Software Deployment

hello,

what would be the purpose of that exactly ? You are wanting a single file installer for some reason ?

You can either directly make the changes you made in the mst to the msi (direct edit) noting you shouldn't do this for vendor MSI's or you can create a wrapper .exe like a wise wrapper so you have a single exe that drops your MSI and MST file in a temp folder and runs the same msiexec command line and installs the transform.

The real question for me is why are you wanting to get rid of the MST or what's the reason for only wanting a single file.

If I recall correctly, you should also be able to open the MSI with Orca, apply your MST, and then save to a combined MSI.

- J

Hello,
The motive is to have the minimal number of files.

i think the wrapper solution its complicated.There is no a form mas simple to do it?

The question is:
I can generate a msi with the modifications that exist in the mst or always I have to associate the mst with the msi with the command Transforms?

Thank you very much.

You do, indeed, recall correctly. I have just yesterday had to do that very thing. My reason was that the package simply would not deploy via GPO with an MST. That is, any MST, even one which merely added or changed a property. I even resorted to trying an embedded transform (this was a vendor MSI, hence the reluctance). Every iteration caused a 'Fatal error during installation'. Nothing of any value in the log, needless to say. Bizarrely, it installed without incident manually and via SCCM.

I'm somewhat reluctant to admit that I gave up and used the method J describes to create a combined MSI/MST :(

Ok i have open the direct edit mode but the build option doesnt appears...

How to build this msi???

As much as we all love to stick to best practices...sometimes just gotta throw in that towel :)

Already I have it, it heis mas easily about what he was thinking You Open install shield, tools ->create apply transform/apply transform.
This apply the mst to the msi generating a new msi.
It is just what wanted.
Thanks all.

You'll find it a lot quicker with Orca:

- open the MSI in Orca
- select 'Transform/Apply transform' (or, quicker still, drag and drop the MST on to Orca's window)
- select 'File/Save Transformed as...'
- type in a new MSI name
- click 'Save'.

I can guarantee it'll be an order of magnitude quicker than waiting for AS to wind up, do its internal juggling and finally save the file.

Once you get more experienced, you'll find yourself using Orca (or, even better, InstEdit) more and more for these quick and dirty jobs.

you should probably also be aware some vendors do not allow direct editing of their msi. You should read the EULA that accompanies the vendors application to ensure you are not breaking their terms of agreement.

This solution although it works is often breaching these agreements and your perfect world of least files will come crumbling down around you. Which in the long run is why most of us do not do this.

Hi.

Is there any way to apply a transform saving the transformed .msi through the command line? Is there any program or script to do that?

Thx

EDIT: I got it, WiUseXfm.vbs or msitran.exe from windows installer SDK. But is there any other option around not having to get the SDK
EDIT2: Having the sample of WiUseXfm.vbs, I did my own script with the same technique. My intention is to remove table items only not to touch files therein. So it worked.