MAKEMSI quickly and reliably creates MSI files in a non-programmatic way\IntroductionChange History

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Change History

MAKEMSI like most products I work on is a work in progress, it is never "perfect". In any case my perfect is probably different from yours. I do the best available in the time I have and then improve where and when possible, for this reason feedback is very important as it tells me where I may need to concentrate some effort.

Most of the MSIs I build using MAKEMSI are for automatic installation under the system account on a "standard controlled environment". Feedback from other people using MAKEMSI in different ways helps me build a better tool.

Please let me know of any bugs or issues and do not assume that someone else has reported it. I have generally fixed all known bugs/issues. The very fact that you are having a problem means that I probably do not know of it! In rare cases I do get snowed under and forget things, in this case please remind me!

Note that I don't put every little change here but mainly the ones that you may notice or you should be aware of. To see what I might be up to between releases this page is updated online at "https://dennisbareis.com/makemsi-manual/changehistory.htm".

If I have any fixes available between releases these will be available at "https://groups.io/g/makemsi/files/". Note that these may be "experimental" or quick fixes so be sure to backup files so that you can restore things if required.

1. In progress (to do soonish... OK, at least I know I definately need to do it!)
   

   • When deleting a scheduled task it is probably best to send a "stop" request to it first (at least by default).

   • English text, in sundry ".mmh" files (mainly "uisample.mmh"), see the "Internationalization" section.

   • Check out sorting of .chm contents: And a very minor thing I noticed at the MAKEMSI help file: the command list in the contents seems to be alphabetical, but a number of entries starting with 'Registry' stand in between Platform and ProductFind. On closer examination, this is not a bug as such but the ordering of entries in the documentation (which I should improve). UPDATE: Ordering on fields is textual, maybe change for numeric fields?

   • Any "flashing" tooltips in the documentation (MAKEMSI and generated) is an IE 7 bug, but is there something I can do about it?

   • At the moment use of anything but "|1" for the CheckBox values ("DialogEntry") will cause unchecked items to become checked when the back button is pressed to return to the dialog.

   • Updating the default for "COMPANY_PROPERTY_ARPCOMMENTS" and "COMPANY_SUMMARY_SUBJECT" so that for 2 "identical" msis there will be less differences shown by "MsiDiff.VBS".

2. Next Release (in progress)
   
   • You tell me, feedback please!
     Have you ever looked at a product and said "Wouldn't it be nice if ...", well get on your backside and send an email, make it so!
   • Note that documentation improvements occur almost every release.

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   • Your idea here :-). Most of the code & documentation changes are either made based on my own personal experience or from user forum questions/problems, I get little practical feedback.

   • The "Directory" command would fail if the "value" parameter (for root directories) was used. The message was: The "{$DIR}" parameter was not supplied (and there is no default value).

3. 22.148 (28 May 2022)
   
   • Now includes rexx documentation (Rexx (regina).chm).
   • New version of PPWIZARD (v22.148).

4. 22.146 (26 May 2022)
   
   • The file extension column (#2) in the html report is now fixed. Not sure how long this bug has existed, but it would display the same value in all rows.
   • Fixed the default definition of "COMPANY_SUMMARY_SUBJECT" as it used "[ProductVersion]" and not the "ProductVersion" macro and therefore the summary (subject) didn't contain the version number and explorer tooltips would show something like "[ProductVersion] (created Tue May 17 2022 at 1:31:42pm)".
   • Fixed the documentation links to my currently non existent subdomain (makemsi-manual.dennisbareis.com).

5. 22.121 (1 May 2022)
   
   • Fixed: "cscript.exe" not found on uninstall or repair of MAKEMSI installer on Windows 11 (under some conditions, and maybe also WIN10?).
   • Created a new "FileFindInListedDirs" command.
   • The "Directory" command now has "MAKE", "REMOVE" & "COMPONENT" parameters.
   • The "DirectoryTree" command NOW adds all created directories to the create & remove tables (not just the last named/last) dir.

     A component will now be created for you if required even if "N" used on the "MAKE" parameter (that is you no longer need to use "MAKE" if you just need to "REMOVE").

   • There is now a "DEFAULT_COMPONENT_OPTIONS_AUTO_CREATION" option for automatically created components (CU="Y" etc).
   • The directory command for adding the documentation (@AddDocumentationToTheMsi) now includes "REMOVE="Y".
   • The html report is now updated with the result of the validation before a validation error is reported (previously the report would have pre-check template details).
   • New version of PPWIZARD with many code and doco improvements.

