How do I add/update a property inside an MSI from the command-line?
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05-07-2019 - |
Question
I have an MSI installer in which I need to add or modify a short text property from the command-line.
This has to be done after the installer is built; I cannot modify the process that produces the installer in the first place. It also has to be executed headless from a script.
When I say "property," it could be an MSI property, a value that gets written to the registery at install-time, or any other mechanism that can get this short custom text into the installed application when it runs.
Solution
Example VBScript that you could use to update (or add) a property post-build...
Option Explicit
Const MSI_FILE = "myfile.msi"
Dim installer, database, view
Set installer = CreateObject("WindowsInstaller.Installer")
Set database = installer.OpenDatabase (MSI_FILE, 1)
' Update
Set view = database.OpenView ("UPDATE Property SET Value = '" & myproperty & "' WHERE Property = 'MYPROPERTY'")
' .. or Add (Insert)
Set view = database.OpenView ("INSERT INTO Property (Property, Value) VALUES ('MYPROPERTY', '" & myproperty & "')")
view.Execute
Set database = Nothing
Set installer = Nothing
Set view = Nothing
For more information check out the Windows Installer SDK (part of the Windows SDK), there's a bunch of example scripts that you can use from the command line to do various MSI manipulation tasks, for example WiRunSQL.vbs
lets you execute arbitrary SQL against an MSI.
OTHER TIPS
c:\> msiexec /i yourmsi.msi THEPROPERTYNAME=valueofproperty
For more information type msiexec at the commandline.
EDIT: or change the .msi file itself by using sql statements and updating the property in the properties table: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372021(VS.85).aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa368568(VS.85).aspx
This is to add to @saschabeaumont 's answer in '09. Currently using dotNet 4.0
Option Explicit
Const MSI_FILE = "myFilePath.msi"
Const PROPERTY_STRING_Value = "FooBar"
Dim installer, database, view
Set installer = CreateObject("WindowsInstaller.Installer")
Set database = installer.OpenDatabase (MSI_FILE, 1)
' Update
Set view = database.OpenView ("UPDATE Property SET Value = '" & PROPERTY_STRING_Value & "' WHERE Property = 'MYPROPERTY'")
' .. or Add (Insert)
Set view = database.OpenView ("INSERT INTO Property (Property, Value) VALUES ('MYPROPERTY', '" & PROPERTY_STRING_Value & "')")
view.Execute()
database.Commit()
Set database = Nothing
Set installer = Nothing
Set view = Nothing