Inno Setup: Install other installer and run it before continuing the install

inno-setupinstallation

This is the [Files] portion of my code so far:

[Files]
Source: "other_installer.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"
Source: "myprogram.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"
Source: "data.dat"; DestDir: "{app}"
Source: "otherdata.dat"; DestDir: "{app}"

My program is dependent on another program to run. I've included the installer for this program ("other_installer.exe") in my installer. What I would like to do is launch this installer as soon as it has been copied, before continuing with "myprogram.exe" and the rest.

I've googled and found the documentation for BeforeInstall in the Inno Setup Help, but they don't have an example of running another application. I believe it should be something like this:

[Files]
Source: "other_installer.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"
Source: "myprogram.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"; BeforeInstall: // RUN OTHER_INSTALLER.EXE //
Source: "data.dat"; DestDir: "{app}"
Source: "otherdata.dat"; DestDir: "{app}"

Best Answer

Better for the way you go might be the AfterInstall parameter. The following script will execute the RunOtherInstaller function right after the OtherInstaller.exe file entry is processed. There it tries to execute the just installed OtherInstaller.exe file and if that fails, it reports an error message to the user. Please note that you cannot interrupt the installation from that function, so it's not much safe to do what you want this way:

[Setup]
AppName=My Program
AppVersion=1.5
DefaultDirName={pf}\My Program

[Files]
Source: "OtherInstaller.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"; AfterInstall: RunOtherInstaller
Source: "OtherFile.dll"; DestDir: "{app}"

[Code]
procedure RunOtherInstaller;
var
  ResultCode: Integer;
begin
  if not Exec(ExpandConstant('{app}\OtherInstaller.exe'), '', '', SW_SHOWNORMAL,
    ewWaitUntilTerminated, ResultCode)
  then
    MsgBox('Other installer failed to run!' + #13#10 +
      SysErrorMessage(ResultCode), mbError, MB_OK);
end;

Related Solutions

How to cancel installer using Inno Setup

You could simply use the ExtractTemporaryFile() helper function to extract validator.exe at any earlier installation step. See the question inno setup extracting files at the start up setup instead of the end and my answer to it.

Close running version of program before installing update (Inno Setup)

If the application has a Mutex, you can add an AppMutex value in your Inno Setup installer and it will display a message telling the user to stop the program. You might be able to find the Mutex (if it's got one) by using SysInternals Process Explorer and selecting the program / process and looking at the Handles (CTRL-H) in the Lower Pane.

Here's a link to the a KB article that mentions several methods:
http://www.vincenzo.net/isxkb/index.php?title=Detect_if_an_application_is_running

Alternatively, you might try this (UNTESTED) code in the InitializeSetup:

[Setup]
;If the application has  Mutex, uncomment the line below, comment the InitializeSetup function out, and use the AppMutex.
;AppMutex=MyApplicationMutex

[Code]
const
  WM_CLOSE = 16;

function InitializeSetup : Boolean;
var winHwnd: Longint;
    retVal : Boolean;
    strProg: string;
begin
  Result := True;
  try
    //Either use FindWindowByClassName. ClassName can be found with Spy++ included with Visual C++. 
    strProg := 'Notepad';
    winHwnd := FindWindowByClassName(strProg);
    //Or FindWindowByWindowName.  If using by Name, the name must be exact and is case sensitive.
    strProg := 'Untitled - Notepad';
    winHwnd := FindWindowByWindowName(strProg);
    Log('winHwnd: ' + IntToStr(winHwnd));
    if winHwnd <> 0 then
      Result := PostMessage(winHwnd,WM_CLOSE,0,0);
  except
  end;
end;

Best Answer

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How to cancel installer using Inno Setup

Close running version of program before installing update (Inno Setup)

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