Turning MSI logging on from an InstallShield .EXE?

logging windows-installer installshield
leeand00 picture leeand00 · Jan 25, 2013 · Viewed 20.2k times · Source

I have a software update that is giving me an error dialog, and no way to see the error logs.

The executable that I run to install the update is identified as InstallShield in the file's Product Name. I get past all the InstallSheild wizards and dialogs just fine, but when it goes to execute the .msi file I get a dialog with a title that reads Windows Installer and text which reads This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I read here that if you have just a straight .msi file, without InstallShield, you can turn on msi logging by runnning the MSI from the command line and providing the correct arguments, to shed a little more light on the message, but I don't know how to do this when the file is executed inside of an InstallShield executable.

How can I do this?

Answer

Superbob picture Superbob · Feb 20, 2013

You can pass command-line parameters from an Installshield .EXE to the contained MSI using /v then double-quote what is being passed.
/lv outputs a Verbose log

So, to generate a verbose log from an installshield executable, run 

Setup.exe /V"/lv C:\temp\SetupLog.log"

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