Windows Installer (formerly known as Microsoft Installer , codename Darwin ) is a software component and application programming interface (API) of Microsoft Windows used for installation , maintenance, and removal of software. The installation information, and optionally the file itself, is packaged in installation packages , loose relational databases compiled as COM Structured Staples and commonly known as "MSI files", from their default file name extensions. Windows Installer contains significant changes from its predecessor, the Settings API. New features include GUI framework and automatic generation of demolition sequence. The Windows Installer is positioned as an alternative to an executable installer executable framework like the older InstallShield and NSIS versions.
Prior to the introduction of the Windows Store, Microsoft encouraged third parties to use Windows Installer as the basis of the installation framework, so they synchronized correctly with other installers and kept the built-in product database consistent. Important features such as rollback and versioning rely on consistent internal databases for reliable operation. Furthermore, Windows Installer facilitates the principle of least privilege by installing software by proxy for unauthorized users.
Video Windows Installer
Struktur logis paket
The package describes the installation of one or more complete products and is universally identified by the GUID. A product consists of components , grouped into features . Windows Installer does not handle interdependencies between products.
Products
One program, installed, working (or series of programs) is product . A product is identified by a unique GUID (ProductCode property) that provides an authoritative identity worldwide. GUID, in combination with the version number (ProductVersion property), allows for the release of product file management and registry keys.
The package includes packet logic and other metadata that relate to how the packets are run while running. For example, changing an EXE file in a product may require ProductCode or ProductVersion to be changed for release management. However, only changing or adding launch conditions (with the remaining products exactly the same as the previous version) will still require PackageCode to change for release management of the MSI file itself.
Features
Features is a hierarchical component group. A feature may contain a number of other components and sub-features. Smaller packages may consist of one feature. More complex installers can display a "custom settings" dialogue box from which users can choose which features to install or remove.
The author of the package defines product features. A word processor, for example, may place the program's core files into one feature, and program help files, optional spell checker, and stationery module into additional features.
Components
The component is the basic unit of a product. Each component is treated by Windows Installer as a unit. The installer can not install only part of the component. Components can contain program files, folders, COM components, registry keys, and shortcuts. Users do not directly interact with components.
Components are identified globally by GUID; so that the same components can be shared among several features of the same package or multiple packages, ideally through the use of Merge Module.
Main path
The key path is a specific file, registry key, or ODBC data source specified by the packet as important for the given component. Since files are the most common type of key path, the file key is typically used. A component can contain at most one key path; if the component does not have an explicit key path, the destination component folder is taken as the primary path. When an MSI-based program is launched, the Windows Installer checks for the existence of the key path. If there is a discrepancy between the current system state and the value specified in the MSI package (for example, the missing key file), the associated feature is reinstalled. This process is known as self-healing or self-improvement . No two components must use the same key path.
Maps Windows Installer
Setup phase
User interface
The user interface phase typically asks the target system, displays installation guides and allows the user to change various options that will affect the installation.
However, the user interface sequence should not make any changes to the system, for the following reasons:
- Users can install or remove MSI packages in passive mode or silent mode, bypassing this phase completely. (Passive mode passes through the user interface phase but displays the graphical progress bar.) Silent mode shows nothing.) During installation, information collected in this phase can be given first through the command line interface.
- The user interface sequence runs with user privileges, and not with elevated elevated privileges required during installation. Exolute
- Immediate mode. In this phase, the Windows Installer receives instructions, either from users or applications, to install or remove a product feature. The request led to the sequence execution of the action , which requested the installation database to create an internal script that illustrates the execution phase in detail.
- Deferred mode. In this phase, scripts built in direct mode are executed in the context of a special Windows Installer service. The script must be executed by a privileged account because of the heterogeneity of the scenario in which the setup operation begins. For example, an enhanced privilege is required to service on-demand requests from unauthorized users. (To run with high heels, the packet must be deployed by the local administrator or advertised by the system administrator using Group Policy.)
- ICE09: Validates that any component destined for the System folder is marked as permanent.
- ICE24: Validates that product code, product versions, and product languages ​​have the correct format.
- ICE33: Validates that the Registry table is not used for data more suitable for other tables (Class, Extension, Verb, etc.).
- Installation
- List of installation software
- Package management system
- Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
- ZAP file - a way to perform an Application Installation when no MSI file exists.
- Windows Installer on MSDN.
- InstallSite.org "Resources for Developer Settings"
When the user clicks the "Install" button in a typical MSI installation wizard, the installation will proceed to the Execute phase, where the actual software component is installed. The Execute phase makes system changes, but does not display user interface elements.
