[wix-users] Path not being updated in launch application shell

[Wendy Gibbons]

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  *   Which version of WiX are you building with?
make_msi_file:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\WiX Toolset v3.9\bin\light.exe" -sice:ICE30 -ext WixUIExtension -ext WixUtilExtension "Coda XL.wixobj" -out "..\kits\XL\Coda XL"
Windows Installer XML Toolset Linker version 3.9.1208.0
Copyright (c) Outercurve Foundation. All rights reserved.

  *   Which version of Visual Studio are you building with (if any)?

S:\coda-xl\Office\Installers>msbuild -version
Microsoft (R) Build Engine version 4.6.1055.0
[Microsoft .NET Framework, version 4.0.30319.42000]
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

4.6.1055.0

  *   If the problem occurs when installing your packages built with WiX, what is the version of Windows the package is running on?

(Windows version)
windows 8.1

  *   Describe the problem and the steps to reproduce it. Inside the installer I install several .dll files and add their location onto the path environment variable. inside my installer I run a vb .exe that uses the excel com object to register xla's inside excel. Whenever this step gets run excel creates error dialogs complaining that it can't find the installed dll's.

EXCEL.EXE - System Error The program can't start because my.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

I have printed out the path environment variable inside the visual basic program and it does not include my addition.
After having this .exe as a deferred custom action i have moved it to run in the exit dialog in the "launch your application" step. Expecting everything to be setup and the transaction complete.

<UI>
      <UIRef Id="WixUI_Mondo" />
      <Publish Dialog="ExitDialog"
        Control="Finish"
        Event="DoAction"
        Value="LaunchXLAReg">WIXUI_EXITDIALOGOPTIONALCHECKBOX = 1 and NOT Installed</Publish>
    </UI>


it still exhibits the same behaviour, of my new path extension not being inside the "path" environment variable .

If however i do not launch the .exe from within the installer, but launch it from my desktop (as the very next action) it works perfectly silently and without hitch.