The execute attribute on Custom action lets you choose immediate, deferred, etc. An issue I'm seeing in the installer is that accessing a Session attribute is only allowed if it's immediate execution. So this makes me think it has to be immediate, but must be after a step that's after InstallFiles, since the files aren't actually installed. Is there a set list of the action steps?
Exception thrown by custom action: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.InstallerException: Cannot access session details from a non-immediate custom action at Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.Session.ValidateSessionAccess() at Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.Session.get_Item(String property) at CustomInstallActions.CustomActions.SetEfxZlibLibrary(Session session) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeMethodFast(IRuntimeMethodInfo method, Object target, Object arguments, SignatureStruct& sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeType typeOwner) at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethodFast(IRuntimeMethodInfo method, Object target, Object arguments, Signature sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeType typeOwner) at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object parameters, CultureInfo culture, Boolean skipVisibilityChecks) at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object parameters, CultureInfo culture) at Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.CustomActionProxy.InvokeCustomAction(Int32 sessionHandle, String entryPoint, IntPtr remotingDelegatePtr) When I changed the Action to execute After="InstallFinalize", I was able to access the session details and the files were in the install directory. However, my action is failing to do what it's trying to do because of permissions. The action is attempting to make a copy of a file with a new name based on if the system is 32/64. I'm guessing the step I'm in in the installer isn't a step where it has permissions. I'm not sure where I should be doing these actions, I was able to get these to function in a Visual Studio deployment project custom action without much grief. Mark Freedman -----Original Message----- From: Phil Wilson [mailto:phil.wil...@mvps.org] Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 1:18 PM To: 'General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset.' Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Getting install path from Wix Custom Action The execute sequence runs twice, in custom action terminology the first is "immediate", when Windows is writing a script to do the install; the second time it's "deferred" when applied to custom actions, when the system actually gets changed. That means you can be after InstallFiles in an immediate custom action and the files haven't been copied yet. You need immediate="no", I think that's the syntax. Custom actions have conditions. A typical condition to cause a CA to run only at install time is (case sensitive) Not Installed Phil -----Original Message----- From: Freedman, Mark P. [mailto:mark.freed...@jhuapl.edu] Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 9:55 AM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Getting install path from Wix Custom Action Turns out the attribute I was trying to use was INSTALLFOLDER, not INSTALLDIR, as specified in my Product.wxs. So now, that resolves to the path I expect. However, I'm having a new issue. The custom action is trying to work on a file that's expeted to be present in my INSTALLFOLDER. I put some MessageBoxes in the CA for debugging purposes. When the CA is firing, the files havne't been copied over to the install directory yet. I'd think that my files would be there at the time since the action isn't firing until after InstallFiles. What other options do I have? Also, my custom action appears to be firing when I uninstall the program. Again, this is confusing to me given that the action isn't firing until after InstallFiles. Thanks. Mark Freedman -----Original Message----- From: John Cooper [mailto:jocoo...@jackhenry.com] Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 12:49 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Getting install path from Wix Custom Action First off, scheduling. The values of Directory properties (including one like INSTALLDIR), aren't going to be meaningful until after CostFinalize. Since you're running in the InstallExecSequence after InstallFiles, that's not it. However, you should be able to resolve INSTALLDIR like any other public property. If session["INSTALLDIR"] resolves to nothing, I'm thinking you haven't saved/restored this property. Is this running in a "Repair" or "Upgrade"? -- John Merryweather Cooper Build & Install Engineer - ESA Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.® Shawnee Mission, KS 66227 Office: 913-341-3434 x791011 jocoo...@jackhenry.com www.jackhenry.com -----Original Message----- From: Freedman, Mark P. [mailto:mark.freed...@jhuapl.edu] Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 11:30 AM To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: [WiX-users] Getting install path from Wix Custom Action I have a custom action and am trying to access the Install Directory, or Target path (the base folder that the user chooses to install to). Within my Action, I tried pulling it from Session. TARGETDIR maps to "C:\", despite installing it to program files, and INSTALLDIR yields empty stirng. What am I missing? I also tried passing the INSTALLDIR in the CustomAction tag with the Directory attribute, but it comes back saying that it can't be something in brackets. [CustomAction] public static ActionResult SetEfxZlibLibrary(Session session) { session.Log("Begin CA"); string installDirectory = session["INSTALLDIR"]; // .... } <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi";> <?include Includes.wxi ?> <Fragment> <CustomAction Id='SetEfxZlibLibraryAction' BinaryKey='CustomActionBinary' DllEntry='SetEfxZlibLibrary' Execute='immediate' Return='check'/> <Binary Id="CustomActionBinary" SourceFile="$(var.CustomInstallActionsFile)"/> </Fragment> </Wix> Thanks, Mark Freedman ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- AlienVault Unified Security Management (USM) platform delivers complete security visibility with the essential security capabilities. Easily and efficiently configure, manage, and operate all of your security controls from a single console and one unified framework. Download a free trial. http://p.sf.net/sfu/alienvault_d2d _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message, together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- AlienVault Unified Security Management (USM) platform delivers complete security visibility with the essential security capabilities. Easily and efficiently configure, manage, and operate all of your security controls from a single console and one unified framework. Download a free trial. http://p.sf.net/sfu/alienvault_d2d _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- AlienVault Unified Security Management (USM) platform delivers complete security visibility with the essential security capabilities. Easily and efficiently configure, manage, and operate all of your security controls from a single console and one unified framework. Download a free trial. http://p.sf.net/sfu/alienvault_d2d _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AlienVault Unified Security Management (USM) platform delivers complete security visibility with the essential security capabilities. Easily and efficiently configure, manage, and operate all of your security controls from a single console and one unified framework. Download a free trial. http://p.sf.net/sfu/alienvault_d2d _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AlienVault Unified Security Management (USM) platform delivers complete security visibility with the essential security capabilities. Easily and efficiently configure, manage, and operate all of your security controls from a single console and one unified framework. Download a free trial. http://p.sf.net/sfu/alienvault_d2d _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
