Unable to compile MSI action install assembly

[blandry]

We have been long time InstallAware 7 users and we fell in love with the product and became very dedicated to it. Now the boss purchased InstallAware 10 which at first, looked great - interface had not changed all that much, and there were new "hooks" right into Visual Studio 2010. Very impressive... Right up until we started using it. It seems as though the complexity added to do "cool things" has pretty much hosed up the product. We have tried two builds from within Visual Studio and both fail to succeed (something we NEVER experienced with version 7) and the error messages are well, horrible, cryptic, and guide us nowhere. Worse, we cant get any phone support for this project we have due today, and well all in all we are just about ready to dump InstallAware 10 and get our money back, and go back to 7.

Here is the situaiton - we have 2 Visual Studio VSTO AddIns - one for Excel, one for Word. We tried using InstallAware "inside" Visual Studio and outside as well - nothing builds and it give us an error that then suggests we look at the log - funny thing - the error it gives is the same error in the log, so that is really kind of cheesy, and the error message tells us nothing... Here is the log file contents...

Building Project: RemediaLink_Excel_2010
Output Folder: C:\Users\blandry\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\RemediaLink_Excel_2010\InstallAware\Release\UncompressedDeployment Type: Uncompressed Directory Layout
Code Signing: Disabled
Compression: Best
Compiler Variables: UAC=asInvoker,BUILDMODE=CD,"LANGUAGE=English","TITLE=RemediaLink_Excel_2010",TARGETDIR=$TARGETDIR$,IADIR=C:\PROGRA~2\INSTAL~1\INSTAL~1,PROJDIR=C:\Users\blandry\DOCUME~1\VISUAL~2\Projects\REMEDI~1\INSTAL~1,IAVER=10.00
###
Cleared output folder C:\Users\blandry\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\RemediaLink_Excel_2010\InstallAware\Release\UncompressedBuilt plug-in action Windows Installer
Built plug-in action MSXML
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action Windows Installer
Built plug-in action MSXML
Built plug-in action File Bag
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action Call DLL Function
Built plug-in action File Bag
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action File Bag
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action Call DLL Function
Built plug-in action File Bag
Built plug-in action (Un)Install MSI Setup
Built plug-in action Call DLL Function
Error during build: Unable to compile MSI action install assembly

The message "Unable to compile MSI action install assembly" shown here at the end of the log is the same message reported when the error occurs. Funny thing (again), that message appears throughout the log and seems okay so we have NO clue what this is talking about.

Could someone please help us here before the big boss beats the tar out of our boss for "upgrading", and we wind up returning InstallAware 10 for a refund.

Thanks.

[giaviv]

Dear blandry,

I am sorry you are feeling this why - let me try and help you.

The error message you are receiving usually stems from installing non-strongly names assemblies.
In earlier versions this was possible, however with IA 10, you get this error when you try to install a non-strong named assemblies.
Are you installing any such assemblies? If so, please try to temporarily remove them from the project and let me know if the error goes away.

[blandry]

Aviv,

This is an Office 2010 AddIn we are trying to build an install for, so any DLL going in there HAS to be there - I cant remove any. So really, what you are telling me is that you had allowed this in the earlier version, but no longer... That kind of leaves us with a pretty useless choice: I can build an install that doesnt work, or build an AddIn the wont work. Not much of a choice there for us - we need both to work, obviously.

None the less, cancel this ticket - we are under pressure to get this done and the Microsoft Partner Team is working with us to get us to the right tech in their organization who can guide us using their Visual Studio Setup and Deployment project in VS 2010.

I sure hope there are no other ugly surprises waiting for us in InstallAware 10 - we had really fallen in love with the product and to find this morning we cant depend on it, well... Not fun, not "new and improved", not even really an "upgrade".

Simply put, 'if it aint broke, dont fix it'.

Thanks anyway.

[giaviv]

Hi,

There is a fix to this actually - you just have to replace the Install Assembly commands with Install Files. These commands are THE SAME when you are not installing to the GAC. And since your assemblies are not strong named, you cannot be installing them to the GAC anyways.

Good luck!

[ruurd@webpartner.nl]

Hello,

your solution sounds ok, but where can I change the code?
Replace Install Assembly commands with Install Files
When I look at MSIcode it is not editable

Thanks in advance

[giaviv]

Hello,

Which edition of InstallAware are you using? This workaround is only an option in InstallAware editions where editing MSIcode is allowed.

[buffie]

I installed your product yesterday and I tried my First Setup Build from inside of VS 2010 and I get the same error "Unable to compile MSI action install assembly". I am using the Developer's Edition. Can I change "Install Assembly commands with Install Files" with this edition?
A complete NewBie....
Terry Bottorff

[giaviv]

Can you use the Design tab to select your assemblies as installed files?

[buffie]

If you are asking me, Design, Setup Architecture, Assemblies then I have Absolutely No Files showing up on that screen. Does that mean I have No Assemblies?
If I seem shaky on this, it is because I have been working with your software exactly 3 hours.
TIA.

[giaviv]

Hi,

You should have assemblies as you are getting that error. Are you installing any assemblies with your VS application?

[buffie]

I am sorry it took me so long to get back to this. I now have added all of the Assemblies that I need for my VS 2010 project and it shows they are going into the GAC but I have not checked any of the boxes at the bottom of the Assemblies Screen. Should any of those boxes be checked? I think I understand that I should change GAC to targetDir is that correct?
Then back to your recommendation change Install Assembly to Install Files? Where do I find that?
TIA.

[giaviv]

What you should do is remove anything from the Assembly view.
Instead, add the assemblies as if they were regular files - simply add them to the $TARGETDIR$ in the Files view under Setup Architecture

[buffie]

I removed the files from the Assembly page and added all of them to the Files page. Exactly the same error?
If I publish my project and double click the exe from Windows Explorer it runs just fine so I'm thinking all is ready to create an Install Setup?
TIA.

[giaviv]

You probably built the wrong project or did something else incorrectly since when there are no files in the Assembly view that error cannot technically appear. Try saving the project, restarting IA and building again.

[buffie]

I only have one project with the name that I am trying to create a setup for so I am not sure how I could have the wrong project? I have looked at the Assemblies tab and their are No files found in it. I have looked at the Files tab and the TargetDir and it does have all of the assemblies found on it. I have tried build the set up and the very last statement that it shows me is:
Error during build: Unable to compile MSI action install assembly

I'm at a loss as to what to try next?