The Execute phase occurs in two steps:
Rollback
All installation operations are transactional. In other words, for every operation that runs the Windows Installer, this results in an equivalent cancel operation that will restore any changes made to the system. If any script action fails during a suspended execution, or the operation is canceled by the user, all actions taken up to that point are rolled back, restoring the system to its original state. The standard Windows Installer action automatically writes information into the rollback script; author packages that make specific actions that change the target system must also create appropriate rollback actions (as well as remove actions and uninstall). As a design feature, if implemented correctly, this mechanism will also restore the deletion of failed applications to good working conditions.
Other features
Ads
Windows Installer can advertise a product rather than install it. The product will appear installed to the user, but it will not be completely installed until it starts up for the first time by triggering an entry point (via the Start menu shortcut, by opening the document configured to be handled by the product, or by applying the advertised COM class). Packages may be advertised by administrators using Group Policy or other deployment mechanisms, or by executing executable msiexec with/jm (for per-ad machine) or/ju (for per-user advertising) switch. Some MSI packages built in InstallShield can prevent the use of these features and other native MSI features.
The user must have administrator rights to complete the advertised installs.
Installation on request
Similar to an ad, it installs the feature as soon as the user tries to use it.
Administrative installation
The administrative installation creates an uncompressed source image for the product, typically used to install or run applications from a network location. The administrative installation is not a regular installation, as it does not create any shortcuts, register COM servers, create Add or Remove Programs entries, and so on. Often administrative installations allow users to install the product in such a way that the feature runs from an uncompressed installation source.
Administrative installation is also useful when creating Windows Installer patches, as this requires uncompressed images from previous versions of products and current versions to calculate binary file differences. The administrative installation is performed by running the msiexec executable with the/a button.
Custom actions
Developer package installers can write code to serve their own purpose, delivered as DLL, EXE, VBScript or JavaScript. This can be run during the installation sequence, including when the user clicks a button in the user interface, or during InstallExecuteSequence. Custom Actions usually validate the product license key, or initialize more complex services. Developers usually have to provide reverse custom actions to use when uninstalled.
Msiexec provides a way to solve after loading the specified custom action DLL but before executing the action.
Combining executable modules and files
The Windows Installer package may contain other packages to install at the same time. It should ideally be provided as a component of an.msm file, but it may also be a separate executable program that will be unlocked from the installer package during InstallExecuteSequence and can be run immediately. The file can then be optionally removed before the end of InstallExecuteSequence, and is ideal for use with older installers. The.msm file component is called Microsoft Merge Module and is used to separate and integrate common components. It contains images of all tables, which have relevant information about common components. The ready mix concatenated module is provided with Visual Studio or can be downloaded from alternative sources.
Interoperability with Windows features
Windows Installer 4.0, which ships with Windows Vista, combines the ability to take advantage of User Account Control features. If an app can install without high privileges, its MSI package can be marked as such, allowing installs without asking users for Administrator credentials. Windows Installer also works in conjunction with the Restart Manager; when installing or updating apps or system components with "full" user interface mode, the user will be shown a list of affected apps that can be closed, and then restart after the file has been updated. Installer actions running in silent mode will automatically activate this app. System services and tray applications can also be restarted this way.
Develop the installer package
Creating an installer package for a new app is not a trivial thing. You need to decide which files to install, where and with what registry keys. Any non-standard operation can be performed using Custom Actions, which are usually developed in DLLs. There are a number of commercial and freeware products to assist with the creation of MSI packages, including Visual Studio (up to VS 2010), InstallShield and WiX. For various levels, the user interface and behavior can be configured for use in less common situations such as unattended installations. Once set up, the installer package is "compiled" by reading instructions and files from the developer's local machine, and creating an.msi file.
The user interface (dialog box) presented at the beginning of the installation can be changed or configured by a setup engineer that develops a new installer. There are limited key languages, text fields and labels that can be arranged in a sequence of dialog boxes. The installer package must be able to run without any UI, for what is called "unattended installation".
ICE Validation
Microsoft provides a set of Internal Consistency Evaluators (ICE) that can be used to detect potential problems with MSI databases. The ICE rules are combined into a CUB file, the stripped MSI file that contains a specific action that tests the contents of the target MSI database for warnings and validation errors. ICE validation can be done with the Orca SDK Platform tool and msival2, or with validation tools that are delivered with various authoring environments.
For example, some ICE rules are:
Overcoming ICE validation warnings and errors is an important step in the release process.
Version
Tools
See also
References
External links
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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