KG90
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:47 am

Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:55 pm

Hi all

Does anyone know if its possible to do a direct conversion of an MSI and its MSP to MSIx? I've used the feature for converting MSI to MSIx, but cant find anything for adding an MSP during the conversion.

Cheers
Keir

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Fri Apr 08, 2022 9:54 am

Hello Keir,

By MSP, are you referring to a patch?

If that is the case, I'm afraid it might be possible to convert both a MSI and its MSP to MSIX.

EDIT:

Hey guys I might have spoken too soon. After checking it again, it seems that you can repackage a setup with additional packages.
That basically allow you to repackage multiple installers into a single installer, be it a MSIX package or a classic MSI:
image (2).png
image (2).png (129.56KiB)Viewed 2905 times

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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KG90
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:47 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Fri Apr 08, 2022 11:55 am

Yeah a patch, ah ok, maybe one for a feature request then?

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:10 pm

Hello Keir,

I would have added it on our TODO list of improvements, but I'm afraid it is not possible to achieve that.

The patch simply can not be converted to an MSIX package.

However, if you created the patch in Advanced Installer, perhaps you can try to convert to MSIX the second version (which would include the patch as well).

The patch is basically a dif between two packages, e.g. v1 and v2.

If you apply the patch to v1, you will obtain v2.

That being said, v2 is basically v1 + the patch, so you could try to directly convert v2.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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KG90
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:47 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:25 pm

How do you obtain v2 in this example? As normally we would just install the base MSI, then run the patch afterwards. Are you saying there is a way to combine the base and msp into one MSI? or have I misunderstood.

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Mon Apr 11, 2022 1:52 pm

Hello Keir,

Usually, in order to obtain a patch, you will need two versions of your product: v1 and v2 - the patch being simply the diff between those two.

More details about this in our "Authoring a Windows Installer patch" article.

With that being said, you basically need v2 in order to create the patch in the first place.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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KG90
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:47 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Mon Apr 11, 2022 2:55 pm

Ah ok, this is a vendor provided patch, so based on this sounds like the vendor would have to give us v2 in this example, rather than just a patch.

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:14 am

Hello Keir,

Please check my first reply again as I have edited it.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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KG90
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:47 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Tue Apr 12, 2022 1:10 pm

Thats how we have done it for now yeah, but its just not as nice as a conversion, as you always have to clean up bits of the capture.

Catalin
Posts: 6537
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:49 am

Re: Convert to MSIx with MSI and its MSP

Tue Apr 12, 2022 3:35 pm

Hello Keir,

You are indeed right, but I'm afraid this is the only solution available.

Best regards,
Catalin
Catalin Gheorghe - Advanced Installer Team
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