In WiX how can I select an IIS website by name?

Question

What I would like to do is show the installer user a list of the websites on their server and allow them to choose one (using the method described here: http://www.cmcrossroads.com/content/view/13160/120/, which now seems broken see here for the core code). The installer would then create a virtual directory in the chosen website.

However, my searching seems to have revealed that the only way to specify a website in WiX is by IP, Port, and Header. Asking for these is not very user friendly, so I'm left with the idea of writing a second custom action to get those details from a website name.

Is there a better way?

BTW This needs to work in both IIS6 and IIS7 in case that affects the answer.

Answer 1

OK it is possible (in IIS6 or IIS7 with Metabase compatibility), thanks to this post to the mailing list explaining the slightly bizarre way the iis:Website element works. The useful part is:

Using a fragment like this and test with v3.0.5120.0:*

  <iis:WebSite Id="WebSite" Description="Default Web Site" SiteId="*">
    <iis:WebAddress Id="TestWebSite" Port="1" />
  </iis:WebSite>

The following work:

1. If WebSite/@SiteId="*" then a case sensitive match on WebSite/@Description happens.
2. If WebSite/@SiteId matches the site id than WebSite/@Description is ignored and a match on site id happens.
3. If WebSite/@SiteId has any value WebAddress/@Port is ignored (although the syntax requires it and it can't be 0).
4. If WebSite/@SiteId is missing WebAddress/@Port is used and WebSite/@Description is ignored.
5. Once a website is created and gets site id, you can rename it (therefore its site id is not the hash of its name), the WebSite/@SiteId="*" syntax will match on the WebSite/@Description.

So my WiX code ends up looking like:

<DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
  <Component Id="IisSetup" Guid="YOUR-GUID-HERE">
    <iis:WebVirtualDir Id="IisVirtualDir" Alias="[IIS_VIRTUALDIRNAME]" Directory="INSTALLLOCATION" WebSite="IisWebsite">
      <iis:WebApplication Id="IisWebApplication" Name="[IIS_VIRTUALDIRNAME]" WebAppPool="IisAppPool" Isolation="high"/>
    </iis:WebVirtualDir>
    <iis:WebAppPool Id="IisAppPool" Name="[IIS_APPPOOLNAME]" Identity="networkService"/>
  </Component>
</DirectoryRef>

<!-- Note that this entry should not be put under a component. If it is WiX
     will update the website on install and remove it on uninstall -->
<iis:WebSite Id="IisWebsite" Description="[IIS_WEBSITENAME]" SiteId="*">
  <iis:WebAddress Id="IisWebAddress" Port="80" />
</iis:WebSite>

The iis:WebAddress element should never be used but is necessary for the project to compile.

Answer 2

Whilst this question and answer are still valid, I think it's worth asking yourself whether you really want to use the website name. I you want to store it for use during uninstallation then saving the site ID is probably a better idea. In which case the website element becomes:

<iis:WebSite Id="IisWebsite" Description="Dummy" SiteId="[IIS_WEBSITEID]">
  <iis:WebAddress Id="IisWebAddress" Port="80" />
</iis:WebSite>

Answer 3

In my installer I didnt want to create a Web site. I wanted to allow the user to select an existing website. I did this with a custom action in Javascript, and one custom UI panel.

---

Custom Action code:

//
// CustomActions.js 
// 
// Custom Actions usable within WIX For IIS installations.
// 
// EnumerateWebSites_CA(): 
//   Adds new UI to the MSI at runtime to allow the user to select a
//   website, to which an ISAPI filter will be added.
// 
// UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA():
//   fills session with properties for the selected website. 
//
// SetAuthProps_CA():
//   sets properties for the needed user and group that needs authorization to the created dir. 
//
// 
// original idea from: 
// http://blog.torresdal.net/2008/10/24/WiXAndDTFUsingACustomActionToListAvailableWebSitesOnIIS.aspx
// 
// Mon, 23 Nov 2009  10:54
//
// 
// ===================================================================

// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372516(VS.85).aspx

var MsiViewModify = 
    {
        Refresh          : 0,
        Insert           : 1,
        Update           : 2,
        Assign           : 3,
        Replace          : 4,
        Merge            : 5,
        Delete           : 6,
        InsertTemporary  : 7,   // cannot permanently modify the MSI during install
        Validate         : 8,
        ValidateNew      : 9,
        ValidateField    : 10,
        ValidateDelete   : 11
    };


// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/sfw6660x(VS.85).aspx
var Buttons = 
    {
        OkOnly           : 0,
        OkCancel         : 1,
        AbortRetryIgnore : 2,
        YesNoCancel      : 3
    };

var Icons= 
    {
        Critical         : 16,
        Question         : 32,
        Exclamation      : 48,
        Information      : 64
    }

var MsgKind =
    {
        Error            : 0x01000000,
        Warning          : 0x02000000,
        User             : 0x03000000,
        Log              : 0x04000000
    };

// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa371254(VS.85).aspx
var MsiActionStatus = 
    {
        None             : 0,
        Ok               : 1, // success
        Cancel           : 2,
        Abort            : 3,
        Retry            : 4, // aka suspend?
        Ignore           : 5  // skip remaining actions; this is not an error.
    };

//*****************************************************************************
// Purpose: Custom action that enumerates the local websites, and stores their
// properties in the ListBox and AvailableWebSites tables.
// Effects: Fills the ListBox table and creates and fills the AvailableWebSites
// tables.
// Returns: MsiActionStatus.Ok  if the custom action executes without error.
//          MsiActionStatus.Abort if error. 
//*****************************************************************************
function EnumerateWebSites_CA()
{
    try 
    {
        LogMessage("function EnumerateWebSites_CA() ENTER");

        var c = 1;
        var serverBindings, aBindings;

        var listboxesView = Session.Database.OpenView("SELECT * FROM ListBox");
        listboxesView.Execute();

        var record = Session.Installer.CreateRecord(4);
        record.StringData(1) = "WEBSITE";     // Property
        record.IntegerData(2) = c++;          // display order
        record.StringData(3) = "Server";      // returned bby the selection
        record.StringData(4) = "Server-wide"; // displayed in the UI
        listboxesView.Modify(MsiViewModify.InsertTemporary, record);

        // Create this table dynamically.  We could also create this
        // custom table in the WiX .wxs file , but that's not necessary.
        //  old quote:  `````` 
        //  my quote:  '''''

//        var createCmd = Session.Database.OpenView("CREATE TABLE 'AvailableWebSites' ('WebSiteNo' INT NOT NULL, 'WebSiteDescription' CHAR(50), 'WebSitePort' CHAR(50) NOT NULL, 'WebSiteIP' CHAR(50), 'WebSiteHeader' CHAR(50) PRIMARY KEY 'WebSiteNo')")

        var createCmd = Session.Database.OpenView("CREATE TABLE AvailableWebSites (Num INT NOT NULL, Name CHAR(64), Desc CHAR(64), Port CHAR(16) NOT NULL, IP CHAR(32), Hostname CHAR(80) PRIMARY KEY Num)")
        createCmd.Execute();
        createCmd.Close();

        LogMessage("Table 'AvailableWebSites' has been created");

        var websitesView = Session.Database.OpenView("SELECT * FROM AvailableWebSites");
        websitesView.Execute();

        LogMessage("Query from Table 'AvailableWebSites' has returned");

        var iis = GetObject("winmgmts://localhost/root/MicrosoftIISv2"); 

        // See the metabase hierarchy diagram here:
        //   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms524661.aspx

        // http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms525545.aspx
        // list "virtual servers", which is the same as websites. 
        var query  = "SELECT * FROM IIsWebServerSetting" 

        // get the list of virtual servers
        var results = iis.ExecQuery(query);

        LogMessage("WMI Query completed.");

