Thank you, that got me pointed in the right direction. For anyone running into this issue or a similar one in the future, here is the detailed solution. It is not limited to HTA applications.
I needed to run "C:\Windows\System32\mshta.exe C:\<path>\rbs.Configure.hta" when the install completed and the user checked the "Launch <productname>" checkbox. To do this I needed "Custom Action Type 34" which calls an executable that already exists on the target system AND is not installed with the application during the current session. A good explanation can be found in Alex Shevchuk's "From MSI to WiX, Part 5, Custom Actions: Introduction." Here are the relevant excerpts from my WSX file: <File Id='RSWBConfigToolFile' Name='rbs.Configure.hta' DiskId='1' Source='SourceDir\rbs.Configure.hta' KeyPath='yes'> <CustomAction Id='LaunchFile' Directory="INSTALLDIR" ExeCommand='[SystemFolder]mshta.exe [#RSWBConfigToolFile]' Return="asyncNoWait" /> <Dialog Id="ExitDlg" Width="370" Height="270" Title="[ProductName] [Setup]" NoMinimize="yes"> <Control Id="Finish" Type="PushButton" X="236" Y="243" Width="56" Height="17" Default="yes" Cancel="yes" Text="[ButtonText_Finish]"> <Publish Event="EndDialog" Value="Return">1</Publish> <Publish Event='DoAction' Value='LaunchFile'>(NOT Installed) AND (LAUNCHPRODUCT = 1)</Publish> </Control> <Control Id="Launch" Type="CheckBox" X="135" Y="120" Width="150" Height="17" Property='LAUNCHPRODUCT' CheckBoxValue='1'> <Text>Launch [ProductName]</Text> </Control> </Dialog> > -----Original Message----- > From: Christopher Painter [mailto:chr...@deploymentengineering.com] > Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 10:47 AM > To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. > Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Is it possible to launch an HTA from an MSI built > using WiX? > > .hta files are documents not programs. You have to invoke the Microsoft HTML > Application Host ( mshta ) to open/process them. > > --- > 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 Mon, 5/2/11, Simpson, John R <john_simp...@reyrey.com> wrote: > > > From: Simpson, John R <john_simp...@reyrey.com> > Subject: [WiX-users] Is it possible to launch an HTA from an MSI built using > WiX? > To: "wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net" <wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net> > Date: Monday, May 2, 2011, 9:03 AM > > > With the help of the WiX documentation and excellent tutorial at > http://www.tramontana.co.hu/wix/, I've been able to create a WXS/MSI > installer that does > everything I need except launch the HTA application when the install > completes. Double- > clicking the HTA after the install runs the app as expected. > > > I've been able to find examples for running EXE, VBS, and DLL based apps when > the > install completes, but not HTAs. Is this possible? If so, can someone > provide an example? > > Thank you, > > John > > John Simpson > Senior Software Engineer, I. T. Engineering and Operations > Reynolds and Reynolds > One Reynolds Way | Kettering, Ohio 45430 > office 937.485.8304 > john_simp...@reyrey.com<mailto:john_simp...@reyrey.com> > MAKING BUSINESS BETTER. > NOTE: The information contained in this e-mail is personal and confidential > and may be > protected by the attorney-client privilege and/or the work product doctrine. > It is for the > sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, reliance, or distribution by > others or > forwarding without express permission is strictly prohibited. If you are not > the intended > recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software > The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network > management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial > acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software > The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network > management toolset available today. 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