How to debug a non-working install converted from WISE .wsi?

[Eric_D]

I am not looking for the "answer", but for guidance on how to look for the answer.

We have some old .wsi files from back when the WISE install builder was used for a product. WISE is not sold anymore and we may not have access to a working WISE installation. Nevertheless, I imported the .wsi file into a new Simple Advanced Installer project. After adjusting files for their new locations (and making one change I'll describe below), I successfully built an .msi installer without any evident errors. I can run the .msi installer to completion without any evident errors. But when I try to run the program (which does run when the old installer is used), nothing at all seems to happen. No warnings or error messages. Nothing.

I'm primarily looking for advice in how to track down exactly why this isn't working. It isn't the fault of the application executable itself (since it works when installed by the old WISE .exe installer). There must be something like a missing installation step or an incompatibility in the new installer.

The main change I made from the imported WISE .wsi install is that it involved some special custom steps (of unspecified nature) by WISE components that may not have an available counterpart. In order to make an installer that would Build, I removed a section for

<COMPONENT cid="caphyon.advinst.msicomp.MsiBinaryComponent">
...
<ROW Name="WiseCustomCall" SourcePath="...wisecustomcall"/>
<ROW Name="WiseCustomCall2" SourcePath="...wisecustomcall2"/>
...
</COMPONENT>

It would not be surprising if the old WISE custom operations need to be replaced by non-WISE equivalents. But I would hope to be able to determine what isn't working about the way it is. The question I am asking is about how to investigate why the new install doesn't function when trying to run the program, yet gives no obvious errors.

I expect there are techniques that are apparent to an experienced install builder. Unfortunately, though I have experience as a developer, this is my first entry into building an installer. Thanks in advance for your patient help.

[Catalin]

Hello Eric and welcome to our forums,

If I understand correctly, the problem here is related to the executable file itself, not with the setup package.

Judging by this:

It isn't the fault of the application executable itself (since it works when installed by the old WISE .exe installer).

I'd say one possible cause is a dependency file of your executable missing. For instance, a .DLL file that the executable needs in order to run properly.

If the application fails silently without any hint on why that might happen, could you please:

- check Task Manager to see if the application is perhaps running in the background (or if it even starts)

- check Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) to see if something is logged for the application there

The main change I made from the imported WISE .wsi install is that it involved some special custom steps (of unspecified nature) by WISE components that may not have an available counterpart. In order to make an installer that would Build, I removed a section for

<COMPONENT cid="caphyon.advinst.msicomp.MsiBinaryComponent">
...
<ROW Name="WiseCustomCall" SourcePath="...wisecustomcall"/>
<ROW Name="WiseCustomCall2" SourcePath="...wisecustomcall2"/>
...
</COMPONENT>

In what regards the above, if the specified rows indeed represent some special custom steps, then it might also affect the outcome.

Is there no way for you guys to see what those custom steps are about so we can try to implement those in Advanced Installer?

Best regards,
Catalin

[Eric_D]

So Sorry that I did not see your reply until today. (I didn't get any notification. Though the notification options settings had email on for replies to a topic, perhaps something else was needed. There is a different setting under posting defaults concerning "Notify me upon replies by default", but is that needed too?)

If I understand correctly, the problem here is related to the executable file itself, not with the setup package.

It's true that I don't get any apparent error running the AI installer for this application. However, the application executable that I want to install works just fine when it is installed by the old installer created using WISE. It is the same binary file, so there is no problem with the executable file itself. More than that, I can confirm that the installed directory structure of that executable with its related supporting files in

\Program Files (x86)\Company\...

is exactly as I expect it should be according to a binary file comparison across all the installed subdirectories as compared with the directory structure as installed by the old WISE installer.

I'd say one possible cause is a dependency file of your executable missing. For instance, a .DLL file that the executable needs in order to run properly.

It wouldn't be any of the files that appear in that installed directory structure, since those match by a file comparison. That still leaves the possibility that there might be something elsewhere (e.g. something with the files installed into the GAC?) that is missing or not right. Another possibility is that the settings in the Windows registry are not what they need to be. Perhaps a file exists and is present, but cannot be found properly? I can say that the main application that starts up may be using COM/DCOM to communicate with other supporting C++ applications. All those files are present, but again perhaps something is not right (about the registry?) that prevents proper use.

