InstallShield 2010 - Dynamically update App Config File

In this blog, I will show you how to let user update app config file during installation.

I assume that you know how to add custom dialog to InstallScript Project.

http://nguyentha.blogspot.com/2012/12/installshield-2010-add-custom-dialog.html

-          In the Custom Dialog, we add 2 Edit Fields (TextBox) to input ContactName and Address. Give them 2 Control Identifiers 1988 and 1989.

-          Go back to the ShopInfoDialog function to make some changes.

o   Add parameters to keep the user value.

o   Handle Edit action.

// Add Define Id for edit fields

#define BTN_NEXT                        1

#define BTN_BACK                       12

#define BTN_CANCEL                  9

#define EDIT_CONTACTNAME   1988   

#define EDIT_ADDRESS                1989                        

                

//2 parameter for Contact and Address, using byref to take it out

prototype NUMBER ShopInfoDialog(byref string , byref string);

function NUMBER ShopInfoDialog(szContact, szAddress)  

                string                     szDlg;

                number                nReturn, nControl, nMessage, nResult;  

                HWND                  hwndDlg, hwndNext;   

                BOOL                     bDone;

begin            

    //keep the name in constant

                szDlg = "ShopInfoDialog";

               

                //regist the Dialog

            nReturn = EzDefineDialog(szDlg, // nickname dialog                                                       

                          "", // DLL containing the dialog’s resources         

                          "",           // name of dialog in Dialogs view

                         10); // numeric resource ID for dialog; not used here    

                                                                                                               

                if (nReturn == DLG_ERR) then

                                return -1;

                endif;

               

                bDone = FALSE;

              

 while (!bDone)

                nControl = WaitOnDialog(szDlg);      

                if (nControl = -1) then

                    MessageBox("Dialog initialize -1 --> ERROR",INFORMATION);

                    abort;

                endif;

 switch (nControl)    

       case DLG_INIT:

            // set init data                                

            //init value for edit fields

                CtrlSetText( szDlg, EDIT_CONTACTNAME,            szContact );

                CtrlSetText( szDlg, EDIT_ADDRESS,                            szAddress);

            //get handle of this Dlg and Next button

 hwndDlg = CmdGetHwndDlg( szDlg );

                hwndNext = CtrlGetDlgItem("",  hwndDlg, NEXT );

                SdGeneralInit( szDlg, hwndDlg, STYLE_BOLD, szSdProduct );

          

//Enable Next Button if only data was filled

EnableWindow( hwndNext, StrLengthChars( szContact ) && StrLengthChars( szAddress ));

           

case EDIT_CONTACTNAME:

nMessage = CtrlGetSubCommand(szDlg);

if (nMessage = EDITBOX_CHANGE) then

    //set  szContact by the value of EDIT_CONTACTNAME control

CtrlGetText(szDlg, EDIT_CONTACTNAME, szContact);

//trim

StrTrim( szContact );   

StrTrim( szAddress );   

//set Enable of Next button

                  EnableWindow( hwndNext, StrLengthChars( szContact ) && StrLengthChars( szAddress ));    

            endif;                       

case EDIT_ADDRESS:

nMessage = CtrlGetSubCommand(szDlg);

if (nMessage = EDITBOX_CHANGE) then               

CtrlGetText(szDlg, EDIT_ADDRESS, szAddress);

StrTrim( szContact );   

StrTrim( szAddress );   

                   EnableWindow( hwndNext, StrLengthChars( szContact ) && StrLengthChars( szAddress ));  

            endif;                       

case BTN_BACK:

        // user clicked Back

                        nReturn = BTN_BACK;

                        bDone = TRUE;

case BTN_NEXT: 

        // user clicked Next      

                        nReturn = BTN_NEXT;

                        bDone = TRUE;

case BTN_CANCEL:

        // user clicked Cancel; ask user to verify cancellation

                        Do(EXIT);

endswitch;

endwhile;    

 

  EndDialog( szDlg );
  ReleaseDialog( szDlg ); 

 

return nControl;

end;

Next, we will import our App Config File.

-          Under System Configuration, choose XML File Changes.

-          At the XML Files tree, right click and import for config file. In my sample, there is only appSetting section with 2 keys.

-          For each key, give the Value Property a FieldName in ”<” and “>”. This will help us replace the text.

-          Now, go back to the OnFirstUIBefore function.

-          Declare 2 strings szContact and szAddress.