6. 19.089 (30 March 2019)
   
   • Some minor changes to the html documentation footer generation to make it easier to disable the external link to "MAKEMSI_HOMEPAGE" if that is required by your companies (paranoid) policies. Simply override "HTMLRPT_END_COMMENTS_MAKEMSI_LINK_OR_TEXT" to "MAKEMSI". Other footer changes also easier.

7. 18.185 (4 July 2018)
   
   • Fixed a "Microsoft VBScript runtime error: Path not found" which certain builds had when "CAB.CACHE" was missing at start.
   • Added the "Default4" parameter to the "Cabinet" command to allow you to define default cabinets by file extension.

8. 18.170 (19 June 2018)
   
   • "Cabinet" caches:
     • Cache Invalidations no longer caused by:
       • Changes to the filename of the generated msi.
       • Differences in the case of letters in the ".mm" script filename passed in the build request.

         The "MAKEMSI_OUTDIR" value is now lower cased to ensure that no matter how "MM.CMD" (or the build in general) is invoked, it won't cause issues.

     • Renamed files, sundry diagnostic/logging improvements, including:
       • The top level cache directory now contains "[CABINET SUMMARY, pass x].txt" files.
       • Filenames starting with "{MAKECAB}" are involved/associated with the actual ".cab" file creation.
       • Filenames starting with "[" are diagnostics to help determine reasons for invalidations etc.
       • We now report the differences between "no preexisting" and "corrupted" caches.

       These and previous changes has helped me chase the unexpected cache invalidations I notice down, I'd have looked at these years ago if anyone had bothered reported them...

   • The parameter handling of the VBS script created by "EventLogSource" has been fixed and now allows you to include the code "{dq}" for double quotes.

9. 18.160 (9 June 2018)
   
   • The "Files" and "FilesExclude" commands would not accept a filemask that contained single quotes.
   • Now handles a single quote in the "DEPT_NAME" or "COMPANY_CONTACT_NAME" definitions.
   • Previously if the directory containing your project contained a left square bracket character ("["), then you would need to have turned off zipping of the source files (setting COMMONFRAMEWORK_ZIP_SOURCE_FOR_BACKUP to "N") due to an info zip bug, I now work around this by using relative paths (effectively stripping off the square brackets). For similar reasons "MM.CMD" was also updated so that the (default) root output path will no longer contain square brackets.

     Also if the base filename contains square brackets this is also now handled. The last info zip upgrade probably broke this (in v17.218) as it changed the square bracket behaviour.

   • Certain characters in the ".mm" script's filename may have prevented the insertion of the "MSI_NOT_COMPLETE_TEXT" validation.

10. 18.149 (29 May 2018)
    
    • The "FeatureComponents" table was being updated by the "Component" command even if the component was not being added.
    • Recentish changes broke "OPENMSI.MMH":

      1. Macro named "ProdInfo.MsiName" does not exist!
         The header now defines "CABINET_SRC_FILE_NAME".

      2. Macro named "HTML_SYMBOL_TICK" does not exist!
         This probably broke in v17.267, some html report generation didn't check if it should be executed (ONEXIT_GENERATE_HTML?).

11. 18.098 (7 April 2018)
    
    • Build performance issues:

      1. The "Cabinet" command (and probably also the older "Compile" command's) cache could be "invalidated" by adding files or other changes that reorder files.

      2. The caching in "makemsi.mm" wasn't done correctly.
    • To help user's workout cache invalidations to better design cabinet organisation we now generate a "DIFFERENCES REPORT".
    • The msi build was being prematurely marked complete so that the error message "MSI_NOT_COMPLETE_TEXT" may not have been displayed at installation time for all failing msi builds.
    • The "CompileMsi" lines for each cabinet were being incorrectly terminated with CR+CR (not CR+LF).
      If (for unrelated reasons) a vbscript syntax error then occurred this could make some of these display the wrong line's text!
    • The (non-default) IE based conversion of "Html2Text()" started failing in the VBSCRIPT function "IeWorkedTruelyAmazing()".
      As the function name implies IE is pretty flakey but my workaround has mostly worked fine for 10+ years and started consistently failing recently after some hotfixes.

      I believe that the IE function "oIE.Busy" returns 'true' before it is actually ready and adding a delay after this solved the issue (see "MSI_HTML2TEXT_FUNCTION_VIA_IE_AUTOMATION_EXTRA_DELAY_IN_MS" to adjust from 50 milliseconds).

