Hi guys :)

I've made the following script, which basically prevents a user from
pressing cancel, when you install .msi packages with Windows Installer
(There is no basic UI, with no cancel-button).

----------------------------------------
Option Explicit

'---

Dim WshShell, FSO, MWI
Dim strCurPath, strPackage, strPkg01, strPkg02
Dim strPopTxt, strPopTitle, vbCritical, strMSI, strUnInst, strPkg03,
strSilBas, strSuccess

'---

Set WshShell=WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set FSO=CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set MWI=CreateObject("WindowsInstaller.Installer")

'---

strCurPath = FSO.GetAbsolutePathName(".")
strPkg01 = "\cwmodels103rev02\cwmodels103rev02.msi"
strPkg02 = "\cw2000_auto-as\cw2000_auto-as.msi"
strPkg03 = "\cwmodels103\cwmodels103.msi"
vbCritical = 16
strPopTxt = "You're not supposed to cancel this installation !" & vbCrLf
& "The installation will restart in 10 seconds from now, or when" &
vbCrLf & "you press the OK button."
strPopTitle = "Installation Wrapper v1.0"
strUnInst = " /x "
strSilBas = " /qb"
strMSI = "%SystemRoot%\System32\msiexec.exe"

'---

WshShell.Run strMSI & strUnInst & strCurPath & strPkg03 &
strSilBas,1,TRUE
WScript.Sleep (1000)

'---
strPackage = strCurPath & strPkg01
InstallPkg strPackage

'---
strPackage = strCurPath & strPkg02
InstallPkg strPackage

Sub InstallPkg (strPackage)
Dim valRC
valRC = 1
Do While valRC <> 0
  On Error Resume Next
  MWI.InstallProduct strPackage
  valRC = Err.Number
  If valRC <> 0 Then
    WshShell.Popup strPopTxt,10,strPopTitle,vbCritical
    valRC=Err.Number
    Err.Clear
  End If
Loop
valRC = 1
End Sub

'---

WScript.Quit
----------------------------------------

Ok, that was for the basic understanding of the script. Now, I've tried
making a Sub that would un-install an installed package. That would look
something like:

strPackage = strMSI & strUnInst & strCurPath & strPkg03 & strSilBas

Sub SubInstallPkg (strPackage)
Dim valRC
valRC = 1
Do While valRC <> 0
  On Error Resume Next
  WshShell.Run strPackage,1,TRUE
  WScript.Sleep (1000)
  valRC = Err.Number
  If valRC <> 0 Then
    WshShell.Popup strPopTxt,10,strPopTitle,vbCritical
    valRC=Err.Number
    Err.Clear
  End If
Loop
valRC = 1
End Sub

Ok... It works fine when installing. I'm using a Windows Installer
object for that, and a method through that object.

However, if I click cancel when un-installing, it just hops out of the
Sub, and starts installing. No popup box, no retry, no nothing. Very
unlike the installation-sub.

I then made a msgbox, and found out that even if I press cancel when un-
installing, the error-code returned, is STILL 0 ! Which then explains
why it jumps out of the Sub.

How do I do the un-install routine then ? Anyone have an idea ? It would
be really neat, to be able to protect the un-install sequence, just like
I can with the installation sequence.

Oh, and for those of you unfamiliar with these terms: The reason for all
of this to begin with, is that at my job we use SMS to distribute
software under Windows 2000. Most of the time, that's done with .msi
packages. However, the .msi format/Windows Installer has the big
disadvantage that the users can cancel the installation of the software
when done via SMS. SMS then doesn't restart the installation. Which all
in all causes a lot of helpdesk calls. We could of course do the
installation completely without UI, but that's not an option, as the
user MUST know that something is being done on the machine. Or they'll
just start using it...

Also, I find it very odd, that the Windows Installer object provides a
method for installing software... but none for removal ?

Anyway, hope someone understands what I mean... and knows how to help
out :)

--
Jacob S. Nielsen
http://www.*-*-*.com/

The reason you are having problems is you are looking for the err object to
be set.  What you want to do is look at the return value from the process
you start.

Use it like this:
retval = WshShell.Run (appname, 1, 1)
Then check the return value of the application.  Look at the windows
installer documentation for valid return codes.  You can also find out if
the install requires a reboot etc. this way.

-Tony