Software Deployment

Hello,

The problem you are seeing is because the vendor decided to produce a UTF-8 MSI rather than an ANSI MSI. This can be verified by using the WILANGID.VBS script (from the Windows Installer SDK), which exposes the Database codepage value as 65001, in other words, UTF-8.

There are some known issues with Windows Installer, and UTF-8 MSI databases when used with the /qb switch and the unpredictable display of (say) English characters as squares (or circles as you describe them).

Although the WILANGID.VBS script does allow you to change the codepage of the vendor MSI (for example from 65001 to 1252 for ANSI) it doesn't seem to alter the behaviour ........ trust me I tried it with an evaluation copy of FileMaker Pro 11, and it doesn't work.

I assume you are trying to deploy to Windows XP ? The problem is not reproducible under Windows 7 (at least for me anyway). Presumably Windows Installer 5.0 has better support for Unicode MSI's (?)

Also, interestingly, if you had East Asian languages installed (through the Regional settings Control Panel applet, for example) you would find that the progress dialog does actually display readable text, but in a very tiny font.

Unless anyone else in this forum with more experience of Unicode MSI's than me can offer further help, I guess you may have to either approach the vendor and ask them to send you an ANSI MSI (don't hold your breath on that one) or you will have to live with using the /QN switch instead.

Regards,

Spartacus

Can any one please help me, Its really urgent.

Thanks.

Naveen,

are there any transforms in the sources that are numbered according to language codes (like 1033.mst). You might need to apply one of those for your MSI to display its dialogs in the right language. As for the difference between an silent and non-silent install, have a look at the installation and UI sequences, try to identify Custom Actions that only appear in the UI sequence that might be necessary. If you find any, copy them into the Install sequence.

PJ

If you haven't touched the MSI in any way, then you should be looking to the vendor for support for their 'out of the box' product.

Have you tried the installation on a number of machines?
Do you get the same issue?
What about a vanilla OS?
What about a different OS?

Have you opened up the MSI in your favourite editor (take a backup first) and checked that the progress dialogues are correct there?

You would expect that the vendor has tested the product before releasing it, so it is possible that it's something on your build that's doing it.

Hope that points you in the right direction,

Dunnpy

The "/quiet" switch works just fine with the .MSI for us. So you may have corrupt source files. Try copying them again from the disc, or whatever your original media is.

@PJ Iam using 1033.mst only. I have tried copying some custom actions from UI sequence to Execute immidiate but not working.

@Lucid /qn switch is working fine for me. But iam trying to use /qb switch whish also works fine but the letters in progress window are displaying as circles. I can use /qn switch but even uninstalltion using /x switch is giving me the same issue, so need to slove it.

ORIGINAL: spartacus


Also, interestingly, if you had East Asian languages installed (through the Regional settings Control Panel applet, for example) you would find that the progress dialog does actually display readable text, but in a very tiny font.



Hi Spartacus,

Thank you very much for your eplanation. As you mentioned above(in the quotes), when i tried to install the application using /qb switch in client image it is displaying readable text with tiny font as you said. But in my Vmware image it is dispalying as squares(its my mistake to mention circles earlier). This application uses windows installer 4.0 version.

Any how in client image it is displaying as readable text so I dint do any changes further for the application.

I want to have some knowledge on this. Is there any documentation on these two types of MSI (UTF-8 & ANSI) like what are they and how to produce them etc?

And thank you once again for your support.

Naveen.