It looks like its an InstallShield setup.exe and I can use a command like "C:\Users\jxm416\Desktop\qxp812_win\setup.exe" /s /v "TRANSFORMS=QuarkXPress.mst /qn ALLUSERS=1"

Just need to figure out the syntax.

The app doesn't allow the MSI to be called directly

Have you not succeeded using ISSETUPDRIVEN or checking custom actions, launch conditions etc..

I haven't had to deal with one of these before in this way so thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

I am looking at this article and I can't perform step 2b because I don't have the OnCheckSilentInstall custom action. Is this a problem?
http://kb.flexerasoftware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=Q108166&sliceId=

Check the below ones listed to make the msi run independently without setup.exe

-Try adding the property ISSETUPDRIVEN=1 as i mentioned earlier

-Check the launch conditions.

-Check the custom actions, in some cases there may be acustom action which does not allow msi to run directly.

I dont know much about the OnCheckSilentInstall custom action.

First make the msi independent of exe by checking the things mentioned above in the mst, then add the required properties for customization by taking the properties from the log file.

ORIGINAL: jmaclaurin
I don't have the OnCheckSilentInstall custom action. Is this a problem?


No, that is not a problem.
I think, your msi is an InstallScript msi and it needs InstallScript Engine to run. This engine is installed by the setup.exe.
When you set the property ISSETUPDRIVEN=1, it makes the installer understand that the installation was invoked by setup.exe.
The OnCheckSilentInstall custom action prevents the MSI from checking if a silent installation was performed without using Setup.exe. If OnCheckSilentInstall isn't there, look for 'ISVerifyScriptingRuntime' custom action in InstallUISequence table. If it is there, remove it.
If none of the above works, specifically for QuarkXpress you can try to set 'SETUPEXEDIR' property which points to the location of setup.exe.

A word of caution though -
Using the tricks to bypass the setup.exe may not work well if the Vendor has included some other logic in the setup which you may not aware of. To avoid that , you can always log the setup.exe and see to it that it doesn't add any extra stuff.

I always take a gap capture against any MSI which is delivered inside an EXE.

ORIGINAL: SandeepPanat

A word of caution though -
Using the tricks to bypass the setup.exe may not work well if the Vendor has included some other logic in the setup which you may not aware of. To avoid that , you can always log the setup.exe and see to it that it doesn't add any extra stuff.


Thanks, I'll try what has been suggested above. I can get the Setup.exe to do about 1/2 of what I want, but there are a number of custom actions that refer to things I can't find specifically in the MSI/MST so I am leaning to logic as well as files being included with the Setup.exe.

The setup.exe has hidden code in it to detect that it is running from the silent.bat and will permitt the use of additional MSI parameters, but there is no point because with every successful install, it overwrites the silent.bat with its default code.

Now to see if I can disable this part...

Have you read the package KB for QuarkXpress? It suggests to make use of the silent.bat only.

Ya, it turns out that is the case and it matters where the working silent.bat is located. As long as it is not in the same folder as the setup.exe, it will not be overwritten.

Now to get a working MST and I'll be set. Pesky shortcuts....