        LogMessage("WMI Query results : " + typeof results);

        for(var e = new Enumerator(results); !e.atEnd(); e.moveNext()) 
        { 
            var site = e.item();
            // site.Name                   // W3SVC/1, W3SVC/12378398, etc
            // site.Name.substr(6)         // 1, 12378398, etc
            // site.ServerComment)         // "Default Web Site", "Site2", etc
            // site.ServerBindings(0).Port // 80, 8080, etc

            LogMessage("Web site " + site.Name);

            LogMessage("listbox record");
            record = Session.Installer.CreateRecord(4);
            record.StringData(1) = "WEBSITE";
            record.IntegerData(2) = c++;
            record.StringData(3) = site.Name.substr(6); // site.Name;
            record.StringData(4) = site.ServerComment + " (" + site.Name + ")";
            listboxesView.Modify(MsiViewModify.InsertTemporary, record);

            LogMessage("websites record");
            LogMessage("website(" + site.Name + ") name(" + site.ServerComment + ") port(" + site.ServerBindings(0).Port + ")"); 
            record = Session.Installer.CreateRecord(6);
            record.IntegerData(1) = parseInt(site.Name.substr(6));  // WebSiteNo
            record.StringData(2) = site.Name;                       // name, like W3SVC/1
            record.StringData(3) = site.ServerComment;              // WebSiteDescription
            record.StringData(4) = site.ServerBindings(0).Port;     // WebSitePort
            record.StringData(5) = site.ServerBindings(0).Ip;       // WebSiteIP; maybe empty
            record.StringData(6) = site.ServerBindings(0).Hostname; // WebSiteHeader; maybe empty
            websitesView.Modify(MsiViewModify.InsertTemporary, record);
        }
        listboxesView.Close();
        websitesView.Close();

        LogMessage("function EnumerateWebSites_CA() EXIT");
    }

    catch (exc1)
    {
        Session.Property("CA_EXCEPTION") = exc1.message ;
        LogException(exc1);
        return MsiActionStatus.Abort;
    }
    return MsiActionStatus.Ok;
}



//*****************************************************************************
// Purpose: Custom action that copies the selected website's properties from the
// AvailableWebSites table to properties.
// Effects: Fills the WEBSITE_DESCRIPTION, WEBSITE_PORT, WEBSITE_IP, WEBSITE_HEADER
// properties.
// Returns: MsiActionStatus.Ok  if the custom action executes without error.
//          MsiActionStatus.Abort if error. 
//*****************************************************************************
function UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA()
{
    try 
    {
        LogMessage("function UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA() ENTER");
        var selectedWebSiteId = Session.Property("WEBSITE");

        LogMessage("selectedWebSiteId(" + selectedWebSiteId + ") type(" + typeof selectedWebSiteId + ")");

        // check if the user selected anything
        if (selectedWebSiteId == "")
        {
            LogMessage("function UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA() EXIT (None)");
            return MsiActionStatus.None;
        }

        if (selectedWebSiteId.toUpperCase() == "SERVER")
        {
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_NAME")        = "W3SVC";
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_DESCRIPTION") = "Server";
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_PORT")        = "";
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_IP")          = "";
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_HEADER")      = "";
            LogMessage("function UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA() EXIT (Ok)");
            return MsiActionStatus.Ok;
        }

        var websitesView = Session.Database.OpenView("SELECT * FROM `AvailableWebSites` WHERE `Num`=" + selectedWebSiteId);
        websitesView.Execute();
        var record = websitesView.Fetch();

        LogMessage("website Fetch() complete");

        if (record.IntegerData(1) == parseInt(selectedWebSiteId))
        {
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_NAME")        = record.StringData(2);
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_DESCRIPTION") = record.StringData(3);
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_PORT")        = record.StringData(4);
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_IP")          = record.StringData(5);
            Session.Property("WEBSITE_HOSTNAME")    = record.StringData(6);
        }
        websitesView.Close();

        LogMessage("function UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA() EXIT (Ok)");
    }

    catch (exc1)
    {
        Session.Property("CA_EXCEPTION") = exc1.message ;
        LogException(exc1);
        return MsiActionStatus.Abort;
    }
    return MsiActionStatus.Ok;
}


