MAKEMSI quickly and reliably creates MSI files in a non-programmatic way\MAKEMSI Installs...Installed Shortcuts and OptionsMSI MENU...

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MSI MENU...

We have the "Install - Verbose Logging" option but rather than generate a whole series of variations I have created this option which provides a menu which you can enhance.

This option is not available in WIN95-ME and should look similar to:

You simply choose the correct command and click execute and the command displayed in the text box will be executed. You may alter the command in the text box prior to clicking the execute button.

Configuration: MenuMsi.INI

The INI file "MenuMsi.INI" in the installation directory is used to populate the options list.

MAKEMSI installs some default options under the "[MAKEMSI]" section, do not touch this section. To add or override existing options create one or more new sections with any name and add your keys there. MAKEMSI uninstallation will remove any section/keys it added but leave yours alone.

To override an existing MAKEMSI option, you may duplicate (once) a MAKEMSI key. No other duplication is supported.

The options are sorted by the INI "key" so choose it carefully. A value for a key of "Install" will be the default value when the dialog is initially displayed. The "value" associated with a key consists of these parts:

1. The Displayed String
   This is what the user sees in the dialog.

2. The literal character "|"
   The "|" character is used as a separator character.

3. The Command to be Executed
   This is what will be executed for this option, it contains codes to insert information (such as the MSI name!) or alter how processing occurs.

   As this command supports non "MSIEXEC.EXE" based commands, all command lines must be start with the executable name (this should be available via the path or be fully qualified). You could use normal environment variable expansion if you execute the command via the command processor.

   The text replacement codes (which are case sensitive) are:

   • {?}
     This code is replaced by the full name of the MSI (including path). This is the most common code and frequently the only one required.

   • {?:B}
     This code is replaced by the "base" name of the MSI (without path, for example "some.msi").

   • {?:P}
     This code is replaced by the name of the MSI directory (without trailing slash).

   • {?:MSIEXEC.EXE}
     This code is replaced by the name of the windows installer executable.

   The control codes (which are case sensitive) are:

   • {!:MD}
     This code always occurs in pairs. The value between these pairs is a name of a directory that should be deleted and recreated as the command will generate output there. The codes themselves are simply stripped out.

The following is a small (but most complicated) sample:

[MAKEMSI]
Install-Extract-Admin_HERE=Administrative Installation - Extract "HERE"|{?:MSIEXEC.EXE} /a "{?}" TARGETDIR="{!:MD}{?:P}\AdminInstall\{?:B}{!:MD}" /l*v "{?}.ADMIN.MsiLog"

Default INI Options

The following are the default options installed by MAKEMSI, as discussed above any of these options can be replaced if desired:

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