If the application fails silently without any hint on why that might happen, could you please:

- check Task Manager to see if the application is perhaps running in the background (or if it even starts)

Not running in the background.

- check Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) to see if something is logged for the application there

Here is what the unhappiness looks like (with event name emphasized).

Fault bucket 94620155667, type 5
Event Name: CLR20r3
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:
P1: ourApplication.exe
P2: [version number of the application program]
P3: 533f9d66
P4: OurApplication
P5: [version number of the application program]
P6: 533f9d66
P7: 9f
P8: c6
P9: System.InvalidOperationException
P10:

In what regards the above, if the specified rows indeed represent some special custom steps, then it might also affect the outcome.

Is there no way for you guys to see what those custom steps are about so we can try to implement those in Advanced Installer?

We don't know of any computer at our disposal that can still run the WISE install building product and the .wsi files are binary files that are meaningless in an editor. Those who were directly involved in the project when it was last under active development are not current employees. I know that for some of the custom adjustments, a specialist in WISE software was employed temporarily, but we have no way to reach that person (and it is doubtful whether he would even remember this many years later).

Despite all those obstacles, there is important renewed customer interest in resurrecting this product in a way that allows us to make new installers with revisions to the applications it provides. Hence the reason for this archeological adventure to uncover the past.

Thank you for responding to my post. After getting no response to my post for days, it had seemed that it was too vague of a matter to get help at all. So I stopped checking back. I appreciate that you took the time to give me some feedback.

Thanks and best regards,

[Catalin]

Hello Eric,

No worries about the late reply, all good.

There is a different setting under posting defaults concerning "Notify me upon replies by default", but is that needed too?)

If you want to be notified, then yes, that option should be enabled.

Now, regarding your issue, from what I can see over the e-mail, you already have a ticket opened with my colleague Danut.

Before proceeding any further, could you please let me know if my assistance is still of need here?

Regarding the message from the event viewer, to be fully honest with you, it is the first time I am seeing it. However, after a little bit of research and reading the feedback from other people, I can understand the "this is how unhapipiness looks like" reference.

That still leaves the possibility that there might be something elsewhere (e.g. something with the files installed into the GAC?) that is missing or not right. Another possibility is that the settings in the Windows registry are not what they need to be. Perhaps a file exists and is present, but cannot be found properly? I can say that the main application that starts up may be using COM/DCOM to communicate with other supporting C++ applications. All those files are present, but again perhaps something is not right (about the registry?) that prevents proper use.

As far as I could see, this error can have a lot of causes, therefore all your above points may be valid. The problem is finding which is causing the application to fail.

I've had a look over the following StackOverflow thread:

Debugging a CLR20r3 System.InvalidOperationException in production

and a user is suggesting a detailed memory crash dump. You could try this on a Virtual Machine and maybe you can get more information from that log.

Other than this and maybe checking some other similar threads, the only thing would be forwarding me the .WSI project and a download link for the previous installer (where the application works) so I can have a look over it and see if I manage to find anything that may help.

Best regards,
Catalin

[Eric_D]

I am indeed currently working through some particular issues with Danut and the AI diagnostic team regarding certain problems when I try to use SelfReg="safe" with a certain application (even though using /RegServer manually for that application works fine and SelfReg="safe" works with a different application). That said, the AI project I'm asking about in this thread was derived from importing a WISE project file and it does not try to use SelfReg="safe" at all. It only has SelfReg="false" (plus many explicit <Row Register > directives). So this Community request is on a different path from that issue.


On this parallel track, I'm throwing a wide net to see if anyone at all (certainly including you) has any wisdom about how to pinpoint what is causing the installed application to abort with a CLR20r3 System.InvalidOperationException when I try to use the project converted from WISE.

Other than this and maybe checking some other similar threads, the only thing would be forwarding me the .WSI project and a download link for the previous installer (where the application works) so I can have a look over it and see if I manage to find anything that may help.

What would be the best way to send some files specifically to you? Could I send Google Drive links to a direct email address for you?

Best regards,
Eric

[Catalin]

Hello Eric,

What would be the best way to send some files specifically to you? Could I send Google Drive links to a direct email address for you?

Yes, a drive link would be perfect here.

Regarding the address, you can send it at support at advancedinstaller dot com, on a different thread (not on the one you have going right now with my colleague Dan).

Best regards,
Catalin