You can't install MDAC_TYP.EXE using Windows Installer

[Jim Walsh]

I have been trying to develop a Windows Installer installation that would
install
MDAC_TYP.EXE using a CustomAction as part of my product install.

I created the basic MSI file to install my application using Visual Studio
Installer.
I then used ORCA to edit that MSI file an add a CustomAction to run
MDAC_TYP.EXE.

When I execute this installation, I get an error message saying "Command
line option
syntax error". So, I tried it with no command line switches at all and got
the same
error message.

So, I contacted a Product Support Specialist at Microsoft. He said that it
can't be done.
And Microsoft knows that it can't be done. Exactly why I'm getting the error
message
is not important. It won't work anyway.

There is a need for the Microsoft DAC development group to develop a Windows
Installer for MDAC, and it hasn't been done.

If anyone knows anything else about this, I am eager to hear it.

Jim Walsh

[Thomas Olsson]

I've done it.

CustomAction table:
Action=ActInstMDAC
Type=3138
Source=Callmdac_typ
Target=/q /r:n

Binary table:
Name=Callmdac_typ
Data={binary of mdac_typ.exe}

InstallExecuteSequence table:
Action=ActInstMDAC
Condition=NOT Installed AND NOT MDACCHECK
Sequence=after InstallInitialize

I've made my own check of MDAC if is installed by checking oledb32.dll. This
is probably not the best way, but it's working for me. The MDACCHECK is set
by records I've added to the Signature, DrLocator and AppSearch tables.

After the ActInstMDAC action in the InstallExecuteSequence table I've also
added a ForceRebot action with the same condition.

Be carefull not to call you installation program setup.exe since it might
conflict with MDAC_TYPE.exe that expands a setup.exe temporarily.

/Thomas

--
Thomas Olsson
Vinga System AB, Sweden
http://www.vinga.se

Jim Walsh <jimw...@fast.net> wrote in message
news:OwkWVz7W$GA...@cppssbbsa02.microsoft.com...

[Jim Walsh]

Thomas,

Thanks for responding to my posting. I too have been able to get
MDAC_TYP.EXE to install
from my Windows Installer installation once I realized that the Target field
wanted only the
switches and not the complete command line.

1. Have you done this on a Win95 installation? How do you handle DCOM?

2. Does your forced reboot occur in the midst of your installation, or at
the end. If in the
midst, how do you continue?

3. Why did the MS PSS say that it wouldn't work??

Jim

"Thomas Olsson" <tho...@vinga.se> wrote in message
news:u3msFiEX$GA.267@cppssbbsa05...

[Thomas Olsson]

1)
Fortunately we don't have to care about Win9x since our products only
supports NT :-)
I think the execute sequence is simply restarted after reboot. This means
that you should be able to detect if DCOM must be installed, install it,
reboot, and the installed MDAC and then reboot again. After a reboot the
AFTERREBOOT property is set. Note that you can have only one ForceReboot
action in the sequence.
With actions and conditions like this it could work:
InstDCOM: NOT Installed and NOT DCOMCHECK
InstMDAC: NOT Installed and DCOMCHECK and NOT MDACCHECK
ForceReboot: NOT Installed and (NOT DCOMCHECK OR NOT MDACCHECK)
Havn't tried this though.

2)
ForceReboot reboots in the middle of the installation at the place in the
action table. Windows Installer continues automatically after this reboot.
It adds a line to the RunOnce registry setting.
If you don't want to reboot until after the installation you can use the
ScheduleReboot action instead.

3)
Beats me.

/Thomas

--
Thomas Olsson
Vinga System AB, Sweden
http://www.vinga.se

Jim Walsh <jwa...@tuspm.temple.edu> wrote in message
news:OkyodHFX$GA.254@cppssbbsa04...