jeffg22
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:34 pm

Command Line

Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:24 pm

Hi -

As part of my install, I need to install an instance of MSDE (the desktop version of MS SQL Server). The MS-recommended way to do so is to execute their setup.exe program from my install, with various command line parameters.

1. In the command line field of the Custom Action Properties dialog, should the name of the executable be included or just the parameters?

2. One of the command line parameters is a directory reference that includes the [INSTALLDIR], and it must all be in quotes. For example, DATADIR="C:\Program Files\MyApp\MSDE\" where "C:\Program Files\MyApp\" is the install directory, and the surrounding quotes are necessary. What is the correct format for this parameter in the command line field of the Custom Action Properties dialog?

3. Stringing all of the needed parameters together results in a command line approaching 200 characters (depending somewhat on your answer to questions 1 and 2 above). It seems that the command line field of the Custom Action Properties dialog is limited to 83 (?) characters. How do I get the full command line to execute?

Thanks for your help.

- Jeff

Cata
Posts: 638
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2003 7:37 am
Contact:  Website

Mon Nov 01, 2004 2:21 pm

1. No, just the parameters.

2. We don't user [INSTALLDIR], we use [TARGETDIR]. For example "DATATDIR=[TARGETDIR]MSDE" will send
"DATADIR=C:\Program Files\MyApp\MSDE". Quotes will be send as well.

3. I think this is a bug. The command line was limited to 255 when it was an edit field. But now it is a combo (for having the helper drop down) so it is limited by the UI size.

Maximize the window for a work-around, or edit the AIP directly.

Cata
Catalin Rotaru - Advanced Installer Team
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jeffg22
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:34 pm

Mon Nov 01, 2004 8:27 pm

Thanks Cata -

I edited the aip file directly as you suggested, and I get:

Exception - Parse error in file [myfile.aip] at line 64 column 91 (not well formed).

Line 64 (the line I edited) is:

<ROW Action="setup.exe" Type="1026" Source="setup.exe" Target="BLANKSAPWD=1 TARGETDIR="[TARGETDIR]MSDE\" DATADIR="[TARGETDIR]" INSTANCENAME="ABC356" SECURITYMODE=SQL DISABLENETWORKPROTOCOLS=0 /L*v "[TARGETDIR]MSDE356.log""/>

I'm probably doing something wrong that's simple but not obvious (at least to me). Please help.

- Jeff

Cata
Posts: 638
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2003 7:37 am
Contact:  Website

Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:50 pm

You need to escape the inner quotes. Use the "&" character followed by "quot;" instead.
Catalin Rotaru - Advanced Installer Team
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