is there a way to modify a msi installer using command line?

Discussion in 'Application Software' started by a_catalin, May 25, 2011.

  1. a_catalin

    a_catalin MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    Hi.
    I'm trying to find a way to "automatize" certain changes in msi installers.
    To be more precise it's about adding remset.exe (and a few lines to sections) like I described in this topic: forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/26932-2-small-utilities-for-Spoon-Studio
    Is there a way...?

    Thank you for your help.
     
  2. a_catalin

    a_catalin MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    #3 a_catalin, May 26, 2011
    Last edited: May 26, 2011
    (OP)
    Thank you but I'm using Insted already... I even mention it in that topic.
    I was trying to find a way to get rid of the "manual labor" for each msi, since there are the same modifications each time...
     
  3. Josh Cell

    Josh Cell MDL Developer

    Jan 8, 2011
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    Run this command line via Batch

    MSIInstaller.msi /? (the installer can not have spaces)

    Usually a window with descriptions and each command

    In the end, create an SFX archive to compress and send the necessary command, and install automatically.
     
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  4. a_catalin

    a_catalin MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    #5 a_catalin, May 26, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    (OP)
    I get these:

    Code:
    Windows ® Installer. V 4.5.6001.22159 
    
    msiexec /Option <Required Parameter> [Optional Parameter]
    
    Install Options
    </package | /i> <Product.msi>
    Installs or configures a product
    /a <Product.msi>
    Administrative install - Installs a product on the network
    /j<u|m> <Product.msi> [/t <Transform List>] [/g <Language ID>]
    Advertises a product - m to all users, u to current user
    </uninstall | /x> <Product.msi | ProductCode>
    Uninstalls the product
    Display Options
    /quiet
    Quiet mode, no user interaction
    /passive
    Unattended mode - progress bar only
    /q[n|b|r|f]
    Sets user interface level
    n - No UI
    b - Basic UI
    r - Reduced UI
    f - Full UI (default)
    /help
    Help information
    Restart Options
    /norestart
    Do not restart after the installation is complete
    /promptrestart
    Prompts the user for restart if necessary
    /forcerestart
    Always restart the computer after installation
    Logging Options
    /l[i|w|e|a|r|u|c|m|o|p|v|x|+|!|*] <LogFile>
    i - Status messages
    w - Nonfatal warnings
    e - All error messages
    a - Start up of actions
    r - Action-specific records
    u - User requests
    c - Initial UI parameters
    m - Out-of-memory or fatal exit information
    o - Out-of-disk-space messages
    p - Terminal properties
    v - Verbose output
    x - Extra debugging information
    + - Append to existing log file
    ! - Flush each line to the log
    * - Log all information, except for v and x options
    /log <LogFile>
    Equivalent of /l* <LogFile>
    Update Options
    /update <Update1.msp>[;Update2.msp]
    Applies update(s)
    /uninstall <PatchCodeGuid>[;Update2.msp] /package <Product.msi | ProductCode>
    Remove update(s) for a product
    Repair Options
    /f[p|e|c|m|s|o|d|a|u|v] <Product.msi | ProductCode>
    Repairs a product
    p - only if file is missing
    o - if file is missing or an older version is installed (default)
    e - if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed
    d - if file is missing or a different version is installed
    c - if file is missing or checksum does not match the calculated value
    a - forces all files to be reinstalled
    u - all required user-specific registry entries (default)
    m - all required computer-specific registry entries (default)
    s - all existing shortcuts (default)
    v - runs from source and recaches local package
    Setting Public Properties
    [PROPERTY=PropertyValue]
    
    Consult the Windows ® Installer SDK for additional documentation on the
    command line syntax.
    
    Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
    Portions of this software are based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
    

    Thank you for the idea but these are useful for when I try to install the msi, not for modifying it (like I described in that topic)...
    Even so, there isn't a command in this list for making the msi installer use remset.exe.
     
  5. rubberducky

    rubberducky MDL Novice

    Feb 10, 2010
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    I'm not an expert in what you are trying to do but there is an app from Microsoft called Orca.

    "Orca.exe is a database table editor for creating and editing Windows Installer packages
    and merge modules. The tool provides a graphical interface for validation, highlighting
    the particular entries where validation errors or warnings occur.

    This tool is only available in the Platform SDK Components for Windows Installer Developers.
    It is provided as an Orca.msi file. After installing the Platform SDK Components for Windows
    Installer Developers, double click Orca.msi to install the Orca.exe file."

    Etc.

    It may be of some use
     
  6. a_catalin

    a_catalin MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    Thank you for the idea.
    I used Orca in the past but lately I switched to InstEd.

    Unfortunately I can't see how I can make those modifications using Orca's command line options (the ones that you see when you start "orca.exe /?")... :(