      Made sundry other minor improvements.

12. 18.093 (3 April 2018)
    
    • The "/ROW" command now has an "UPDATE" parameter which should be used if updating a record.
    • The "ShortCut" command has supported multiple directories since v15.120 (30 April 2015) but the HTML report only listed a single shortcut entry (dir was the list).
    • Double quotes in directory names are invalid but the "Directory" and "DirectoryTree" commands would fail with a cryptic syntax error, they now fail with a more informative error message.

13. 18.052 (21 February 2018)
    
    • The "EventLogSource" command could fail if RegisterOnly="Y" was used (became the default).
    • Conditional self registration (SelfReg="?") was being performed unconditionally by the "File(s)" command, failing registration at install time for files that don't support it. Guessing broken since "v15.120".
    • Fixed the "FolderIcon" command which I'd broken at some stage (displays error dialog per instance).
    • Now backup ".DBG" console output to 9 levels (by default).
    • Minor non-functional change to "ShortcutUrl".

14. 17.320 (16 November 2017)
    
    • Fixed a VBS syntax error when using the "FolderIcon" command.
    • A new more powerful "Cabinet" command replaces the older "Compile" command. Caching of cabinet output is now on by default, this should speed up compiles and shouldn't have any negative effects (except possibly the disk space taken up by the cached cab files).

      The "File" & "Files" commands now have a "cabinet" parameter to allow you to override the default.

    • More changes to the event log commands introduced in "v17.310".

15. 17.315 (11 November 2017)
    
    • New "FilesInZip" command to allow you to include a zip file to be unpacked at installation file. This is less flexible than adding the files individually but can be much faster to create and install the msi.
    • The defaults for the "#options" (and new "HashPrefix) parameters of the "FileMake" command can now be mode specific.

      Powershell specific options are now set so that it's comment character "#" doesn't cause problems.

    • The "compile" command's console/log output improved.
    • Some changes to the event log commands introduced in "v17.310".
    • Minor spelling/grammar fixes to "MM.CMD".
    • Newer PPWIZARD (v17.315).

16. 17.310 (4 November 2017)
    
    • Two new Windows Event log macros:
      • EventLogCustomView
        to define event log sources.
      • EventLogSource
        to define event log custom filters.
    • Added the "#options" parameter to the "FileMake" command.
    • Newer PPWIZARD (v17.308) with powershell support.

17. 17.286 (13 October 2017)
    
    • Fixed definitions of "HTMLSUMM_UPGRADE_CODE" and "HTMLSUMM_PRODUCT_CODE" which could cause errors reporting "HTMLRPT_TT" as unknown.
    • Fixed VBS syntax error in "ShortcutUrl".

18. 17.267 (24 September 2017)
    
    • Under some circumstances the make could fail creating the ".ddf" file.
    • New version of the "Regular Expression Tester" tool (v2017.09.21d), a number of changes including the new "literal text" button.
    • Minor improvement to the validation summary in the html.

19. 17.225 (13 August 2017)
    
    • New "MajorUpgrade" command and the summary contains better upgrade related information.

20. 17.223 (11 August 2017)
    
    • New "FolderIcon" command to create "desktop.ini" files.
    • Fixed a bug introduced in "VbsCaSetup" for version 17.222 which could cause a failure if no #data supplied.

21. 17.222 (10 August 2017)
    
    • The "MM.CMD" batch file can now try escalating your privledges if you don't have access.
    • Fixed generation of "AddErr/ErrDetails" functions.
    • Extra 3rd optional column on #data for "VbsCa".

22. 17.218 (6 August 2017)
    
    • The "MM.CMD" batch file now checks for write access and MAKEMSI installation.
    • Added a "WHERE" parameter to the "MsiValFilter" command and made major improvements to the relevant HTML report section. The html report inside the documentation will have "placeholders" for the found messages (validation hasn't occurred yet).

      If you use your own ".flt" files then these will need rewriting to use "MsiValFilter". If you use hooks they have been renamed and you should get an error message for the obsolete names.

