Book Image

WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML

Book Image

WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML

Overview of this book

The cryptic science of Windows Installer can seem far off from the practical task of simply getting something installed. Luckily, we have WiX to simplify the matter. WiX is an XML markup, distributed with an open-source compiler and linker, used to produce a Windows Installer package. It is used by Microsoft and by countless other companies around the world to simplify deployments. "WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML" promises a friendly welcome into the world of Windows Installer. Starting off with a simple, practical example and continuing on with increasingly advanced scenarios, the reader will have a well-rounded education by book's end. With the help of this book, you'll understand your installer better, create it in less time, and save money in the process. No one really wants to devote a lifetime to understanding how to create a hassle-free installer. Learn to build a sophisticated deployment solution targeting the Windows platform in no time with this hands-on practical guide. Here we speed you through the basics and zoom right into the advanced. You'll get comfortable with components, features, conditions and actions. By the end, you'll be boasting your latest deployment victories at the local pub. Once you've finished "WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML", you'll realize just how powerful and awesome an installer can really be.
Table of Contents (23 chapters)
WiX 3.6: A Developer's Guide to Windows Installer XML
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

InstallExecuteSequence


After ExecuteAction has fired in InstallUISequence, the installation continues into InstallExecuteSequence. During this phase, changes are made to the computer such as laying down files, updating the registry, and adding a new entry in Programs and Features. This part of the installation is called the "server side" and the InstallUISequence table is called the "client side", which is a way of conceptualizing that the two are run in different sessions and with different privileges. The client side runs as the user who launched the MSI while the server side is run as the LocalSystem user.

If you install with logging turned on you can see the split between the client and server. Actions that occur during the first half start with MSI (c), as shown in the following example:

MSI (c) (64:80) [13:41:32:203]: Switching to server:

That's the last entry from the client before switching to the server. Then you'll see log entries begin with MSI (s).

MSI (s) (D0:4C) [13:41:32:218]...