how to populate a text box in wix toolset using xml file included in the msi?

Question

I have a file named App.xml that is included in my installer(will be installed on the client computer) which I want to load data from and display it to the user so he can manipulate what will be installed/ how to use the system.

I've tried using Xml Files extensions/ custom actions, checked online, couldn't find a way to load a source file embedded in the installer.

my file is: <App> <Text>bla bla</text></App>

I want the installer to show the "bla bla" text and the user can change it which can later be saved through an extension as usual..

thanks!

Answer 1

This would be custom functionality that you would have to provide through a custom action. From a high level design I see you passing in the path to the xml file on the command line. At run time your custom action would read the nodes in the file and set the appropriate properties that your text boxes are using.

Answer 2

I've run into a similar problem. Digging around for a solution that allows you to use an XML file during the InstallUISequence, before files are installed, it looks like you need to add a custom table to your WiX definition as described here.

Basically, you create a CustomTable element in your .wxs file, for your example something like:

<CustomTable Id="App">
    <Text>bla bla</Text>
</CustomTable>

Then you can read from it in a c# custom action by creating a View query to find the desired properties:

using (View view = session.Database.OpenView("SELECT 'Text' FROM 'App'"))
{
    view.Execute();
    // access view properties and turn them into some object you want to manipulate
}

I'll admit some ignorance as to what that view object is going to have, but I know you can iterate through its records or grab individual columns, poking around in the properties should eventually find you the values you want. Next step is to populate a combobox element with the values

<Control Id="DropdownSelectLabel" Type="Text" X="50" Y="65" Width="200" Height="15" TabSkip="no" Text="&amp;Select a value:">
</Control>
<Control Id="DropdownSelect" Type="ComboBox" Height="16" Width="200" X="60" Y="80" Property="MY_PROPERTY_KEY" ComboList="yes">
    <ComboBox Property="MY_PROPERTY_KEY">
        <!-- Optional prepopulate value-->
        <ListItem Text="[dummy_text]" Value="[dummy_value]" />
    </ComboBox>
</Control>

I'm populating it with a custom c# action running during the InstallUISequence, built through visual studio

<!-- Custom action for populating the combobox -->
<CustomAction Id="CA_PopulateComboBox" BinaryKey="BIN_CustomActions" DllEntry="PopulateComboBox" Execute="firstSequence" />

<!-- Binaries for the custom action -->
<Binary Id="BIN_CustomActions" SourceFile="..\PATH-TO-YOUR-CUSTOM-ACTION-BIN-RELEASE.CA.dll" />

<!-- Schedule the custom action -->
<InstallUISequence>
    <Custom Action="CA_PopulateComboBox" Before="LaunchConditions" />
</InstallUISequence>

Custom action looks like this:

public class CustomActions
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Populates the ComboBox UI Element.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="session">The session.</param>
    [CustomAction]
    public static void PopulateComboBox(Session session)
    {
        session.Log("Populating the combobox with certificates");

        // Clear the combobox (unecessary if it starting empty)
        View view = session.Database.OpenView("DELETE FROM ComboBox WHERE ComboBox.Property='MY_PROPERTY_KEY'");
        view.Execute();

        view = session.Database.OpenView("SELECT * FROM ComboBox");
        view.Execute();

        List<ComboBoxRecordWrapper> valuesToAdd = PopulateValuesObjects(session); // Add the logic to read your xml values from the session object here

        var index = 1;
        foreach (ComboBoxRecordWrapper valueObject in valuesToAdd)
        {
            session.Log($"Adding value to the combobox: {valueObject.Text} - {valueObject.Value} {Environment.NewLine}Order: {valueObject.Order}");

            view.Modify(ViewModifyMode.InsertTemporary, recordWrapper.ToRecord());
            view.Execute();
            index++;
        }

        view.Close();
    }
}

/// <summary>
/// Class ComboBoxRecordWrapper. Wraps objects that should be represented in a combobox element in the installer
/// </summary>
public class ComboBoxRecordWrapper
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or sets the property that this element's value will be stored as if the element is selected
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>The property.</value>
    public string Property { get; set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or sets the order that this element appears in the combobox
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>The order.</value>
    public int Order { get; set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or sets the value of the combobox option. This is what will be available to the UI element as a returned value
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>The value.</value>
    public string Value { get; set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets or sets the text that will be displayed for this element
    /// </summary>
    /// <value>The text.</value>
    public string Text { get; set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="ComboBoxRecordWrapper"/> class.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="property">The property.</param>
    /// <param name="order">The order.</param>
    /// <param name="value">The value.</param>
    /// <param name="text">The text.</param>
    public ComboBoxRecordWrapper(string property, int order, string value, string text)
    {
        this.Property = property;
        this.Order = order;
        this.Value = value;
        this.Text = string.IsNullOrEmpty(text) ? value : text;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Converts to a record to add to the MSI database.
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>Record.</returns>
    public Record ToRecord()
    {
        var record = new Record(4);
        record.SetString(1, this.Property);
        record.SetInteger(2, this.Order);
        record.SetString(3, this.Value);
        record.SetString(4, this.Text);
        return record;
    }
}