patch building and msimsp.exe

[kjullion]

Hi,
I understand that the msimsp.exe path needs to be configured in the External Tools section of AI. I have done that, and it works, but what I'm not sure about is if I should be using the one found in this version of the SDK:

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C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1A\Bin\MsiMsp.Exe

I'm questioning that because I see that there are other --more recent-- versions of these SDKs/Kits on my machine in paths such as:

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C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x86
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\bin\x86

The reason I chose the --older-- 7.1A SDK is that I found that the more recent Kits don't have the file mspatchc.dll and that missing DLL was causing the build step of my patch projects to fail.
So the question is, which SDK should we be using 7.1A, 8.0, or 8.1, and if we are supposed to use one of the 8.x Kits, then where/how do I obtain the mspacthc.dll?

Thanks,
Kevin

[mihai.petcu]

Hi Kevin,

I just tested this using:

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C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x86

..and no error occurred when building the patch. Maybe the behavior you are getting is related to something else.

Theoretically you should use the latest version of the SDK tool.

All the best,
Mihai

[kjullion]

Hi,
Can you tell me if in your scenario your

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C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x86

folder contains the file: mspacthc.dll?

Mine does/did not...so perhaps I need to re-install that SDK, but I don't want to go down that road if it's not what is broken.

Thanks,
Kevin

[mihai.petcu]

Hi Kevin,

No, my folder doesn't contain mspacthc.dll. As described in the following link, that file is a library for creating deltas:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb417345.aspx

Can you send me two sample consecutive version MSI files that generate that error on your computer? I want to build the patch and get the same result here.

All the best,
Mihai

[kjullion]

Hi Mihai,
Sorry for the late reply. I think you mean can I send you the AIP files, right?...I say that because it's the (re-)build process of the AIP that is throwing an error.
You can see the errors that I am getting here, the first is from the MSIMSP.exe process itself then control is returned to AI and the error it displays is show secondly.

mspatchc_dll_is_missing.png (61.17 KiB) Viewed 11329 times

I've also attached a zip file called "Story" to this post that has all of the files need to create the two MSI (our final solution needs to be EXE files so I've setup those projects to actually build EXEs not MSIs) and the "Story_patch.aip" file that I used to create the MSP file. But in order to get it to work I found that I have to change the AI >Options > External Tools > Patch > MsiMsp.exe setting to use the 7.1a SDK.

FYI: I am using AI v11.6.1

Thanks.

[Daniel]

Hello Kevin,

I've tested (on a WIndows 8.1 machine) your attached sample against "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\bin\x86\MsiMsp.exe", but the patch build went fine. Can you please go to "Control Panel -> Programs and Features" and trigger a repair for "Windows Software Development Kit" and test again the patch build? Maybe something has corrupted within your SDK installation.

Also, can you test the scenario on another clean machine and see if still replicates?

All the best,
Daniel

[kjullion]

As just posted on a different thread viewtopic.php?f=5&t=35032&p=97360#p97360 , the fix here was the fact that my PATH environment variable did not (for whatever reason) contain the path to the 7.1A SDK. So, once I altered the PATH to include the 7.1A SDK's \bin folder I was able to build my msp patch file.

This is the directory that I added to the Windows 7 machine's Path env. variable:

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C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1A\Bin;

[Daniel]

Thank you for your follow up on this and for sharing the resolution with us.

Certainly this will be very useful for future users.

All the best,
Daniel

[Tvalone]

I am entering the world of patches now, running into a problem.

Does anyone know where the msimsp.exe exists within the Windows Software Development Kit - Windows 10.0.17134.12

msimsp.JPG (65.91 KiB) Viewed 8462 times

[Daniel]

Hello,

Keeping the "MSI Tools" feature selected should work. After installation try to search for the msimsp.exe file installed under a location like this:

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C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x86\MsiMsp.exe

Let us know if this helped.

All the best,
Daniel