Have you ever tried to step through a VB CA in a debugger? Wendell
On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 10:59 AM, Matt Walker <matt.wal...@synergis.com> wrote: > Why are Custom Actions in VBScript a warning sign? > > -----Original Message----- > From: MikeR [mailto:michael.ru...@gmail.com] > Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 1:44 PM > To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Interviewing an installation developer > > > The excerise of writing a simple install would probably be fine, though > I'm > not sure it is necessary. I do agree that knowing the nuts and bolts of > Windows Installer is key and knowing what tables/actions do what is > critical. The one potential problem I could see with having them author > a > small install on the spot is tool knowledge. Knowing Windows Installer > itself is more important than knowing WiX, InstallShield, Wise, > InstallAware, etc. Learning the concepts and best practices around > Windows > Installer is more difficult than learning how to use any particular > tool. > > I would be sure to inquire about common issues with Windows Installer > where > people run into trouble or aspects of Windows Installer that are not > intuitive and would require some real hands-on experience to know off > the > top of your head. Here is a short list of things I'd ask about. > > 1. Windows Installer component rules, feature/component structure > 2. How Windows Installer handles upgrades and patches, making sure they > know > how FindRelatedProducts and RemoveExistingProducts actions and the > Upgrade > table work. Understanding how MSPs and therefore MSTs work to augment > MSIs, > etc. This relates back to #1 because if you don't follow proper > component > rules you frequently get burned when it comes time to upgrade/patch. > 3. Understanding the general sequencing of how an MSI installs, knowing > when > to schedule custom actions in immediate/deferred mode and understanding > when > you should be making system changes and what property access is > available, > use of CustomActionData, commit/rollback actions, etc. > 4. Also when it comes to custom actions the only good methods are C++ > DLLs > or DTF with C#. If you expect this person to write the custom actions > for > your installs they are going to need at least some basic programming > skills > in one of these two languages because anything beyond the most basic of > installs is going to require custom action work. If your candidate is a > proponent of writing custom actions in VBScript/Javascript take that as > a > warning sign. > > There's probably some other problematic areas escaping me at the moment > but > those are the big ones. I worked in Wise's tech support back when > Windows > Installer was starting to take over Windows setup development and from > my > experience there I can assure you that the three key areas where people > ran > into problems with Windows Installer were upgrades, custom actions and > following proper component rules. If a candidate has a solid > understanding > of those areas and can speak about them intelligently that's a very > strong > starting point. > > -- > View this message in context: > http://n2.nabble.com/Interviewing-an-installation-developer-tp4455420p44 > 55848.html > Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > ------ > The Planet: dedicated and managed hosting, cloud storage, colocation > Stay online with enterprise data centers and the best network in the > business > Choose flexible plans and management services without long-term > contracts > Personal 24x7 support from experience hosting pros just a phone call > away. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/theplanet-com > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > The Planet: dedicated and managed hosting, cloud storage, colocation > Stay online with enterprise data centers and the best network in the business > Choose flexible plans and management services without long-term contracts > Personal 24x7 support from experience hosting pros just a phone call away. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/theplanet-com > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > -- "Some people come visit Europe and are really let down when they find out it's not like a credit-card commercial; others really get into meeting all the quirky people and careening along narrow mountain roads in rickety cabs driven by suicidal, gap-toothed Carpathians. I guess it's pretty obvious which one you are..." - Justin Crevier, May '01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Planet: dedicated and managed hosting, cloud storage, colocation Stay online with enterprise data centers and the best network in the business Choose flexible plans and management services without long-term contracts Personal 24x7 support from experience hosting pros just a phone call away. http://p.sf.net/sfu/theplanet-com _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
