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paule2000
Level 3

Installation Logging

Hi group,

I am using InstallShield 2008 and working on a InstallScript MSI project.

Due to a driver component I added, the installation procedure fails (error -1603 which does not mean anything). To analyze what goes wrong, I am looking for some kind of a log created by the installer while it runs.

InstallShield has a dialog allowing me to configure logging (Build->Settings...->MSI Log File) but either the installer does not create a log file or I cannot find it at the PC.

Questions: How do make the installer log what it did and what went wrong AND how do I access these information for analysis afterwards?

Thanks for your ideas!

Regards,
Paul
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(15) Replies
jchristman
Level 8

I have basically the same problem, I am just using the Basic MSI istallation and building a single .exe file I have tried differant things it will still not create the installation log.
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joshstechnij
Level 10 Flexeran
Level 10 Flexeran

To log InstallScript MSI projects, run:
setup.exe /verbose"C:\PathToLog\LogFile.log"

For Basic MSI projects, use:
setup.exe /v"/l*v C:\PathToLog\LogFile.log"
-- or --
msiexec.exe /I "C:\MsiPackage.msi" /l*v C:\PathToLog\LogFile.log

You can open the log in notepad or another text editor after the installation has exited.
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jchristman
Level 8

I am not for sure about paule2000 situation. I am creating a network image release so I have a single .exe file with everything in it, I would like to be able to have the user click setup.exe and it extracts all the files and starts the actual installation it also starts logging. I know it extracts into the users temp folder and it is an msi so I am trying to figure out how to get this msi file to run with the /v install.log option so if there is errors I can have them send in this log. But I do not want them to have to go to command line and install with the options to get a log
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RobertDickau
Flexera Alumni

The beginning of this newsletter tip mentions some logging options, including the MSI-command-line release setting (PDF warning): http://www.macrovision.com/webdocuments/PDF/msi_writing_to_the_log_file.pdf?link_id=productsTipsTricks.
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jchristman
Level 8

Here are the instructions from the link pdf.

If your release settings include creation of a setup.exe launcher, you can use the MSI
Command Line Arguments setting in the release properties to pass in the /L switch
to msiexec.exe, with a value such as this:
/L*v "%TEMP%\everything.log"


I have tried this and even set it to /L*v "C:\install.log" and it still does not create a log file. Unless I am missing something. I go under build, settings, msi log file, msiexec.exe command line arguments and put /L*v "C:\install.log" also tried the /L*v "%TEMP%\install.log" and nothing is created not even during the installation or after it has finished.
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joshstechnij
Level 10 Flexeran
Level 10 Flexeran

The MSI Command Line Arguments setting is on each release contained in the Releases view of your project. The Build->Settings options will have no effect on the setup.exe that you have built if it is launched outside of the InstallShield IDE.
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jchristman
Level 8

Could you tell me where the instructions is telling me to use the MSI Command line arguments is talking about in the previous quote I posted.
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jchristman
Level 8

I Believe this is correct, pleast let me know if not.

go under

Media
- Releases
-release 1
- properties show up in the right pane
- choose the setup.exe tab
- MSI Command Line Options
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joshstechnij
Level 10 Flexeran
Level 10 Flexeran

That is correct. This setting populates the CmdLine entry in the built setup.ini, which are arguments passed to msiexec.exe.
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jchristman
Level 8

THANK YOU! I appreciated all the help. 🙂
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paule2000
Level 3

Hi,

I am trying what you suggested:

joshstechnij wrote:
To log InstallScript MSI projects, run:
setup.exe /verbose"C:\PathToLog\LogFile.log"


This results in an install shield window opened telling me the Command Line Parameters. In this list, there is no /verbose. I guess that does not work.

For Basic MSI projects, use:
setup.exe /v"/l*v C:\PathToLog\LogFile.log"


That does the trick! Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Paul
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jomonp
Level 3

Hi
I followed the pdf method to set the msi log properties in the build-->settings-->Msi log settings. But it would not allow me to enter any env variable path like "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\install.log" (/L*v "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\install.log"). I tried almost all commonly used env variables like TEMP, System Folder etc.

When I try to run the installer it is throwing a message box saying "Error opening installation log file. Verify that the specified log file location exists and is writable" and terminates the install.

It is working fine when I give absolute path like "C:\install.log", but this is not acceptable for our standards.

Is there any other way to give a system context path for a log file?
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jomonp
Level 3

I missed the last posts above mine 🙂 setting msi command line parameters in release configuartion solved the problem.

Thanks for the help 🙂
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praveendanam
Level 5

Hi,

This topic is too useful.
Thankful to all

-praveen
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Gregg_Taylor
Level 2

I am getting the same error as mentioned above ("Error opening installation log file. Verify that the specified log file location exists and is writable.") and the installation aborts.

However I am using the Express 2008 edition, which does not have "MSI Command Line Options" as a parameter on the setup.exe tab.

How can I correct this?

--- Gregg
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