Guidelines For Using Custom Actions - Symantec WINDOWS INSTALLER EDITOR 7.0 SP2 - REFERENCE FOR WISE INSTALLATION EXPRESS V1.0 Installation Manual

Guidelines for Using Custom Actions

Windows Installer Editor Reference
To update a legacy installation
If you created the Windows Installer installation or the WiseScript in a Wise product
earlier than Wise Installation Studio or Wise Installation Express 7.0 SP1:
1. Open the installation in Windows Installer Editor.
a. Windows Installer Editor checks for custom actions that run a WiseScript.
b. Each WiseScript .EXE is updated in memory with a manifest specifying the
asInvoker run level.
c. A task appears in the Task List to record each change.
d. If the WiseScript .EXE had an associated row on the Windows Installer Editor
Resources page, the Refresh check box for that resource is cleared so that the
.EXE on disk is not used during the next compile.
See Refreshing Binary Resources
2. In WiseScript Editor, open each WiseScript .WSE from its original location and
recompile.
3. In Windows Installer Editor, go to Installation Expert > Resources page and re-select
the Refresh check box for each WiseScript .EXE.
4. Clear the custom action-related tasks from the Task List.
5. Compile the Windows Installer installation.
See also:
Creating an Installation for Standard Users
When you use Windows Installer to install a file, it takes care of the repair and
management of the file. When you use a custom action to change an installation, you
take Windows Installer out of the loop. (Example: If you use a custom action to install a
file, you must also include custom actions to repair or uninstall the file because Windows
Installer is unaware of the file.) Therefore, use custom actions conservatively when
making permanent changes on the destination computer, and use them only for actions
that cannot be accomplished through Windows Installer.
Warning
Although you can change the order and conditions for standard actions and dialog
boxes, we recommend that you do not change these settings unless you are proficient in
the Windows Installer development environment. Many actions have restrictions that
determine where they must appear in the sequence. See Actions with Sequencing
Restrictions in the Windows Installer SDK Help for more details.
The following topics provide guidelines for using custom actions:
Guidelines for Custom Action Location
Guidelines for Custom Action Conditions
Guidelines for Nested Installation Custom Actions
Guidelines for Calling VBScripts and JScripts
Guidelines for Calling .DLLs
on page 110.
on page 73
on page 446
on page 446
on page 447
on page 448
Using MSI Script
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