even be useful here? a lot of this > > > will > > > have to be custom dialogs and such. > > > > > > at a minimum, could i use WiX to link together the bootstrapper + an > msi > > > that contained a bunch of custom dialogs and .net classes that do all > > > the > > > actual lifting? > > > > > > thanks all for your input. > > > > > > -b > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > ------ > > > _______________________________________________ > > > WiX-users mailing list > > > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > _______________________________________________ > > > WiX-users mailing list > > > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > > WiX-users mailing list > > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
