Improved MSI

[TomsKnostenbergs]

Hi @ThioJoe

You’re already building an MSI for this project using WiX, which is great. Much better than registering the dll manually.

I'd like to propose alternative to WiX: Master Packager Dev. It provides a faster way to build enterprise grade MSI installers for both home users and organizations. It's free for non-commercial projects like this.

Let me explain how and why I'd build the installer for this project using MP Dev.

1. Create a JSON project file based on the documentation. It’s designed to be ridiculously easier and faster than using WiX.
2. Use MP Dev predefined Custom Action to register and unregister win_svg_thumbs.dll instead of selfreg table. Microsoft do not suggest using the selfreg table.
3. In the JSON file specify that you want to sign the MSI and unsigned files inside it using your Trusted Signing certificate.
4. Auto-updates. You can specify where to check newer version and the installer (same as Google Chrome does) will have a service that will check newer version MSI on your server or GitHub release page and silently install it without UAC in Program Files for the user. This feature also is for free if project is non-commercial.
5. Best practices. We check and return warnings and errors on build to prevent developers building low quality installers. That's one of the reasons why MP Dev exists.
6. Automation. With all the specified in the JSON file all you need to do is add a post action that will build the new MSI fully automatically.
   • Set the new app version in the JSON file
   • Install MP Dev from homepage, Microsoft Store or WinGet
   • Run the mpdev build <propectName.JSON> command
7. You will get:
   • Signed MSI, with signed files inside the MSI using your code signing certificate. No need to sign the dll before that if you do not want to.
   • Built MSI with your specified name in your specified folder
   • The MSI will have correct upgrade functionality:
     • Will upgrade all previous MSI versions
     • Will popup message to the user if newer version is already installed
   • If specified, the MSI will have auto-update service that will update the app to the newer version.
   • Modern installation window. No more next next next.
   

Master Packager Dev is created to help developers build Windows application packages that end-users love, enterprises want, and the Windows OS needs. Hope you can join us helping to improve the quality of Windows Installers by spreading the word and using MP Dev yourself. We spent more than a decade packaging bad installers for organizations and MP Dev is the result of our learning.

I have attached sample MP Dev JSON file and MP dev built MSI that you can check out how simple it is and uncomment sections if you want to use the signing or auto-update feature.
DemoProject.zip

We help all developers to build excellent installers for free. Feel free to use this as you wish. Any feedback or questions are welcome.
Good luck and have fun.
Toms from the Master Packager Team

[ThioJoe]

Hm pretty cool. I usually try to do stuff manually at first to better understand it but I'll take a look 👍