VS2010 Wix proj - How to pass a command line variable to be used as a directory name

Question

Hi,

We have a requirement to install the same software in multiple directories on the same machine. I want to install the software using a batch file. I am having difficulty using the variable I have passed in as a directory name. (I am using VS 2010).

Batch file code msiexec /i "SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls.msi" CUSTOMER="TESTCUSTOMER"

However the path created is C:\Program Files\SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls[CUSTOMER] as oppose to what I want C:\Program Files\SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls\TESTCUSTOMER

Here is my wix xml

    <Media Id="1" Cabinet="media1.cab" EmbedCab="yes" />
<?define MYVARIABLE = "Temp" ?>
<?define FORMDIR = "$(var.SolutionDir)WindowsFormsApplication1\bin\Debug\"?>

<Condition Message="CUSTOMER variable must be set in the command line">
  CUSTOMER
</Condition>
    <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
        <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
            <Directory Id="INSTALLLOCATION" Name="SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls">
      <Directory Id="Customer" Name="[CUSTOMER]">
      <Component Id="ConfigFiles" Guid ="4fdbee76-d149-11df-aa02-05feded72085">
        <File Id="WindowsFormsApplication1.exe" DiskId ="1" Vital="yes" ReadOnly="no"
              Name="WindowsFormsApplication1.exe"
              Source ="$(var.FORMDIR)WindowsFormsApplication1.exe" />
      </Component>
            </Directory>
        </Directory>
    </Directory>
</Directory>
    <Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls" Level="1">
        <ComponentGroupRef Id="Product.Generated" />
  <ComponentRef Id="ConfigFiles" />
    </Feature>
</Product>

Any ideas

Thanks

Jake

Answer 1

You can do something like this using INSTALLDIR instead of CUSTOMER to pass the location from the command line :

msiexec /i "SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls.msi" INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\SetupProjectTestMultiInstalls\TESTCUSTOMER"

<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
  <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
    <Directory Id="INSTALLDIR" Name=".">
      <Component Id="ConfigFiles" Guid ="4fdbee76-d149-11df-aa02-05feded72085">
        <File Id="WindowsFormsApplication1.exe" DiskId ="1" Vital="yes" ReadOnly="no"
          Name="WindowsFormsApplication1.exe"
          Source ="$(var.FORMDIR)WindowsFormsApplication1.exe" />
      </Component>
    </Directory>
  </Directory>
</Directory>

However, I don't think that you can run the installer several times to install the software to different places. If the Product Id is already used then it will probably do a repair instead of a fresh install.