tsburkins
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 2:50 pm

Prompting the user for input

During my program's installation, I need to prompt the user to enter some text (LDAP server, account name, etc.). What is the recommended way to have the user input text information?

In another installation that I am working on, I need to ask the user to select 1 of 2 options (preferrably using radio buttons). Is there a way to do this?

If the answer is to use a custom action with a DLL/EXE that I create, then how does that affect the ability to run the installation silently? Is there a way to record property values from a C DLL/EXE back into the installation so that it can be run silently later?
Guest

I also need this!

I also need this ability. I am installing a service with no user-interface and need to save some user prompted parms into an ini file.
limbo
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2005 4:12 am

Re: I also need this!

Anonymous wrote:I also need this ability. I am installing a service with no user-interface and need to save some user prompted parms into an ini file.
Posted this without loggin in. This was me :)
UdreaMihai
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:13 am

Hi,

-Windows Installer has the possibility of displaying a custom DialogBox, but in order to edit that dialog you must have some advanced knowledge about MSI.
Advanced Installer does not have support for Custom Dialog Box, so you will have to edit your *.msi yourself with a tool like ORCA.

Another way would be to use a Custom Action in which you can create your own Dialog.

-Same for the second question.

-If the user selects a silent installation then he must set some properties that you will use in your CA.
There is a command line to set MYPROPERTY and to install Example.msi silently, maybe it helps:
msiexec /i "A:\Example.msi" MYPROPERTY="Embedded White Space" /qn

If the user sets all the properties that you need, you will no longer need to query the user.

-No. You can create new properties but it is not possible to change the UILevel property from within a Windows Installer custom action and all the changes( including modified, created... properties ) on *.msi are temporary, they will be rolled back at the end of the installation.

Best,
Udrea Mihai
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com

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