Launch application after installation complete, with UAC turned on

Question

I've been building an installer for our product using the WIX(Windows Installer XML) technology. The expected behavior is that the product is launched, if the check box is checked after installation.

This has been working for some time now, but we found out recently that UAC of Win 7, and Vista is stopping the application from launching. I've done some research and it has been suggested to me that I should add the attributes

Execute='deferred' and Impersonate='no'.

Which I did, but then found out that to execute deferred, the CustomAction has to be performed, between the InstallInitialize, and IntallFinalize phases; which is not what I need. I need the product to launch AFTER install finalize, IF the launch checkbox is checked. Is there any other way to elevate permissions?

Any and all answers, suggestions, or resonings will be appreciated.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the topic that Rob mentioned doesn't really help for Windows Vista or 7 as I have found. Especially with UAC turned on.

The way I have got around this is to use a CustomAction that launches the command prompt and launches the application you want.

<CustomAction 
    Id="LaunchApp" 
    Directory="YourDirectory" 
    ExeCommand="[SystemFolder]cmd.exe /C app.exe" />

Hope that helps.

Ray

Answer 2

The WiX toolset documentation has a topic called How To: Run the Installed Application After Setup that covers how to do this.

Answer 3

See WiX and DTF: Using a bootstrapper to force elevated privileges in Vista how you can run the whole msi elevated.

You can automate this in the .wixproj file with help of the GenerateBootstrapper task. To summarize:

Create a setup.manifest like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
  <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" processorArchitecture="X86" name="Setup" type="win32" />
  <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
    <security>
      <requestedPrivileges>
        <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
      </requestedPrivileges>
    </security>
  </trustInfo>
</assembly>

And modify your .wixproj file like this:

<Project DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
 <!-- standard PropertyGroups and ItemGroups -->

 <PropertyGroup>
   <WindowsSDK>$(registry:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SDKs\Windows@CurrentInstallFolder)</WindowsSDK>
 </PropertyGroup>
 <PropertyGroup Condition="$(WindowsSDK) == ''">
   <WindowsSDK>$(registry:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SDKs\Windows@CurrentInstallFolder)</WindowsSDK>
 </PropertyGroup>

 <PropertyGroup>
   <mt_exe>$(WindowsSDK)bin\mt.exe</mt_exe>
 </PropertyGroup>

 <ItemGroup>
   <BootstrapperFile Include="Microsoft.Windows.Installer.3.1" >
     <ProductName>Windows Installer 3.1</ProductName>
   </BootstrapperFile>
   <!-- more BootstrapperFile items -->
 </ItemGroup>

 <Target Name="Bootstrapper"
         Inputs="$(OutDir)$(TargetFileName)"
         Outputs="$(OutDir)\Setup.exe"
         Condition=" '$(OutputType)'=='package' " >
   <GenerateBootstrapper ApplicationName="application name"
                         ApplicationFile="$(TargetFileName)"
                         BootstrapperItems="@(BootstrapperFile)"
                         ComponentsLocation="Relative"
                         OutputPath="$(OutputPath)"
                         Culture="en-US"
                         Path="$(WindowsSDK)\Bootstrapper" />
 </Target>

 <Target Name="PatchSetupExe" DependsOnTargets="Bootstrapper">
   <Exec Command='"$(mt_exe)" -manifest setup.manifest -outputresource:$(OutDir)\Setup.exe;#1' IgnoreExitCode='false' />
 </Target>

 <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\Microsoft\WiX\v3.0\Wix.targets" />

 <PropertyGroup>
   <BuildDependsOn>$(BuildDependsOn);Bootstrapper;PatchSetupExe</BuildDependsOn>
 </PropertyGroup>
</Project>

Now a correct setup.exe which will run elevated will be generated on every build.