how to call the setup.exe of a previous installation

binkle · Post by **binkle** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:15 am

Hi,
as I need to run an exe-file before any uninstallation is performed I need to execute the previous installed setup.exe instead of calling “Install/Remove MSI Package $PRODUCTCODE$[REMOVE=ALL] (get result into variable REMOVEOLD)” when a new version gets installed over an existing one.

Does anyone know how to call the setup.exe of a previous installation?

Greetings

Harry

Alex_Ronquillo · Post by **Alex_Ronquillo** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:18 pm

This was my private answer for you:

Code: Select all

Run Program $EXEFILE$ /s MODIFY=FALSE REMOVE=TRUE REPAIR=FALSE (WAIT)

That should do it

binkle · Post by **binkle** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:18 am

This does not work.
Now there is an recursive endless loop.
The setup is calling itself.

For Testing I did as follows:
- Modified the IA code as you provided.
- Created "setup.exe” (single file)
- Renamed it to “1setup .exe” and installed it on a fresh Win-Server2003 (VMWare)
- Created another “setup.exe” (just pressed the button to created single file)
- Executing this new “setup.exe” on the server…
--> An endless loop, the setup is calling itself recursively,
the only way to stop it is to kill the first setup.exe file using the taskmanager

Any other Idea?

Greetings

Harry

binkle · Post by **binkle** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:40 am

Just to update this thread:
Alejandro wrote:

Actually, the EXE file you need to call is the one to uninstall the previous product and not the current product's EXE. It was in front of my eyes all the time, and couldn't see it. Runnin $EXEFILE$ inside an installation will always create an infinite loop. This is what you need to do, consider the following scenario and the steps taken, take the same steps for your case.

Let's say you have two version of 1 product:

Version 1: Revision code {743E5F53-CC62-46D3-9D9E-053B36A35480}
Version 2: Revision code {FAB3022E-48AA-461A-95C4-D6153608AE05}

You installed Version 1 one day. Some time later, Version 2 launches, and you want to substitute version 1 for version 2. When Version 1 is uninstalled, you want to run an EXE file via "Run Program" command, but the "(Un)Install MSI Package" command in Version 2 doesn't run the EXE file.

Since both versions have the same product code, Version 2 will check for the presence of Version 1 automatically, therefore the only code you need to change is (suppose the Version 1 exe file was setup.exe):

Replace the "(Un)Install MSI Package" command for the following code:

Code: Select all

    Set Variable UNINSTALLEXE to {743E5F53-CC62-46D3-9D9E-053B36A35480}\\setup.exe
    Comment: Getting Application Data folder for current user
    Set Variable APPDATA to
    Get Folder Location System->Application Data Directory into APPDATA
    Comment: Getting Application Data folder for all users
    Set Variable APPDATAALL to
    Get Common Folder Location System->Application Data Directory into APPDATAALL
    Set Variable EXISTS to
    Comment: Checking for uninstall file in all users folder
    Does File Exist $APPDATAALL$$UNINSTALLEXE$ (get result into variable EXISTS)
    if Variable EXISTS Equals (Ignore Case) TRUE
      Run Program $APPDATAALL$$UNINSTALLEXE$ /s MODIFY=FALSE REMOVE=TRUE REPAIR=FALSE (WAIT)
      else
      Comment: Checking for uninstall file in current user folder
      Does File Exist $APPDATA$$UNINSTALLEXE$ (get result into variable EXISTS)
      if Variable EXISTS Equals (Ignore Case) TRUE
        Run Program $APPDATA$$UNINSTALLEXE$ /s MODIFY=FALSE REMOVE=TRUE REPAIR=FALSE (WAIT)
      end
    end
    if Variable REMOVEOLD Equals -1
      MessageBox: $TITLE$ Setup, Unable to uninstall old version of $TITLE$. Please uninstall it yourself using Control Panel Add-Remove Programs before attempting to install this product.$NEWLINE$$NEWLINE$$ERROROLD$
      Terminate Installation
    end

binkle · Post by **binkle** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:42 am

this looks good. But this is very static. Using this code I need to adjust the revision code on every release manually and it will not work if a user missed one release.
Is there a way to get the revision code of the current installed version automatically? (from the registry or so)
And what is if the setup.exe of the previous version does no longer exist?

I can't believe no one had this problem before.....

binkle · Post by **binkle** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:12 am

Alejandro wrote:

OK. Here's how you would check for the exe file for all versions, again assuming all products have the same product code:

Set Variable UNINSTALLEXE to
Read Registry Key HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\$PRODUCTCODE$\\UninstallString into UNINSTALLEXE

variable UNINSTALLEXE will conatin the file you would need to run. Your code would be now:

Code: Select all

Set Variable UNINSTALLEXE to
Read Registry Key HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\$PRODUCTCODE$\\UninstallString into UNINSTALLEXE Run Program $UNINSTALLEXE$ /s MODIFY=FALSE REMOVE=TRUE REPAIR=FALSE (WAIT) if Variable REMOVEOLD Equals -1
   MessageBox: $TITLE$ Setup, Unable to uninstall old version of $TITLE$. Please uninstall it yourself using Control Panel Add-
               Remove Programs before attempting to install this product.$NEWLINE$$NEWLINE$$ERROROLD$
   Terminate Installation
end

You are right, actually the code gets a lot shorter. Sorry I didn't think it this way before.

As you may see, UNINSTALLEXE file is the file to uninstall the previous application, if the application is installed, then the file MUST be there.

binkle · Post by **binkle** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:15 am

Great thing, that works fine!!

Greetings

Harry