WiX : Checking for Currently Running Installations with Custom Action

Question

I am trying to use a custom action (written in native C++ code) to check whether my installer is already running at time of installation.

Code is :

#include <Windows.h>
#include <Msi.h>
#include <MsiQuery.h>
#include <tchar.h>

#pragma comment(linker, "/EXPORT:CheckMultipleInstances=_CheckMultipleInstances@4")
#pragma comment(lib, "msi.lib")

extern "C" UINT __stdcall CheckMultipleInstances(MSIHANDLE hInstall)
{
CreateMutexA(0, FALSE, "SIERRAINSTALL_MUTEX");
if (GetLastError() == ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS)
    MsiSetProperty (hInstall, "INSTALLRUNNING", "1");

return ERROR_SUCCESS;
}

The relevant WiX code is as follows:

<CustomAction Id='CheckOtherInstalls' BinaryKey='InstallCheck' DllEntry='CheckMultipleInstances'/>
<CustomAction Id='RefuseInstall' Error='Sierra Installer is already running.'/>

<Custom Action='CheckOtherInstalls' After='CostFinalize'/>
<Custom Action='RefuseInstall' After='CheckOtherInstalls'>INSTALLRUNNING = "1" AND NOT Installed</Custom>

The problem is, no matter when I schedule this custom action, it doesn't actually execute it until after the user has said "Install" on the installer.

I want this custom action to be executed when the installer launches, before the welcome screen is even displayed (if this is possible).

How can I accomplish this?

EDIT :: This is my solution (ish)

I ended up triggering my custom actions when the user clicks "Next" on the welcome dialog. No fiddling around with the installexecutesequence or installUisequence worked, and this ends up being a good middle ground for my purposes.

If anyone is interested, this is what I came up with:

<UI Id='MyWixUI_Mondo'>

  <UIRef Id='WixUI_Mondo'/>

  <Publish Dialog='WelcomeDlg' Control='Next' Event="DoAction" Value="CheckOtherInstalls">1</Publish>
  <Publish Dialog='WelcomeDlg' Control='Next' Event="DoAction" Value="RefuseInstall">INSTALLRUNNING = "1"</Publish>

What problem are you trying to solve? Windows Installer does ensure that it runs only one installation at a time-the critical parts, that is. — Tom Blodget
_MSIExecute Mutex : msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/… — Christopher Painter

Joshi Joshi · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-12T08:14:35

Why not creating a "bootstrapper" to check if the installation is running and displaying a message or sth. else. Or let the user cancel the other installation, or let the user wait for a "free slot"... this would be better than doing it in the msi in my opinion.

WiX : Checking for Currently Running Installations with Custom Action

EDIT :: This is my solution (ish)

1 Answers