Adding a property to MST transform
I have been tasked with adding a command line to an installation as a property to the transform. I'm not sure where or how to add the command line in the transform.
Configuration needed as follows:
msiexec.exe
/i CiscoJabberSetup.msi SERVICES_DOMAIN=xxx.com (I changed the company name to "XXX" for company privacy).
I'm not sure where in the .MST I should add this as a property. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Answers (4)
>In the PROPERTIES table, of course
You mean the 'Property' table, of course.
>I'd first point you towards searching this website
Hmmm...not really the best advice. What would the OP search for? No, as ever, my advice is to get hold of two similarly-titled books, viz. Phil Wilson's "The Definitive Guide To Windows Installer" and Darwin Sanoy and Jeremy Moskowitz's "The Definitive Guide to Windows Installer Technology for System Administrators". Both are available as free downloads, although the free version of Phil's takes some tracking down.
Comments:
-
Hi Vjaneczko,
whilst the command line option you suggested would work *once* during the initial installation, subsequent repairs or the required de-install would not "know" about the value passed via the command line. Therefore it is always advisable to use a transform...
Cheers
Phil - Pressanykey 8 years ago-
Phil - thanks. My approach was do this within a transform. My question is where/how in the transform would I add this? - rcooder 8 years ago
-
Hi,
as already stated, in the property table of the transform. Quick & Easy with Orca. - Pressanykey 8 years ago -
I have only Installshield to work with, not Orca.. - rcooder 8 years ago
-
Use Orca or InstEd if you are just adding a PROPERTY. Installshield adds other artifacts to the MST upon creation which is not required.
So to make a generlisation, if your doing a simple table edit use Orca or InstEd. If you're adding files and making major changes then use Installshield as it will be easier. - rileyz 8 years ago
create the mst in installshield, use the Tuner tool. create the transform, if you use the wizard (tick the box to create a response transform) it will run through the install, ask you the company name, and record the property (in the afore mentioned property table)
however, it also adds other properties that purists (like me) don't like.
So you are better off, creating an MST, adding the values you want and you're done.
PS get orca
>PS get Orca
PPS Get InstEdit instead. It's the same as Orca, only much better, especially for newbies. For example, if you change something that has implications elsewhere, e.g. a component's name, InstEdit will prompt you that the other references need to be updated. Orca doesn't do that: it leaves you to do it yourself which of course presumes an intimate knowledge of an MSI's table structure.
Also, the only way to get Orca is to download the entire Platform SDK (or whatever MS is calling it this week) which, whilst useful for hackers like me, is 1GB of overkill for a 5MB installation! :-)
Comments:
-
yep, InstEdit, or SuperOrca. Even if you go for the SDK, downloading a GB is no major big deal. Hell, get all 3, plus any others you find. - Badger 8 years ago
