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Extract MSI files

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simon...@ecatenate.com

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Jun 9, 2005, 7:46:12 AM6/9/05
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How do I extract specific files from an MSI? I don't mean files in the
Binary table, just the files that are a core part of the MSI file. TIA,
Simon

Phil Wilson

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Jun 9, 2005, 9:58:58 AM6/9/05
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If you mean manually,you can do an administrative install - that extracts
all the files into a folder structure corresponding to where they woud be
installed but without actually installing the product.
msiexec /a <path to msi file>

--
Phil Wilson
[Microsoft MVP-Windows Installer]
Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
http://apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=280

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simon...@ecatenate.com

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Jun 10, 2005, 3:50:15 AM6/10/05
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No, I mean programmatically. Without extracting all files I want to
examine certain files (exe and dll) to obtain file properties from
them. As far as I understand MSI files are available through the
_STREAMS and BINARY tables.

doc

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Jun 10, 2005, 8:21:13 AM6/10/05
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I believe all of your files are in a cab. The name of the cab is going
to be held in the Media table. Where this actual cab is stored I don't
know, possibly the Binary table.

I'm not sure what properties you could be wanting from the files that
aren't already listed in the File table,
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/file_table.asp.
This will tell you version, size, and name.

Jeff Henkels

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Jun 10, 2005, 2:52:26 PM6/10/05
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The cab file may be stored in the Cabs table, or it can be a separate file.
Use WinRAR or cabarc (from the platform SDK) to manipulate the cab.

"doc" <david.d...@gmail.com> wrote in message
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Dennis Bareis

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Jun 16, 2005, 8:13:40 AM6/16/05
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On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 14:52:26 -0400, "Jeff Henkels" <je...@mapson.jeffhenkels.com> wrote:

>The cab file may be stored in the Cabs table,

Or other table depending on what was identified in the Media table...

Bye,
Dennis

Dennis Bareis [MVP] (den...@KillSpam.dennisbareis.id.au)
http://dennisbareis.id.au/index.htm
Freeware Windows Installer creation tool (+ "ORCA automation"):
http://dennisbareis.id.au/makemsi.htm

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