WiX Toolset, setting install dir path via custom action, works, but value changes back to default

Question

I'm trying to create an msi installer that will install the application to the console session's local app data directory, even when the session that runs the msi is the system session (when deploying via GPO).
For that, I'm creating a custom action that extracts the 'right' local app data directory (this code works, no issues there).
The custom action will set the value of a property called 'INSTALLDIR'.
This is the relevant code from the wxs:

<Property Id="INSTALLDIR" Value="C:\Users\default\AppData\Local\" />
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
    <Directory Id="INSTALLDIR">
        <Directory Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Name="MyApp">
        ...

<Binary Id="MyCA" SourceFile="My.CustomActions.CA.dll"/>
<CustomAction Id="MyCASetLocalAppData" Impersonate="no" BinaryKey="MyCA" DllEntry="SetLocalAppData" Return="check" />
...

<InstallExecuteSequence>
    <Custom Action="MyCASetLocalAppData" Before="CostFinalize">Not Installed OR UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE</Custom>

In the install log, I can see the INSTALLDIR's value change from the initial value to the right value from the custom action, but later on in the log, the INSTALLDIR's value is the default value again.

It seems like I need to call the MyCASetLocalAppData multiple times...

How can I fix this?

Thanks!

B. Murri · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-28 10:14:17Z

2

I know that the docs say to schedule before CostFinalize, but that might be too late. Try changing it to After="CostInitialize" (which is when WiX's SetDirectory element schedules it).

answered Jan 28, 2021 at 10:14

B. Murri

3761 silver badge5 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Alonzzo2 Over a year ago

I found out the solution a couple of weeks ago - the solution is what you suggested, you should have come earlier, save me some time:) Marking this as the answer for future reference for other people

B. Murri Over a year ago

Another alternative is to set a property of the exact same Id (case sensitive) as the directory's Id to the desired path BEFORE CostInitialize (which is actually how the "built in" directories are set), because during costing if there's a property that shares the directory's Id then that property's value is automatically used (ignoring that directory's parent). Costing also effectively creates properties for all of the directories with their paths (which you can use after CostFinalize in your code).

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

WiX Toolset, setting install dir path via custom action, works, but value changes back to default

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related