Launching embedded MSI using Custom Actions

[rcorak]

I have to run 3 other 3rd party product installs from within my app. I created Custom Actions and selected type as EXE (only other choices were DLL or Script). I typed the correct location and filename for the MSI files. When I run the install, I get the following error:

Error 1721. There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program required for this install to complete could not be run. COntact your support personnel or package vendor. Action: NewCustomAction2, location...

It tries to do this after the files are already copied to the target system. I am able to run the MSI files on he target if I double click on them through a browser.

Any idea what is going on or any other way to do this?

Regards,

-Rob

[MichaelU]

The 1721 is telling you that it cannot launch an msi file as if it were an exe. However you will not have much success with this path, as even if you run msiexec /i [YOURMSI], it will fail if it's during the execute sequence. This is because Windows Installer imposes a limit of a single installation running at a time.

Ways around this include using setup prerequisites (the editor to create your own is available with the Professional/Premier tiers), or MSI 4.5 chaining (also availalbe in those tiers). It's also possible to do the above in the UI sequence, but it's risky, as silent installs will not be able to install your extra packages.