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Windows Service Installer 
Mikkel Bach Nielsen


Guest


Hi,

I would like to add an installer for a Windows Service where the user will be prompted to enter service credentials during install.

Is there anyone that can guide me through that?

Thanks,
Mikkel
Posted 13 Jun, 2014 05:56:13 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18825
 Joined: 2006-05-11
Hello Mikkel,

You can create a custom action DLL that shows the form and install/uninstall the service. Or, you can add a WiX form that you use to enter credentials. Then you pass the credentials to the custom action that installs/uninstalls the service. The second variant looks better as it allows using standard dialogs. In general, you follow the instructions given at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/317421.

Some notes.
1. To add a setup project to the solution, choose Windows Installer XML | Setup Project
2. As soon as the setup project is created, look into the File System editor and delete the Program Files folder
3. Finally, specify the Manufacturer attribute in Product.wxs

To let the user enter credentials, go to the User Interface editor and add a custom dialog, say, Texboxes(A). Set it up by hiding unneeded textboxes and specifying correct labels for the remaining ones. Then pass the names of the textboxes to the custom action. An example of passing a parameter is given at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/swamyn/archive/2006/03/25/560868.aspx.


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 13 Jun, 2014 07:34:28 Top
Mikkel Bach Nielsen


Guest


Hi Andrei,

Thank you for your reply.
The WiX toolset supports a service installer. Is there a reason why this part is not in the designer? I like the designer, and the functionality it brings, but it seems a bit futile to add a customer action to an item that already exist directly within WiX.
.9
Could that be a feature request for an upcoming release? :)

Thanks,
Mikkel
Posted 17 Jun, 2014 14:45:12 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18825
 Joined: 2006-05-11
Hello Mikkel,

Thank you for pointing me to this. We will consider adding support for services. Currently, the WiX Designer only supports the features available through VDProj. I suggest that you follow instructions given in my previous post. Using custom actions is a standard approach recommended by Microsoft. I cannot comment on using features provided by WiX as I don't have experience.


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 18 Jun, 2014 07:01:42 Top