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Have you ever needed the functionality to read the property values from an .ini file, every time a installation or repair is run?

This small script created for Windows installer, will do the job.

Purpose:  

Automatically reads a ini file located in the MSI SOURCEDIR property.
Each parameter in the ini file is read into the property that
have the same name.
ex. “DaysSerial”=”0100000” line is read in to property named
DaysSerial and setting the value to 0100000
System works both with “DaysSerial”=”0100000” ini format, or DaysSerial=0100000 ini format.

If you later change the ini file at the source, and do a repair of the msi on the client, the new settings will be used.

NB! I also tried to make a script that could use custom named ini file, based on the commandline parameters, but it is, as far as i know, not possible. If you have an idea of how to do it, please do not hesistate to comments this article.

The problem is that if you later do a repair on the package, it will use the default settings, instead of the custom named ini file. This is why i “hardcoded” the ini filename into the package.

Usage:  

Put into MSI package execute deferred after “InstallInitialize” and
“ResolveSource” actions. In this example i have used VBScript Embedded.
NB! You might have to insert the “ResolveSource” action, since it is not allways default.

image

Script:

' //***************************************************************************
' // ***** Script Header *****
' //
' // Solution:  Windows Installer MSI
' // File:      ReadINItoMSI.vbs
' // Author:	Jakob Gottlieb Svendsen, Coretech A/S. https://blog.ctglobalservices.com
' // Purpose:   Automaticly reads a ini file located in the MSI sourcedir.
' //			Each parameter in the ini file is read into the property that
' //            have the same name.
' //			ex. "DaysSerial"="0100000" line is read in to property named
' //			DaysSerial settings the value to 0100000
' //			System works both with "DaysSerial"="0100000" ini format, or
' //			DaysSerial=0100000 ini format
' //
' // Usage:     Put into MSI package execute deferred after InstallInitialize and
' //			ResolveSource actions
' //			Read https://blog.ctglobalservices.com for more instructions and images
' //
' // Warning:	This script was tested in a msi package created by Visual Studio 2008
' //			and edited in Wise Package Studio.
' //			Coretech A/S is not responsible for any damages the script could cause.
' //
' //
' // CORETECH A/S History:
' // 1.0.0     JGS 08/10/2008  Created initial version.
' //
' // Customer History:
' //
' // ***** End Header *****
' //***************************************************************************
'//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'//
'//  Global constant and variable declarations
'//
'//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Error Resume Next
Const ForReading = 1
Const ININame = "Property.ini" ' Name of the .ini file

Dim strFile

'//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'//  Main routines
'//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

strFile = Session.Property("SourceDir") & ININame 'Read the sourcedir parameter from windows installer, and put the filename in the end.

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile(strFile, ForReading)

If objFSO.FileExists(strFile) Then
	Do While objTextFile.AtEndOfStream <> True
	  strLine = objtextFile.ReadLine
	  If inStr(strLine, "=") Then

	    strLocation = InStr(strLine,"=")

	    strName = Left(strLine,strLocation - 1)
	    strValue = Mid(strLine,strLocation + 1,Len(strLine))

	    strName = Replace(strName,"""","")
   	    strName = Replace(strName,"-","")
	    strValue = Replace(strValue,"""","")

	    Session.Property(strName) = strValue
	    'WScript.Echo strName & " - " & StrValue 'Output Property Names and Value for testing

	    End If
	Loop
End If

'//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'//  End Script
'//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warning: 

This script was tested in a msi package created by Visual Studio 2008
and edited in Wise Package Studio.
Coretech A/S is not responsible for any damages the script could cause.