Setting a property value to choose components

[mont-foray]

I have two version of a component. I need to determine which one to install based on the result of a custom action. The challenge I am running into is that the component's condition attribute does not see the new value of a property changed via a custom action. I have verified that:

• If I change the default value of the property the correct component is installed
• My custom action appears in the log before the component appears in the log
• The property's value is logged as changed and the new value appears in the log

I've run out of things to try. If someone can point out what I need to do to resolve this I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
-Mont

Here are the relevant bits of code.

WXS

<Property Id="WINDOWS_AUTH_ENABLED" Secure="yes" Value="false" />

<CustomAction Id="IsWindowsAuthentication" Execute="immediate" Return="check" 
   DllEntry="IsWindowsAuthentication" BinaryRef="WiXCustomActions.CA.dll" />

<InstallExecuteSequence>
    <Custom Action="IsWindowsAuthentication" Before="InstallValidate" 
      Condition="Installing = &quot;true&quot; OR Upgrading = &quot;true&quot;" />
</InstallExecuteSequence>

<Component Id="IISWindowsAuthConfiguration" Guid="{8C653B50-9187-4F03-9D76-B180604FC175}" KeyPath="yes" 
   Condition="WINDOWS_AUTH_ENABLED = &quot;true&quot;">
...
</Component>

<Component Id="IISFormsAuthConfiguration" Guid="{AB02CBC6-91DC-4788-9F29-64BDE5005512}" KeyPath="yes" 
  Condition="WINDOWS_AUTH_ENABLED = &quot;false&quot;">
</Component>

C# .NET Custom Action - A separate custom action consumes this changed value and it is changed for that (deferred) custom action

[CustomAction]
public static ActionResult IsWindowsAuthentication(Session session)
{
    session["WINDOWS_AUTH_ENABLED"] = "true";
    return ActionResult.Success;
}

Log - Note, IISWindowsAuthConfiguration Action is Null but should be Local and IISFormsAuthConfiguration should be Null

MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:217]: Doing action: IsWindowsAuthentication
Action ended 15:15:08: MigrateFeatureStates. Return value 1.
MSI (s) (18:0C) [15:15:08:222]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSI5DEC.tmp, Entrypoint: IsWindowsAuthentication
MSI (s) (18:E0) [15:15:08:223]: Generating random cookie.
MSI (s) (18:E0) [15:15:08:230]: Created Custom Action Server with PID 6524 (0x197C).
MSI (s) (18:2C) [15:15:08:255]: Running as a service.
MSI (s) (18:DC) [15:15:08:259]: Hello, I'm your 64bit Impersonated custom action server.
Action start 15:15:08: IsWindowsAuthentication.
SFXCA: Extracting custom action to temporary directory: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSI5DEC.tmp-\
SFXCA: Binding to CLR version v4.0.30319
Calling custom action WiXCustomActions!Foray.Adams.WiXCustomActions.WiXCustomActions.IsWindowsAuthentication
FA DEBUG: Begin IsWindowsAuthentication
FA DEBUG: web.config path: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\AdamsAdmin\web.config
MSI (s) (18!18) [15:15:08:931]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Modifying WINDOWS_AUTH_ENABLED property. Its current value is 'false'. Its new value: 'true'.
FA DEBUG: Authentication mode: Windows
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:948]: Doing action: InstallValidate
Action ended 15:15:08: IsWindowsAuthentication. Return value 1.
Action start 15:15:08: InstallValidate.
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:950]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Deleting MsiRestartManagerSessionKey property. Its current value is 'd182c8ef7d64274bbd3aafed47cb8958'.
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:950]: Feature: Main; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Local
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:950]: Component: InstallFolderRegistry; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Local
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:950]: Component: WwwRootDirComponent; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Local
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:950]: Component: IISWindowsAuthConfiguration; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Null
MSI (s) (18:A4) [15:15:08:950]: Component: IISFormsAuthConfiguration; Installed: Absent;   Request: Local;   Action: Local

...

Property(S): WINDOWS_AUTH_ENABLED = true

[robmen]

InstallIValidate is too late. See the documentation for CostFinalize and use that instead.

[mont-foray]

Thank you! This did the trick.

[chrpai]

I take a simpler approach. When I install a new website I mark the component as permenant and and set ConfigureIfExists to false. I then give my useres instructions to install and then configure the site as they need ( For example, bindings, SSL config, applicaton pool identity or in your case auth) start the website and test. Then during upgrades my installer never touches the website configuration again.

I've found this works really well. If IIS Manager is too complex for your users you could create a config tool. While I know how to do all of this in MSI I think this is a scenario where it's just too complex and the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

[mont-foray]

Thank you for the suggestion. This is an interesting idea that we will consider.