Wix - Search for keys in loop for installation

Question

My wix code is looking as follow :

<!-- CC 2017 = Version 110.0 -->
<Property Id="ISCC2017EXISTX64">
    <RegistrySearch Id="IsCC2017Existx64" Root="HKLM" Key="Software\Adobe\Photoshop\110.0" Name="ApplicationPath" Win64="yes" Type="raw" />
</Property>

<Property Id="ISCC2017EXISTX32">
    <RegistrySearch Id="IsCC2017Existx32" Root="HKLM" Key="Software\Adobe\Photoshop\110.0" Name="ApplicationPath" Win64="no" Type="raw" />
</Property>


<!-- CC 2018 = Version 120.0 -->
<Property Id="ISCC2018EXISTX64">
    <RegistrySearch Id="IsCC2018Existx64" Root="HKLM" Key="Software\Adobe\Photoshop\120.0" Name="ApplicationPath" Win64="yes" Type="raw" />
</Property>

<Property Id="ISCC2018EXISTX32">
    <RegistrySearch Id="IsCC2018Existx32" Root="HKLM" Key="Software\Adobe\Photoshop\120.0" Name="ApplicationPath" Win64="no" Type="raw" />
</Property>

Where I search to know if Photoshop CC 2017 or CC 2018 is installed on the machine. If so I can install the feature such as :

    <Feature Id="FEATURE_EXTENSION_CC2017" Title="CC 2017" Description="Install KEY36 for CC 2017" Level="0">
        <Condition Level="1">ISCC2017EXISTX64</Condition>
        <ComponentGroupRef Id="CG_CC2017" />
    </Feature>

    <Feature Id="FEATURE_EXTENSION_CC2018" Title="CC 2018" Description="Install KEY36 for CC 2018" Level="0">
        <Condition Level="1">ISCC2018EXISTX64</Condition>
        <ComponentGroupRef Id="CG_CC2018" />
    </Feature>

So next year, Photoshop will release Photoshop CC 2019, and I dont want to create an installer specially for this version. I would like to search for Registry : Software\Adobe\Photoshop and loop over each potential version (like 110.0 and 120.0 in the case above).

So my question is :

1) Is there a way to loop on all child registry key using a <?foreach?> ?

2) Is there a way to have a single ComponentGroupRef that will point on same file, but I want them to be copy into different directory ? Because right now I defined the same component twice for each version.

If nothing is possible to do it with Wix language, is there a way to use an custom action to do it ? (I never made any custom action if anyone can point me how to do such thing it could be appreciate).

It seems you want to bank on the shape of the future. You could just hardcore it like you have for the past. A few more entries would get you ahead by a few years. If you don't like writing repetitive code, you can generate it. (On the other hand, each new version is an opportunity to connect with your users.) — Tom Blodget

Stein Åsmul Stein Åsmul · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-22T17:45:52

Overall: It is hard to create setups "for the future". Things have a way of changing altogether so your nice plans to support something currently unknown are wasted (they start using completely different keys, or go UWP with the whole app). You might be better off ditching this wish-list support, and just compiling a new setup when the time comes. My two cents.

Looping: I am not aware of any built-in MSI constructs to loop over registry keys. I believe you have to resort to a custom action to achieve this.

Custom Actions: A custom action can be EXE files (native, managed), C++ dll (native), C# / VB dll (managed), ActiveScripting (JavaScript, VBScript), some even use Powershell (I wouldn't). What is your language of choice? C++ dll is by far the most reliable (runtime requirements, debugability, etc...) if you can deal with C++ complexity in the first place. Rule of thumb: static linking whenever you can. Sometimes custom actions are the only option, be careful though (the case against unnecessary CAs). WiX has some C++ and managed code custom action templates in their Visual Studio Extension (do try these - install extension, and invoke via the new project dialog in Visual Studio). Maybe also quickly check this.

Haven't read these in a while, but want to make sure you have them:

How can I create a Custom Action DLL in C++
How can I create Custom Actions in Managed Languages, like C#? (Chris Painter: can you skim-check perhaps? Outdated article? You know I am no good with managed code)
C++ CA sample off github (not tested by me, looks simple)

C++ CA Debugging: Using C++, you can just show a message box from within the custom action function you want to debug, and then just attach the debugger to the message box that pops up. Essentially just attaching to msiexec.exe - either the user context one or the system context one depending on how your custom action is sequenced. Instant, full debugability.

Managed CA Debugging: For managed code you also show a message box from your custom action and then you attach to the rundll32.exe process that runs managed code. Here is a nice video from Advanced Installer showing you how to do this: Debug C# Custom Actions.

File Duplication: Not my favorite concept, but you could try the CopyFile feature of MSI as described here: WiX Installer - Run an MSI multiple times with different properties? Please be sure to check the actual WiX sources to get the overall idea of it. And here is another, similar answer: WIX: copy file to custom dir in another partition. Worth a try. Not rocket science, but I find it fiddly. But Chris's full sample code should help you out.

Feature Level 0: I discovered an unexpected problem when it comes to setting the feature level to 0. It is described here: Failing condition wix. Essentially: features set to level 0 appear to not be extracted during an administrative installation. I found this hard to believe when I saw it, and I still do, but testing indicates that it is the case. This can cause problems for your application's use in corporate environments (they depend a lot on administrative installations). Solution? I go the other way around: setting the feature install level to 1 by default and then changing it to 0 if the feature condition is true. Clunk, I know.

Wix - Search for keys in loop for installation

1 Answers