Passing Params to Custom Install DLL

[newuser]

Hi
I am a new user and find tool quite good.
I am using trying to use the tool to install a VB Macro(AddIn) behind an Excel Application(Worksheet).

Firstly I need to Install the AddIn(.xla file) in a user specified location. This can be done by the "Select Installation Folder" screen of the SetUp wizard.

I have 2 problems which are outlined below:

1. I need to know the location of where the client puts the .xla as I need to add it to the Excel Application. I have a dll which attempts to do this - it removes previous AddIns and adds the new AddIn to the Excell Application - hence I need the location of the new AddIn file which the user selected in the aforementioned "Select Installation Folder"

2. I cant seem to get the dll working either. I wrote another FileScripter.dll , to test dll execution from the "Advanced Installer Application" which is nice and simple - it just writes a line of text to a file on the C Drive.
The dll is added as a Custom Action...
Sourcepath = TARGETDIR\FileScripter.dll;
SourceType = dll;
Function Name = WriteToFile;
Execution Properties = Asynchronous execution, wait for return code at the sequence;
Execution Options = Immediate execution;
Execution Condition = NOT INSTALLED
I know that the dll functions correctly as I have written a test exe to run it and it runs successfully.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sean

[UdreaMihai]

Hi,

1. The "Application Folder" destination is is saved in TARGETDIR property.
Inside a dll you can get a property using the MsiGetProperty() function.

2. There is a correct header for a function that can be launched from MSI:

UINT __stdcall SampleFunction(MSIHANDLE hInstall)

Is your function similar? You can't have any other parameter. All the information that your custom action requires can (only) be obtained using that parameter.


Best,
Mihai.

[newuser]

hi
I am afraid I do not understand how to use the MsiGetProperty(). Would I have to reference some other dll to use this function? I am using Visual Basic - can you provide an example?

Header in Visual Basic? Here is my simple simple code just to test the dll - what else do I need?

Code: Select all

Public Function WriteToFile()

    Dim fnum As Long
    fnum = FreeFile

    Open "C:\AdvancedInstallerTest.txt" For Output As #fnum
    Print #fnum, "sample text"
    Close #fnum

End Function

any help would be great
thanks

[UdreaMihai]

Hi,

I can't help you with Visual Basic, but if you are familiar with Visual Basic why don't you use VBScript custom action instead of DLL.
From a VBScript you have access to all the properties using:

Session.Property("SAMPLEPROPERTY").

Regards,
Mihai.

[newuser]

So you are saying to use and ASP file instead of a DLL with the VB Script in the ASP Page? I am not sure how else you would run VB Script?

[UdreaMihai]

Hi,

No, a VBScript can be run directly from a package installation.
You can find more about Script Custom Actions from:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/defau ... cripts.asp

Let me know if you have other questions.

Regards,
Mihai.