Monthly Archives: August 2014

Adding a custom dialog to and Installshield Basic MSI project

I needed to add a new custom dialogue to a MSI basic project that captures a new path for the data folder for a project. The dialog should take the INSTALLPATH add DATADIR, then allow the user to change the path. On install the DATADIR path will be inserted into an app.config xml file so the application knows where to look

Create a new Basic MSI Project

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Application Information

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Installation Interview

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Installation Designer

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Create new component

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Rename to DATAFOLDER

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Click on the three dots Buttons next to Destination

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Click on the three dots Buttons next to Destination

 

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New Component Files

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New Component Files

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Configure XML Changes

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import the XML file

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Choose only the elements you need to change

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Take out the xpath information that searches for specific elements in the config file, we just want it to match on runtime element, not the dataFolder orenviromentId

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Change the dataFolder Parameter to [DATAFOLDER]

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Delete the environmentID since we are not changing that

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Navigate to Dialogs

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right click Clone

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Rename the dialog

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Select the Location Control

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Create new string for the control you are changing by clicking on the three dots

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Click New

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Enter Value: [DATAFOLDER]

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Select DlgTitle Control

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Select the three dots the text

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Select New

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Enter  DataFolder

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Select LocLabel

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Click three dots next to Text

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Click New

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Enter “Choose Data Directory for [ProductName]:”

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Select Bahavior

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Select ChangeFolder

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Change INSTALLDIR to DATAFOLDER

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Select Destination Folder

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Select Next

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Change NewDialog to DataFolder

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Select DataFolder

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Select Back

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Change New Dialog to Destination Folder

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Goto ReadyToInstall

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Go to Back

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Change DestinationFolder to DataFolder

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To DataFolder

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Now do a build, and you install, you should see

Screen Shot 2014-08-22 at 3.41.32 PM

And when you check your XML file you should see the changes reflected there.