CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#visual-studio-2010windows-installer
BinaryMee
BinaryMee

Reputation: 2142

Hook before BeforeInstall Installer Method - Windows Installer

I have created an installer which installs windows service. I have used Visual studio default installer in VS 2010.

The service will access and write on the database file(SQLite) present in the installation folder.

During uninstall when the service is stopped or running, the service is uninstalling without any error.

But if the installer is migrated from version 1 to 2, and the service of previous version is running then"The file is being accessed by some application. Try again" error has been shown, since the previous installation service accessing the DB file.

So I need to stop the previous version service before Installing new version. I have a custom action script for managing install and uninstall. In BeforeInstall method I have written code to stop the service using ServiceController. That can stop the service.

ServiceController service = new ServiceController("SERVICE_NAME");

if (!(service.Status.Equals(ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped)))

    {
        service.Stop();
        service.WaitForStatus   (System.ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped);

    }

But even before BeforeInstall method the installer is copying new version files replacing my previous version files.

I always have same installation folder. So if I write code to stop the service in BeforeInstall custom Action it will still throw error, because the DB file being accessed by previous version service was tried to delete by new version.. So I am getting "The file is being accessed by some application. Try again".

So I need some hook even before the installer copies the files to the installation folder. So that I can stop the service before the installer try to update the Db file.

Any idea would be appreciated.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1221

Answers (1)

Christopher Painter
Christopher Painter

Reputation: 55601

Windows Installer doesn't have a concept of "before install". This is a Visual Studio Setup and Deployment project abstraction. This project type failed to expose many underlying Windows Installer features and this is why Microsoft eliminated it in VS2012.

Another concept that isn't exposed is the ServiceInstall and ServiceControl tables. This is why you are being forced to write custom actions. Custom actions that are hosted in such a way ( beyond your control ) to tattoo the MSIEXEC process with a CLR version and throw modal 1001 exceptions (even during silent installation) when there is a problem.

But there is a solution. Switch to a better tool such as free and open source Windows Installer XML (WiX) and Industrial Strength Windows Installer XML (IsWiX). With these tools you can create a windows service, create the installer for it and test the install/uninstall on a VM in 10 minutes. Watch my silent demo at:

Building and Deploying a Windows Service using IsWiX

Upvotes: 2

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