Wrapping and executable installer with CopyFile elements into wix msi

Question

I have an executable installer that sets up a generic configuration file that must be modified before the software will work. I'm trying to streamline the install process and would like to wrap both the executable and my modified configuration file into a single msi installer. I have succeeded but am having trouble assigning the Before= or After= property value inside my InstallExecuteSequence element for the CustomAction that launches the executable installer. If I assign the executable installer to run too early, it doesn't run at all or exhibits strange behavior. And if I assign the executable installer to run too late in the install sequence, it overwrites my modified configuration file with the generic settings. What Before or After property assignment will allow the executable to run properly but not overwrite the file I move with the CopyFile element?

    <Property Id="CONFIGFOLDER"  Value="C:\acme\config" />
    <Feature Id="ConfigurationFile" Title="Configuration File" Level="1">
        <ComponentRef Id="CMP_ACME_Config_File" />
    </Feature>
    <DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
        <Component Id="CMP_ACME_Config_File" Guid="">
            <File Id="ACME_Config" Source="MySettings.conf" KeyPath="yes">
            <CopyFile Id="Copy_ACME_Config" 
                    DestinationProperty="CONFIGFOLDER" 
                    DestinationName="settings.conf" />
            </File>
        </Component>
    </DirectoryRef>
    <Binary 
       Id="InstallerEXE"    
       SourceFile="installer.exe" />
    <CustomAction 
       Id="Launch_Installer" 
       BinaryKey="InstallerEXE" 
       Impersonate="yes"  
       Execute="deferred" 
       ExeCommand=""
       Return="check" />
    <InstallExecuteSequence>
        <Custom Action="Launch_Installer" 
                Before="InstallFiles">NOT Installed
        </Custom>
    </InstallExecuteSequence>

Does the EXE file wrap another MSI file? There are technical reasons why you can not install two MSI files at the same time. You could also consider using Burn - the WiX bootstrapper / sequencer / chainer which will allow you to run the executable entirely before your MSI - if that works for you. It is often effective to update configuration files on first application launch - and even to generate the real config file at that time so it is de-coupled from deployment entanglement. You can install a read-only copy of the config file to use as a template. — Stein Åsmul
I don't believe the exe contains another MSI installer. Yes, I read elsewhere that the Wix bootstrapper is the proper way to handle this circumstance. The read-only copy idea is a good one too. — skinnedKnuckles

skinnedKnuckles skinnedKnuckles · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-02T17:37:47

I can't say exactly why but the following value assignment to the "After" property in the "Custom" element seems to do the trick.

    <InstallExecuteSequence>
        <Custom Action="Install_SNMP" 
                After="PatchFiles">
        </Custom>
    </InstallExecuteSequence>

Wrapping and executable installer with CopyFile elements into wix msi

1 Answers