Using bootstrapper with MSI ui

Question

I have MSI file that is ready to install. It contains a customized UI that also collects data from user. As part of installation, i would like to install following things if missing

• .Net framework 4.0
• Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package (x64)

From what I learned, bootstrapper should contain UI as well. How can I use bootstrapper for only initiating prerequisites stage and then proceed with MSI UI installation?

Answer 1

If you use the Visual Studio Setup and Deployment projects bootstrapper (GenerateBootstrapper related things) then it will show your MSI UI after installing the prerequisites. It's a pretty simple bootstrapper.

I believe the custom bootstrapper UI you are thinking about is the new Burn functionality in WiX v3.6+. Burn is a lot more powerful and can create single, seamless user experience for multiple chained packages (.exe's or .msi's or .msp's or .msu's). Using Burn you can create a very custom UI that does not show any UI from your chained packages. Alternatively, you can have Burn show the MSI UI. Basically, Burn is highly configurable but does require a bit of extra work (since WiX toolset doesn't provide everything out of the box, yet).

To show the MSI UI when running in a Burn-based Bundle you'll need to add DisplayInternalUI='yes' to the MsiPackage elements you want to display. For example:

<Chain>
   ...
   <MsiPackage ... DisplayInternalUI='yes' />
</Chain>

If you are using the wixstdba (which is very common), it will show it's UI until it comes time to install the .msi package. Then the .msi package UI will pop-up on top and return back to the wixstdba UI to complete the Bundle install. You could provide your own Bootstrapper Application if you want to change the way that the Bundle based UI shows up.