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Set own text in Wise progress dialog

Updated: 21 May 2010 | 7 comments
berlin's picture
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This issue has been solved. See solution.

With Wise Installation Express 7 I have built a stand-alone MSI-setup. Beside installing some files it contains six setup.exes. These setups are called one after another via Execute-Program-actions from the main setup's Execute Immediate sequence after InstallFinalize. The external setups display there own progress bar and run without user interaction.
Technically everything works fine. Optically, I would like to display an additional text in the progress dialog like "Please wait, external setups are running ..." when the Execute-Program-actions are called.
Until now my Wise default progress dialog displays the files being installed ("The features you selected are currently being installed"). When this is finished ("Time remaining: 0 seconds") my external setups are executed. Instead of "Time remaining: 0 seconds" I would like to see "Please wait, external setups are running ..."
Is there a way to do this? I already played with the dialogs, but as they are not really object orientated :-( I found no way to set my own display text.
Thanks in advance for any help.

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EdT's picture
28
Sep
2009
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Not all things are configurable

There are two sets of dialogs in a Windows Installer (MSI) deployment - there are the user dialogs over which you have control and can edit the text on, and the windows installer dialogs which are hard coded into MSIEXEC.EXE and MSI.DLL.

The dialogs that appear while the InstallUI sequence is executing are yours to control. but once all the user information is entered, and the installation moves to the InstallExecute sequence, (where changes are being made to the system), then Windows Installer is in control and you are seeing hard coded dialogs that are not configurable.

If your issue has been solved, please use the "Mark as Solution" link on the most relevant thread.

berlin's picture
28
Sep
2009
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What a pity ...

Thanks again EdT, for your well explaining reply. Although this is not what a wanted to hear ;-) Seems that I have to live with the MSI dialog ...
Regards

JohanH's picture
28
Sep
2009
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On the Properties dialog for

On the Properties dialog for a Execute Program custom action, you can set the Progress bar text. This works fine, so Ed is not completely right. However, in your case, I'm not sure about your external programs.

berlin's picture
29
Sep
2009
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Progress Bar text during Execute program works fine

Thank you, JohanH, for reminding me of setting the Progress Bar text during an Execute Program custom action! I had seen this possibility when for the first time I was playing around with Wise Installation Express some weeks ago. I could not use it then, because setting Progress Bar text only works for custom actions in Execute Deferred sequence.
Now I moved my custom actions from Execute Immediate to Execute Deferred, adjusted some dependent actions, set In-Script-Options to "User context" and everything works fine! The Wise Progress dialog now displays a hint that an external setup is running.

JohanH's picture
29
Sep
2009
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Good to hear that it works. I

Good to hear that it works. I prefer myself to use an exe file made from a Wise script (wse) that launches other installations. But this depends of course of the situation. Sounds like you have it sorted.

EdT's picture
29
Sep
2009
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Dialog conflict

Since the external apps display their own progress bars, there is a risk of multiple status displays confusing the user.
One option could be to inform the user during the UI phase that various external installs will be seen and leave it at that.
The other option is to make a custom progress bar which is updated during each phase of the install, and ensure that the external installs are silent.

If your issue has been solved, please use the "Mark as Solution" link on the most relevant thread.

berlin's picture
29
Sep
2009
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Progress Dialog now looks good enough

Ed, of course basically you're right. And, of course, a setup calling six other setups is a bit strange and might confuse the user. But now with the Wise Progress dialog displaying a hint that external setups are running, which is the first option you mention and implemented via Progress Bar text in Execute Deferred Execute Program custom action, everything looks fine, or at least good enough ;-)