    • If you pass a semi colon list of files on the "Files" command it now strips leading and trailing spaces off each mask.
    • Better checking and reporting for the "-IgnoreMeUnlessNotEmpty-.txt" file being empty.
    • Created the "$$WI_FMT" transformation.
    • The change in "v16.059" for the logging for "VbsCa" defaulting to the user's "TEMP" directory was flawed, now fixed.
    • Shortcut commands now support "{NL}" for newlines in the tooltip (description).
    • Minor change to the vbscript launcher code for "ShortcutUrl" so that the parameter is optional (still on shortcut) but if double clicked for testing works anyway (easier to test/debug).
    • Now includes "izip.exe" version "3.1c02 BETA (August 15th 2009)".
    • Many other relatively minor changes.

23. 16.059
    
    • The "ExtnAction" command now supports a "Type" parameter to support expansion of environment variables in the command.
    • The handling of the file extension has been modified, and still works the way the old documention says, however I have now improved the documentation. Please check your code, basically the empty string is not the same as not passing a value.
    • New version of the active-x dll "makemsi.dll". It can now also check for "DllInstall()" code (for per-user self registrations).
    • Newer PPWIZARD (v16.059) with dependancy fixes/improvements.
    • Minor improvement to the key generated by the "Shortcut" command when multiple directories specified.
    • The logging directory used for the "VbsCa" script now defaults to the user's "TEMP" directory (not "C:\").
    • New "TryMeDualPurposePackage-SupportsWinXP.MM" sample. I'm not an expert at these so very open to feedback.

24. 15.120 (30 April 2015)
    
    • The "DIR" parameter of the "Shortcut" command now supports a semicolon delimitered list of shortcuts directories so the shortcut can easily be created in multiple locations.
    • The "Component" parameters "CU" and "LM" now support "?" to use whatever is appropriate for the install mode.
    • Updated "COMPANY.MMH" so that the registry keypath for the generated documentation now depends on the installation mode.
    • The "SelfRegister" command now supports per-user/per-machine registrations (based on installation mode) and for this reason can no longer use the native "SelfReg" table support at all. The command now also supports registration of ".exe" files as "msiexec.exe" is also no longer used.
    • Made it easier to find file related entries in the "*.dbg.txt" file.
    • Includes newer PPWIZARD (version 15.085) - [1] Reversed stack trace on trap and [2] INPUT dependancy now relative where possible.
    • Parameter names are now validated on the "Extn", "/Extn" and "ExtnAction" commands.
    • Added a new parameter to the "ExtnAction" command to support adding to Explorer's "NEW" menu.
    • Added new "TryMeExtnAction.MM" and "TryMeExcelAddIn.MM" samples.

25. 15.083 (24 March 2015)
    
    • Fixed a very old bug in the "Files" command which would cause problems if the semi colon list of files included 2 or more semicolons in a row (extras now correctly ignored).
    • Updated the "ShortcutUrl" command to be more flexible and also to handle an IE8 "Integrity Issue" (0x800706B5) plus similar.
    • Updated the "Extn" command to support the optional "HKEY" parameter which defaults to the previous releases "CLASSES_ROOT" value, you can also choose current user or local machine hives.
    • Now "flashes" the results control in the "Regular Expression Tester" tool so its easier to see something has happened :-)
    • Includes newer PPWIZARD (version 14.089).
    • Minor modifications to the "File" and "Files" commands to support the "OptionMakeRemoveDirs" option (placebo for now).
    • Renamed internal "Rexx4MakeDirTree()" routine.
    • Created new template msi called "TEMPLATE_MSI-SimpleSchedule.MMH" and an example to demonstrate it (TryMeTemplate-SimpleSchedule.MM)
    • Now include a tool to delete files older than a certain age (DelOlderRE.vbs). This will be used by "TEMPLATE_MSI-SimpleSchedule.MMH".

26. 13.321 (17 November 2013)
    
    • Implemented a fix suggested by Jason Gibbons to handle redefining "TABLES_FILE_SEQ_NUMBER_LIMIT" from its default value 2 to 4 (in order to handles > 32767 files).
    • Assorted improvements to the "Regular Expression Tester" tool.

27. 13.267 (23 September 2013)
    
    • Added the "IeAddressBar" parameter to the ShortcutUrl command.

28. 13.251 (8 September 2013)
    
    • Have modified "MM.CMD" so it detects if the "Ignore Me" file is non-blank and warns you.

Older Entries Than Those Above

If you need to see older entries then please have a look at my older change history page.

Please email me any feedback, additional information or corrections. See this page online (look for updates) MAKEMSI© is (C)opyright Dennis Bareis 2003-2008 (All rights reserved). Sunday July 16 2023 at 1:42pm Visit MAKEMSI's Home Page