// Pop a message box.  also spool a message into the MSI log, if it is enabled. 
function LogException(exc)
{
    var record = Session.Installer.CreateRecord(0);
    record.StringData(0) = "IisEnumSites: Exception: 0x" + decimalToHexString(exc.number) + " : " + exc.message;
    Session.Message(MsgKind.Error + Icons.Critical + Buttons.btnOkOnly, record);
}


// spool an informational message into the MSI log, if it is enabled. 
function LogMessage(msg)
{
    var record = Session.Installer.CreateRecord(0);
    record.StringData(0) = "IisEnumSites: " + msg;
    Session.Message(MsgKind.Log, record);
}



function decimalToHexString(number)
{
    if (number < 0)
    {
        number = 0xFFFFFFFF + number + 1;
    }    
    return number.toString(16).toUpperCase();
}


// Testing only
function Test1_CA()
{
    var record = Session.Installer.CreateRecord(0);
    record.StringData(0) = "Hello, this is an error message";
    Session.Message(msgKindUser + iconInformation + btnOk, record);
    return MsiActionStatus.Ok;
}

---

Register the Custom Actions like this:

<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"&gt;

  <Fragment>
    <Binary Id="IisScript_CA" SourceFile="CustomActions.js" />

    <CustomAction Id="EnumerateWebSites"
                  BinaryKey="IisScript_CA"
                  JScriptCall="EnumerateWebSites_CA"
                  Execute="immediate"
                  Return="check" />

    <CustomAction Id="UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite"
                  BinaryKey="IisScript_CA"
                  JScriptCall="UpdatePropsWithSelectedWebSite_CA"
                  Execute="immediate"
                  Return="check" />

  </Fragment>

</Wix>

---

This is the .wxs for the UI Panel:

<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"&gt;

  <Fragment>
    <UI>
      <Dialog Id="SelectWebSiteDlg" Width="370" Height="270" Title="Select a Web Site">
        <Control Id="Next" Type="PushButton" X="236" Y="243" Width="56" Height="17" Default="yes" Text="Next" />
        <Control Id="Back" Type="PushButton" X="180" Y="243" Width="56" Height="17" Text="Back" />
        <Control Id="Cancel" Type="PushButton" X="304" Y="243" Width="56" Height="17" Cancel="yes" Text="Cancel">
          <Publish Event="SpawnDialog" Value="CancelDlg">1</Publish>
        </Control>
        <Control Id="Description" Type="Text" X="25" Y="23" Width="280" Height="15" Transparent="yes" NoPrefix="yes" Text="Please select which web site you want to install to." />
        <Control Id="Title" Type="Text" X="15" Y="6" Width="200" Height="15" Transparent="yes" NoPrefix="yes" Text="Select a Web Site" />
        <Control Id="BannerBitmap" Type="Bitmap" X="0" Y="0" Width="370" Height="44" TabSkip="no" Text="!(loc.InstallDirDlgBannerBitmap)" />
        <Control Id="BannerLine" Type="Line" X="0" Y="44" Width="370" Height="0" />
        <Control Id="BottomLine" Type="Line" X="0" Y="234" Width="370" Height="0" />
        <Control Id="SelectWebSiteLabel" Type="Text" X="20" Y="60" Width="290" Height="14" NoPrefix="yes" Text="Select the web site for the filter:" />
        <Control Id="SelectWebSiteCombo" Type="ListBox" X="20" Y="75" Width="200" Height="150" Property="WEBSITE" Sorted="yes" />
      </Dialog>
    </UI>
  </Fragment>
</Wix>

---

The UI panel presents a listbox, which is automatically populated with elements from the ListBox table with the first field of WEBSITE. This table is populated at runtime by the custom action in Javascript.

To invoke the custom action at the right time, you need something like this in the main .wxs file:

<InstallUISequence>
  <Custom Action="EnumerateWebSites" After="CostFinalize" Overridable="yes">NOT Installed</Custom>
</InstallUISequence>