Managed(C#) custom action in WIX doesn't work (error code 1154)

Question

I'm developing a Custom Action to install the same file into multiple folders(that are determined at runtime).

The custom action resides inside a Wix C# Custom Action Project. It's code looks like this:

public class CustomActions
{
    [CustomAction]
    public static ActionResult InstallToTrunks(Session session)
    {
        // some logic
    }
}

The relevant WIX markup looks like this:

    <Binary Id='CustomActions' SourceFile='..\CustomActions\bin\$(var.Configuration)\CustomActions.dll' />
<CustomAction Id='InstallToTrunks' BinaryKey='CustomActions' DllEntry='InstallToTrunks' Execute='deferred' Return='check'/>

<InstallExecuteSequence>
  <Custom Action='InstallToTrunks' After='InstallInitialize'></Custom>
</InstallExecuteSequence>

However, when I try to run the setup, it fails, and log says: CustomAction InstallToTrunks returned actual error code 1154 (note this may not be 100% accurate if translation happened inside sandbox)

Any help would be very welcome. Alternatively, if you have a suggestion on how to achieve what I'm trying to do(install same file into multiple folders that can be determined only at retuntime) without CustomActions, that would be helpful too.

Thanks.

One way without costum actions would be to add the file as a feature. If you need to install it in 3 different paths, add three features, each containing the file. The feature should use the attribute `ConfigurableDirectory`. Maybe this can help you to solve the problem with costum actions: [Similar problem](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3560370/custom-action-in-c-used-via-wix-fails-with-error-1154) — Skalli, Sep 20 '11 at 14:01

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 21 '11 at 08:37

It looks like you're referencing the custom action assembly, rather than the custom action DLL. Those custom action projects produce an unmanaged custom action DLL called xxxx.CA.dll which contains a compressed copy of your custom action assembly and its dependencies.

Try:

<Binary Id='CustomActions' SourceFile='..\CustomActions\bin\$(var.Configuration)\CustomActions.CA.dll' />

Cosmin · Answer 2 · 2011-09-21T06:21:45.470

3

WiX already supports this through CopyFile element.

Basically, you create a CopyFile element for each copy you want to make. You can then set the DestinationProperty attribute to a custom property for each copy. These properties can be set dynamically during install.

However, if you want to use a custom action, there are several solutions:

a win32 DLL
VBScript
.NET Installer Class
a custom EXE

Custom .NET DLLs are not supported. If you have a .NET DLL, convert it to an installer class action.

edited Sep 21 '11 at 06:21

answered Sep 20 '11 at 15:17

Cosmin

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However, I can never determine how much CopyFiles I'll need, and the number can change too. – Svarog Sep 21 '11 at 06:14

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 22 '11 at 08:44

Although you accepted the answer and it seems that you'll go the custom action way, I would point your attention that CopyFile approach is the recommended and supported way of doing this kind of things you describe in your scenario. If you don't know exactly the number of files and locations to copy to, you can add temporary rows to the CopyFile table during install time in an immediate custom action. This way you give Windows Installer exact instructions of what to do and let it do its job.

Thanks, I think that this is what I'm going to do in the custom action. — Svarog, Sep 22 '11 at 09:32

Managed(C#) custom action in WIX doesn't work (error code 1154)

3 Answers3