Hi Bill, Yes, I was planning to include the unzip binary, and install unzip first (or run from cd if possible). Or use a self-extracting exe, as you suggest.
Do you happen to have an example of this in practice? Or do I just need to play around with customaction? I was hoping someone else had already done this kind of thing, and could give advice. Thanks, Daniel Bill Arnette wrote: > > To answer your basic question, yes, you could. > > I don't think you can just unzip a .zip file from a custom action because I > don't think there is a public unzip API in Windows [1]. You would have to > include an unzip utility in your package that got installed before the > custom action ran. > > However, you could package your .zip file as a self-extracting executable > and then run it as a custom action from the MSI. The MSI package itself > could include the shortcuts and such. > > [1] But it can obviously be done since you can extract files from a .zip > file using Explorer. > > >>-----Original Message----- >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of >>Daniel Goldman >>Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 4:17 PM >>To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net >>Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Subject: Re: [WiX-users] customaction runs unzip? >> >>I appreciate your responding, but it doesn't answer my simple >>question. Is it possible to use customaction (or some other >>wix mechanism) to run unzip on an installed zip file? >> >>I can figure out if it will lead to a "poor customer experience". >>I'm just trying to figure out what wix does (and does not do). >>I've never needed repair. I've handled patches quite easily by >>sending a new cd or just the files needing replacement. I don't >>need the user to install different features. Please don't try >>to sell me on something I don't need. Just please answer my Q. >> >>As I explained in the Background below, there is a family >>of softwares, each customized for a different data set and >>geography, so using heat and editing things by hand is out >>of the question. I would love to use wix to specify each file. >>I understand the philosophical advantages. But in this case, >>it would be much simpler and more reliable just to zip or xcopy >>the contents of a directory. Is that possible from within wix? >> >>Thanks, >>Daniel >> >>Derek Cicerone wrote: >> >> >>>MSI is already built up to handle the scenarios below. >> >>You'll find that >> >>>creating a composite solution of an MSI-based install >> >>coupled with unzipping >> >>>installed file will lead to a poor customer experience in >> >>some common >> >>>scenarios like uninstall, upgrade, patching, and repair. >>> >>>Customers expect an MSI file to contain all the resources >> >>necessary to >> >>>install their app and also expect the repair, patching, >> >>upgrade, etc... >> >>>scenarios to "just work". With the unzip solution, you'd >> >>need to create >> >>>your own repair and uninstall logic. >>> >>>MSI can handle the different subsets of files you'd like to >> >>install via >> >>>features and would even have some nice UI which allows >> >>users to select the >> >>>features they'd like to install, add more at a later time, >> >>or remove some at >> >>>a later time. Also, the versioning is automatically >> >>handled by MSI as well. >> >>>So long as you keep the component guids stable over time >> >>(which isn't that >> >>>hard) and just update the files, pushing out new releases >> >>does exactly what >> >>>you'd expect by replacing the older versions with newer >> >>ones. Also, similar >> >>>to how you currently have several different zip files, you >> >>could create >> >>>several different cab files if that was useful - each >> >>containing different >> >>>subsets of data. >>> >>>In terms of difficulting producing the initial authoring >> >>and guids, etc... >> >>>you may want to take a look at heat - it allows you >> >>basically author a >> >>>directory containing your application easily into a wxs >> >>source with all the >> >>>guids and other goo auto-generated. Then you can easily >> >>hand-modify the >> >>>sources for updates necessary after that point (including >> >>breaking things up >> >>>into features and adding/removing files in future updates >> >>to your product). >> >>>Derek >>> >>>-----Original Message----- >>>From: Daniel Goldman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 12:39 PM >>>To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net >>>Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>Subject: Re: [WiX-users] customaction runs unzip? >>> >>>I don't know what you mean by "fishy". The wix package itself >>>is distributed by zip, so zip can't be that bad. I can deal >>>with patches by just sending a new full distribution, or >>>just sending the file(s) that need replacing. >>> >>>When you say "associate cabinet files with an msi rather >>>easily", are you referring to the Directory, Component, and >>>File tags (which I wouldn't call easy in this case), or >>>something else? >>> >>>Let me try again. Is it possible to use customaction to run >>>unzip on an installed zip file? Is there example syntax? >>> >>>*** Here's long-winded background why I want to use unzip: >>> >>>I need to distribute a C# .NET application family. It is a series >>>of data analysis softwares, with preloaded data (eg, Texas birth >>>data). Each customized version has different data files, different >>>auxillary files, etc. There are many customized versions. >>> >>>The application was previously in C using curses. Distribution >>>was pretty simple. For each customized version (there could be >>>several on a CD), I put a zip file, a batch file, and the unzip >>>executable in it own directory on a cd. To install, the batch file >>>unzipped everything into several hard-coded directories, copied >>>some icons to the desktop, and displayed some messages. The old >>>installation mechanism looked "clunky", but worked great. I'd >>>like more professional-looking install mechanism, with ability >>>to add an item to start menu. >>> >>>I'd rather not keep track of versions. If a user installs a >>>new version, I'd like to simply overwrite any existing files. >>>There is no need for them to keep the "old version". I'd like >>>to avoid the complexity of having to deal with hundreds of >>>different version numbers and GUIDs. I'm concerned that some >>>mistake may make it fail to upgrade. >>> >>>*** End of long-winded background >>> >>>I've read through the wix tutorial. I'm trying to reduce the >>>great complexity I'm sensing from windows installer, figure >>>out a simple, attractive install mechanism. >>> >>>Thanks, >>>Daniel >>> >>>Derek Cicerone wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>>This type of question normally indicates something fishy - >> >>why would you >> >>>>want to unzip a zip file when you can associate cabinet >> >>files with an msi >> >>>>rather easily? It's much better to keep files under MSI >> >>control because >> >>>>then they will be patchable - otherwise you'll expose customers to a >>>>security threat by having unpatchable files. >>>> >>>>Derek >>>> >>>>-----Original Message----- >>>>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Daniel >>> >>>Goldman >>> >>> >>>>Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 12:31 AM >>>>To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net >>>>Subject: [WiX-users] customaction runs unzip? >>>> >>>>Can I use customaction to run unzip on an installed zip file? >>>>If yes, could someone please give an example syntax? >>>> >>>>If yes, is there a way to show a "progress meter" during unzipping? >>>> >>>>Can I delete the zip file after installation? Or can customaction >>>>unzip from the cdrom? >>>> >>>>Thanks, >>>>Daniel Goldman >>>> >>>> >>>>Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web >> >>services, security? >> >>>>Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to >> >>make your job >> >>>>easier >>>>Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on >> >>Apache Geronimo >> >>>>http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=26305 >> >>7&dat=121642 >> >>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>WiX-users mailing list >>>>WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net >>>>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web >>services, security? >>Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make >>your job easier >>Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on >>Apache Geronimo >>http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&; >>dat=121642 >>_______________________________________________ >>WiX-users mailing list >>WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net >>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users >> > > > > Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
