[Reposting to see if I can get some response] Is it good practice to package the following logics in an MSI using WiX? (Let's say I can assume that the MSI will always be installed on a freshly set-up server OS and that server environment can be controlled.)
Install and configure SQL databases - I see that there's support in WiX to run SQL scripts. However, for the "uninstall" scenario, do I have to produce a set of complementary scripts to undo the original SQL scripts? - Similarly, if I am to create an MSP for adding a row in a database table, I need to make sure the MSP will remove this record on uninstall, even though it might no longer be there. Share folders and configure file/folder permissions: are there native support in WiX to do so or do I have to write custom actions? Configure IIS: is it easy to configure IIS through WiX MSI, such as setting up a site/virtual directory, configuring SSL and Windows authentication, etc? Deploy Reporting Services reports and report models. It's easy to script them via SOAP API, but I know that it's evil to use script custom actions. Thanks, Anthony On Sat, Jun 13, 2009 at 1:00 AM, Kai Chung Lui <kaich...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm reviewing the design of one of my clients' web application. One thing > in their system that stood out was a very long document that explains every > manual step of setting up their web app on a clean server. They currently > have an MSI for the web app built using a VS deployment project, plus a lot > of other batch scripts for installing SQL databases, creating shared > folders, configuring file/folder permissions, etc. I'm thinking if things > can become cleaner and more centralized by building one MSI that handles > everything. Then later, they can build uninstallable MSPs to service their > applications instead of sending their customers some zip archives with > updated scripts and DLLs. Since WiX exposes a lot of the power in MSI, I'm > thinking that WiX might allow such an all-in-one installer to be built. > > However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if that's the right > approach. Is it really good practices for a WiX-authored MSI to do the > following? > > - Install and configure SQL databases: I see that there's support in > WiX to run SQL scripts. However, I don't fully understand how to handle > the > "uninstall" scenario - I have to produce a set of complementary scripts to > undo the original SQL scripts, right? > Similarly, if I am to create an MSP for adding a row in a database > table, I need to make sure the MSP will remove this record on uninstall, > even though it might no longer be there. > - Share folders and configure file/folder permissions: are there native > support in WiX to do so or do I have to write custom actions? > - Configure IIS: is it easy to configure IIS through WiX MSI, such as > setting up a site/virtual directory, configuring SSL and Windows > authentication, etc? > - Deploy SQL Server related material such as Reporting Services reports > and report models. It's easy to script them, but I know that it's evil to > use script custom actions. > > I'm new in WiX so my apology if the questions above sound stupid. I just > want to see if there's something I can/should do to improve my client's > set-up story. Thanks a lot for reading my message! > > Kind regards, > Anthony > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crystal Reports - New Free Runtime and 30 Day Trial Check out the new simplified licensing option that enables unlimited royalty-free distribution of the report engine for externally facing server and web deployment. http://p.sf.net/sfu/businessobjects _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
