WIX Conditional Message on Exit

Question

I have a WIX installer which I need to also install the VC++ 2015 runtime executable. I'm using the vcredist_x64.exe as opposed to the merge modules (see this thread). I can successfully launch the vcredist_x64.exe after my msi finishes installing my application by using a custom action... however, what I'd like to do is first check to see if the runtime files already exist. If they do, then I'll just finish without running the vcredist_x64.exe. Otherwise, I'll run the custom action to install the runtimes as well.

It took some digging, but I was able to find out that the 2015 runtimes have a registry key shown below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0\VC\Runtimes\x64

with an Installed value of 1 if they exist.

So, in my .wxs file I have the following registry search:

<!-- Visual C++ 2015 x64 -->
<Property Id="VCREDISTRUNTIMES2015INSTALLED">
  <RegistrySearch Id="VCREDISTRUNTIMES2015SEARCH" Root="HKLM" Key="SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0\VC\Runtimes\x64" Name="Installed" Type="raw" />
</Property>

Now, what I'd like to do is show a message on my exit dialog which says that if the runtimes aren't detected, then it will launch an installer to install them upon exit. Something like this:

<Property Id="WIXUI_EXITDIALOGOPTIONALTEXT" Value="Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 is Required. Installation will proceed on exit.">
  <Condition>VCREDISTRUNTIMES2015INSTALLED</Condition>
</Property>

However, this doesn't work. I get an error on the conditional tag and the project wont build. Assuming my registry search is setup correctly, can someone tell me how to properly add a conditional message on my exit dialog? Thanks!

If you go this way (I'd use a WiX bootstrapper instead), make sure that the following scenario doesn't result in reinstalling the VC runtime. 1) Install your app. 2) Uninstall VC runtime. 3) Uninstall your app. — Tom Blodget, Jan 19 '16 at 01:35
@TomBlodget I see what you're saying. but, I tried your use case and it still seems to work fine. If I install my app (with VC runtime), then uninstall the VC runtime, and then uninstall my app... it doesn't re-launch the the VC runtime installer on uninstall. I kind of expected that it would, but it just uninstalled my app, and that was all. — andyopayne, Jan 19 '16 at 13:38

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 18 '16 at 19:56

Answering my own question... but here goes. It turns out that my registry search was just fine... but I needed to use "SetProperty" instead. So, something like this:

<SetProperty Id="WIXUI_EXITDIALOGOPTIONALTEXT" After="AppSearch" Value="The Visual C++ Redistributable Package for Visual Studio 2015 is Required. Installation will now install run-time components that are required to run C++ applications built using Visual Studio 2015.">
  NOT VCREDISTRUNTIMES2015INSTALLED
</SetProperty>

Now, if the VCREDISTRUNTIMES2015INSTALLED is null (or false) then it will show the message on the exit dialog. Otherwise, there will be no message shown. Hope that helps.

WIX Conditional Message on Exit

1 Answers1