-          Go to the lable Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation and update the block code as:

Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation:

    //{{IS_SCRIPT_TAG(Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation)           

    nResult = ShopInfoDialog(szContact, szAddress);

    //}}IS_SCRIPT_TAG(Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation)

    if (nResult = BACK) then      

                goto Dlg_SdRegisterUser;  

    endif;

    if (nResult = NEXT) then      

                //Globally set <Property> to custom value

                TextSubSetValue("<ContactValue>", szContact, TRUE);    

                TextSubSetValue("<AddressValue>", szAddress, TRUE);    

    endif;

Build, Run and find the config file at Application Target Folder.

Installshield 2010 - Add Custom Dialog

In this blog, I will show how to make a Custom Dialog and add it in the installation sequence.

The version of Installshield is 2010 Version 16.

Let’s start to create a InstallScript Project. The Basic MSI Project could also do this task but it give you very limited options later.

To create a Dialog:

-  In the Installation Designer tree, under User Interface, choose Dialogs.

- In the list of Dialogs, right click on All Dialog and choose New Dialogs.

- I will try a NewScriptBasedDialog, give it a name, “ShopInfoDialog” for example.

  Click Finish.

-   Now you see your new dialog display in bold. Expand it and choose English (United State) to go to design view.

-      Your dialog will initially blank and have 3 main buttons: Back Next Cancel.

-      Go to the Property Panel on the right; give the Resource Identifier a unique number value. I will try 10.

-      Add some controls as your need. You can just leave it blank.

Next, I will create the dialog function.

-      In the Installation Designer tree, under Behavior and Logic, choose InstallScript.

-      In the Installscript tree, you will see only the Setup.Rul available.

-      For our dialog, please create a new script file. Let’s name it shopinfodialog.rul

-      Create a function to open our dialog.

//These are button ids

#define BTN_NEXT              1

#define BTN_BACK              12

#define BTN_CANCEL           9

                 

prototype NUMBER ShopInfoDialog();

function NUMBER ShopInfoDialog()  

        string         szDlg;

        number      nReturn, nControl, nMessage, nResult;  

        HWND       hwndDlg, hwndNext;   

        BOOL        bDone;

begin

end

-      In the body, we will display the dialog and handle button controls.

begin

              

//keep the name in constant

        szDlg = "ShopInfoDialog";    

//regist the Dialog

        nReturn = EzDefineDialog(szDlg, // nickname for dialog                                                       

                                "", // DLL containing the dialog’s resources 

                                "",     // name of dialog in Dialogs view

                                10); // numeric resource ID for dialog; not used here    

                                                       

        if (nReturn == DLG_ERR) then

                return -1;

        endif;

       

        bDone = FALSE;

              

 while (!bDone)

        nControl = WaitOnDialog(szDlg);      

        if (nControl = -1)then

                MessageBox("Dialog initialize -1 ----> ERROR",INFORMATION);

                abort;

        endif;

        switch (nControl)    

                case DLG_INIT:

                //get handle of this Dlg and Next button

            hwndDlg = CmdGetHwndDlg( szDlg );

            hwndNext = CtrlGetDlgItem("",  hwndDlg, NEXT );

            SdGeneralInit( szDlg, hwndDlg, STYLE_BOLD, szSdProduct );

        case BTN_BACK:

        // user clicked Back

                nReturn = BTN_BACK;

                bDone = TRUE;

        case BTN_NEXT: 

        // user clicked Next      

                nReturn = BTN_NEXT;

                bDone = TRUE;

        case BTN_CANCEL:

        // user clicked Cancel; ask user to verify cancellation

                Do(EXIT);

        endswitch;

  endwhile;    

 

  EndDialog( szDlg );

  ReleaseDialog( szDlg );  

 

  return nControl;

end;

-      Now, the dialog is ready to use.

Next, I will add the dialog in the sequence after the User Information Dialog.

-      For more information, the User Information Dialog usually comes after the License Agreement Dialog where you could enter Name and Company.

-      Go back to the InstallScript View. On the ComboBox which current select “Initialization”, select “Before move data”.

-      On the drop down next to the right, find OnFirstUIBefore. That will bring out the function where you edit the first install sequence.

-      Each Dialog in the sequence is implemented under each Label. Now find the Dlg_SdRegisterUser. Add our code right after this block.

Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation:

    //{{IS_SCRIPT_TAG(Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation)           

    nResult = ShopInfoDialog();

    //}}IS_SCRIPT_TAG(Dlg_SdEnterShopInfomation)

    if (nResult = BACK) then  

        goto Dlg_SdRegisterUser;

    endif;

-      Now Build and Run.