Create MSI packages via command lines: Unleash the power of automation

What is the Installer Object?

The Installer Object is a component of the Windows Installer technology that provides a set of programming interfaces for working with MSI packages. It is a powerful tool for automating software packaging and deployment tasks and is commonly used in enterprise software development and deployment scenarios.It enables software developers to manipulate and modify MSI packages programmatically using a range of methods and properties. The Installer Object can be accessed through the Component Object Model (COM) and requires the automation support to be loaded before it can be used.

Let's take a closer look at these methods and explore what each of them can do.

The OpenDatabase method offers multiple openMode options, two of which are:

Knowing these, we can develop the following PowerShell script to create the MSI package by using the command line:

$MSIFilePath = "C:\Users\User\Desktop\test.msi"
$WindowsInstaller = New-Object -ComObject WindowsInstaller.Installer
$WindowsInstallerDatabase = $WindowsInstaller.GetType().InvokeMember("OpenDatabase", "InvokeMethod", $null, $WindowsInstaller, @(($MSIFilePath), 4))
$WindowsInstallerDatabase.GetType().InvokeMember("Commit", "InvokeMethod", $Null, $WindowsInstallerDatabase, $Null)
[System.Runtime.Interopservices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($WindowsInstallerDatabase) | Out-Null

As you can see, we're creating the test.msi using msiOpenDatabaseModeCreateDirect. As the Microsoft documentation mentions, we need to call the commit method and release the COM object once we've completed the operation.

Executing the script above will create the MSI in the designated location without any errors. However, upon opening the MSI file, you will notice that there are no tables or data present.

As you can probably guess, our first step would be to populate the script with all the necessary tables for the database before we can begin adding the required information. However, using the built-in PowerShell functionality is probably near to impossible to create and manipulate MSI packages.

One alternative would be to use the more superior interop library Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller, which is found in the Windows Installer XML Deployment Tools Foundation.

Another free alternative is the WiX Toolset, but it has its downsides: a steep learning curve, requires programming knowledge, and has a higher cost for feature creation.

How to use Advanced Installer to Create MSI Packages from command line?

When it comes to creating MSI packages through PowerShell automation, including PowerShell automation, Advanced Installer is the go-to solution. As the top alternative to the WiX Toolset, it offers a user-friendly interface and powerful command-line interface that makes it easy to create and manipulate MSI packages.

Sign up for a 30-day full feature trial and experience the benefits of Advanced Installer's advanced features and user-friendly interface for yourself.Download now!

Advanced Installer offers a range of features and capabilities, including the ability to create MSI packages from scratch using CLI interfaces and support for repackaging an installer solely through the command line.

Moreover, if you plan to use batch files or cmd.exe in your PowerShell scripts, you can benefit from the Advanced Installer CLI support.

Here’s how the Advanced Installer command lines for creating a project, adding files, registries and building the project look like:

"AdvancedInstaller.com" /newproject "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" -type "professional" -lang "en" -overwrite
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /NewReg -RegValue HKUD\Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]\Settings\AppSettings -Data #x36
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /AddFile APPDIR C:\Windows\notepad.exe
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /NewFeature Samples
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /SetCurrentFeature Samples
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /AddFile APPDIR C:\foo.edi
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /SetCurrentFeature MainFeature
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /edit "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip" /NewShortcut -name NOTEPAD -dir SHORTCUTDIR -target APPDIR\notepad.exe -wkdir APPDIR
"AdvancedInstaller.com" /build "C:\MyProject\Sample.aip"

The command lines need to be executed in the installation folder of advinst.exe, located in Program Files (x86).

For those who prefer using PowerShell, we offer multiple Automation Interfaces for configuring and building your Installer Project. Check the full list on our Advanced Installer PowerShell Automation Interfaces page.

Conclusion

In today's world where automation plays a crucial role, it's essential to not overlook the fundamentals that enable us to have greater control over our code.

Command-line tools for creating MSI packages provide a powerful way to automate software packaging and deployment tasks in enterprise software development and deployment scenarios.

We hope you found this article helpful.