Visual Studio 2008 setup&deployment projects changed - they now generate custom actions with no impersonation, but that can come with its own set of issues for people who want impersonation. But still you're right in general - they don't give you a choice of where custom actions get called or what kind of impersonation you get.
Visual Studio's managed code installer class custom actions depend on InstallUtilLib.dll (a C++ Dll in your Binary table) being called with data that tells it where your assembly is. After that, it loads a .NET framework and eventually uses reflection to locate, instantiate and call your installer class methods. It's also worth pointing out again that the MSI team doesn't support managed code running in an msiexec process (I assume that's still the case) so that's another reason to stay away from VS setup projects and InstallUtil-type calls. Phil Wilson -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Painter [mailto:chr...@deploymentengineering.com] Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 10:18 AM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Custom Installer Question. Well I'd get rid of Visual Studio Deployment projects. For example VDPROJ can only schedule deferred custom actions and for some silly reason it only scheduels them as Imersonate instead of NoImpersonate. This causes problems on Vista with UAC enabled. But if you want to stay with VDRPOJ, you can still consume DTF CA's because DTF CA's are compatible with C++ Type 1 CA's. Refactoring from InstallUtil to DTF should be a pretty simple under taking. Assuming your code is broken out into client / server type classes you just create a new client class that consumes the same server class and implement the inteface spec'd by DTF rather then that spec'd by InstallUtil. Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread that deserves attention? E-Mail Me --- On Tue, 2/17/09, Henk Roos <henk.r...@aricent.com> wrote: > From: Henk Roos <henk.r...@aricent.com> > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Custom Installer Question. > To: "wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net" <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 9:45 AM > Hi Christopher, > > Thanks for you're reply. > > I think in the future we'll (Aricent) definitely have > to move to using something like the DTF. > Currently we have several visual studio setup projects > (about 20) that all needs to be deployed to our customer, > and almost all have them have custom 3 or 4 installers > configured inside of them (they are all ones that extends > the System.Configuration.Install.Installer class). > > The thing is if I want to move to using DTF now then there > will be allot of work that needs to be done to make the > conversion, but I don't think there will be enough time > before we release the msi's. I would like to how Visual > Studio package those MSI's to tell Windows Installer how > they should be run, > and if it also uses InstallUtil.exe to run them. > > What do you think I should do to move forward? > > Regards, > Henk > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Christopher Painter > [mailto:chr...@deploymentengineering.com] > Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 3:41 PM > To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Custom Installer Question. > > It's possible, but you really, really, really don't > want to do that. > Check out WiX's DTF (Deployment Tools Foundation) > instead. If you > search my blog for DTF you'll find plenty of content > describing it and > you'll also find a DTF SDK manual in your start menu > under WiX. > > Christopher Painter, Author of Deployment Engineering Blog > Have a hot tip, know a secret or read a really good thread > that deserves > attention? E-Mail Me > > > --- On Tue, 2/17/09, Henk Roos > <henk.r...@aricent.com> wrote: > > > From: Henk Roos <henk.r...@aricent.com> > > Subject: [WiX-users] Custom Installer Question. > > To: "wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net" > <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > > Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 7:04 AM > > Hi there, > > > > I would like to know if it is possible to create a > custom > > action in WiX that will run a Managed Custom Installer > that > > extends the System.Configuration.Install.Installer > class, or > > is it only the InstallUtil.exe command that > understands how > > to run managed custom installers. > > > > Regards, > > > > Henk Roos > > > > > "DISCLAIMER: This message is proprietary to Aricent > and is intended solely for the use of the individual to whom > it is addressed. It may contain privileged or confidential > information and should not be circulated or used for any > purpose other than for what it is intended. 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Aricent accepts no responsibility for loss or > damage arising from the use of the information transmitted > by this email including damage from virus." > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Open Source Business Conference (OSBC), March 24-25, 2009, > San Francisco, CA > -OSBC tackles the biggest issue in open source: Open > Sourcing the Enterprise > -Strategies to boost innovation and cut costs with open > source participation > -Receive a $600 discount off the registration fee with the > source code: SFAD > http://p.sf.net/sfu/XcvMzF8H > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Open Source Business Conference (OSBC), March 24-25, 2009, San Francisco, CA -OSBC tackles the biggest issue in open source: Open Sourcing the Enterprise -Strategies to boost innovation and cut costs with open source participation -Receive a $600 discount off the registration fee with the source code: SFAD http://p.sf.net/sfu/XcvMzF8H _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Open Source Business Conference (OSBC), March 24-25, 2009, San Francisco, CA -OSBC tackles the biggest issue in open source: Open Sourcing the Enterprise -Strategies to boost innovation and cut costs with open source participation -Receive a $600 discount off the registration fee with the source code: SFAD http://p.sf.net/sfu/XcvMzF8H _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
