WIX: Using a temporary file during install

Question

I am writing a WIX installer and I have a following requirement:
During installation, I need to pass an absolute path to a file (lets call it A) included in my installer to a COM component, which already exists on the hard drive and is a part of another program. I have already written an appropriate Custom Action which expects a path to the file A. I don't want to include A as a file installed in the Program Files folder and removed during the uninstallation process. Instead, I would like to put A only temporary on the hard drive, call my Custom Action which will cause the COM component to use the content of A, and then remove A from disk. Is there an easy way to accomplish this goal?

I have tried to utilize the Binary Table and store A there, however I don't know how to reference A using absolute path. I know I could put A outside of MSI file but I would like to keep every file installer needs in a single MSI.

Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I would take this approach.

Install the file "A" into any directory. Run your custom action needed to update the COM component. Then run another custom action or modify the currently written one to remove the file after it is no longer in use. This would leave no trace of the file "A" and if you schedule the custom action to only run during the install you won't have to worry about it on uninstall.

Answer 2

Deleting a file that MSI installed means that MSI will consider it "broken" and try to auto-repair it if called on to do so. That happens automatically in several cases (e.g., advertised shortcuts and COM registration) so I'd recommend against it. Leave the file there instead -- it's done its job and there's no harm in leaving it there.