Advanced Installer aims to provide a powerful - yet intuitive and easy to use - interface to the installation creation process, making the authoring of MSI files a snap and shielding developers from the complexity and intricacies of the Windows Installer technology while enabling them to leverage all its capabilities.

The current version is an early development release. Which implies that while it is stable and usable, it is not intended to be a final release by any means, its functionality being rather limited. We are only publishing it as a helping tool for those who need it right now.

The product is freeware and according to the authors will remain so although a "PRO" version will probably be developed.

• Driver Install Frameworks for Applications (DIFxApp): A Windows Installer (MSI) custom action dynamic-link library (DLL) that you can use to install driver packages that are represented as MSI components in an MSI installation package.

• Driver Package Installer (DPInst): An executable file that simplifies the software-first installation of driver packages.

An example of simple insertion or replacement of rows (into a custom table I define and create):

 <$TableDefinition "AAA_DennisGuidTable">
  <$Column "MsiGuid" TYPE="s72" KEY="Y">
  <$Column "Value" TYPE="l0">
 <$/TableDefinition>
 <$Table "AAA_DennisGuidTable">
  <$TableCreate>
  <$Row MsiGuid="AGuid"*Value="GuidMake()">
 <$/Table>
 

Some other examples:

 <$Icon "test.ico">
 <$Binary "c:\dbareis\tools\where.exe">
 <$DirectoryTree Key="INSTALLDIR" DIR="C:\A\B\C\Instdir">
 <$Summary "TEMPLATE" Value="Intel;1033">
 <$Summary "LASTPRINTED" VALUE="now()">
 <$Property "ROOTDRIVE" VALUE="C:\">
 
 ;--- Want UpgradeCode GUID same for every build ---
 dim UpgradeCode
 UpgradeCode = <$Guid 'UpgradeCode'>
 <$Summary "PackageCode" *Value="GuidMake()">
 <$Property "ProductCode" *Value="GuidMake()">
 <$Property "UpgradeCode" *Value="UpgradeCode"> 

There are many other commands such as "Feature" and "component" and others will be used to create schedules, services and custom actions. Documentation exists for existing commands.

When creating an MSI your "common" attributes are reused and the "script" will only contain commands directly related to your product. HTML documentation is automatically generated and the MSI validated (output can be filtered).

You can build via explorer or via command line or ANT/NANT/NMAKE scripts (for overnight builds etc).

My "MSIDIFF" tool can be used to help build MAKEMSi scripts.

• Quality assurance: use the human readable XML file to compare changes between different versions of a .msi file.

• Version control: many version control systems are text based. Store the XML file instead of the .msi file.

There is going to be a counterpart tool, xml2msi, which converts the XML files back to .msi packages, without loss of data. Let me know if you are interested in this.

Features of msi2xml:

• Includes binary streams as MIME (base64) encoded text in the XML file.
• Alternatively writes binary streams as external files and includes them by references in the XML file.
• Ensures integrity of binary streams by including a MD5 fingerprint.
• Includes a default stylesheet to display the XML file as a web page in Internet Explorer 5.

My MAKEMSI is easier to use and builds better MSIs with less effort. MSI2XML requires you to a Windows Installer Expert (and to build the cab files) while MAKEMSI allows both experts and beginners build high quality installers.

The tool can be executed via Explorer shell extensions or from a command line (batch file etc).

The output is very easy to read and I know of no other tool that produces very undertstandable output.

The generated output can also be processed by my MAKEMSI tool.

This release of the Cabinet Software Development Kit (formerly called the Cabinet Resource Kit) provides complete documentation of cabinet file internals and the various data compression formats used in cabinet files, including the new LZX data compression technology.

Binaries are "CABARC.EXE", "CABINET.DLL", "EXTRACT.EXE" and "MAKECAB.EXE".

Add files and ancillary files that you want to run on the destination computer. Check the files that should be executed. Set the order of execution using the up and down arrow buttons. Save. The saved file can be executed by double clicking in windows explorer

This product is free for non-commercial use.

Create and edit Windows Installer setup files. This tool lets you create your .msi files in the pure Windows Installer terms and the resulted file will contain entries that you have decided it must contain. Thus, the content as well as the behavior of your setup is always clear and predictable.

Debug Windows Installer setups. Embedded msi debugger helps you fix bugs and improve your setup package behavior.

My MAKEMSI is easier to use and builds better MSIs with less effort. WIX requires you to a Windows Installer Expert while MAKEMSI allows both experts and beginners build high quality installers.

The Windows Installer logs are some of the worst I've ever had to read and this free but "fairly average" viewer may help some. Due to its limitations (such as lack of command line support - or even drag/drop) I don't use it myself. Like all such tools from MS you just about have to kill someone to get your hands on it (don't expect to find it as a separate download - that would be being nice...).

• Create new Windows Installer compatible GUIDs
• Create a blank MSI package for editing
• Create features and components that install a directory tree of files
• Preview and clone user interface dialogs