[wix-users] Dark is failing with InstallShield based msi decompiling

Wed Aug 23 00:08:18 PDT 2017

Thanks, Mates. Really appreciated your helping replies.

. I've already written the wix, by opening it in Orca, but just to verify
if I'm not missing anything, I tried dark to get a Wix markup and see if I
can add/improve anything, like Custom Actions, shortcuts that might be
missing or need some updates.

Best regards

On 20 August 2017 at 18:54, Christopher Painter <chrpai at iswix.com> wrote:

> My process is basically:
>
>
> 1) Install a number of times on a VM to get a sense of the UI story board
> and variation points.
>
> 2) Perform an admin install to get most files
>
> 3) Look at the tables in ORCA and write down a bunch of notes of what the
> overall design and intent of the installer is.
>
>
> I haven't used Dark in years.  When I do it's pretty much along the lines
> of extracting specific snippets of WiX XML from an existing install as a
> starting point for integration (not simply copy and paste )  into a WiX
> project.
>
> I have converted hundreds of InstallShield installers to WiX and can
> professional assistance if desired.  It usually only takes a few hours.
>
> ________________________________
> From: wix-users <wix-users-bounces at lists.wixtoolset.org> on behalf of
> Blair Murri <osito at live.com>
> Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 1:55 PM
> To: WiX Toolset Users Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [wix-users] Dark is failing with InstallShield based msi
> decompiling
>
> You don't get a wxs file from dark because it’s unable to understand the
> ISDRMFile table. Try dropping that table and rerunning dark.
>
>
>
> BTW, I would not recommend using a decompiled Installshield MSI as a
> starting point for a WiX project. Instead use the file, directory, registry
> and feature tables and a subset of the custom actions as a checklist to
> ensure that you have covered the basics.
>
>
>
> Blair Murri
>
>
>
> Sent from my Windows 10 phone
>
>
>
> From: Farrukh Waheed<mailto:farrukh1 at gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 4:47 AM
> To: WiX Toolset Users Mailing List<mailto:wix-users at lists.wixtoolset.org>
> Subject: [wix-users] Dark is failing with InstallShield based msi
> decompiling
>
>
>
> Hi
> I'm trying to decompile InstallShield 2015 based msi using dark.exe, but it
> is continuously failing. Here is the log:
>
> > dark IS_2015.msi IS_2015.wxs
>
> Windows Installer XML Toolset Decompiler version 3.11.0.1701
> Copyright (c) .NET Foundation and contributors. All rights reserved.
>
> IS_2015.msi
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1115 : The value '0' in table
> '_Validation', column 'KeyColumn' is invalid according to the column's
> validation information. The decompiled output includes a best-effort
> representation of this value.
> dark.exe : error DARK0182 : Cannot find the table definitions for the
> 'ISDRMFile' table.  This is likely due to a typing error or missing
> extension.  Please ensure all the necessary extensions are supplied on the
> command line with the -ext parameter.
> Decompiling the _SummaryInformation table.
> Decompiling the ActionText table.
> Decompiling the AdminExecuteSequence table.
> Decompiling the AdminUISequence table.
> Decompiling the AdvtExecuteSequence table.
> Decompiling the AdvtUISequence table.
> dark.exe : warning DARK1065 : The AdvtUISequence table is not supported by
> the Windows Installer XML toolset because it has been deprecated by the
> Windows Installer team.  Any information in this table will be left out of
> the decompiled output.
> Decompiling the Directory table.
> Decompiling the Feature table.
> Decompiling the Binary table.
> Decompiling the Component table.
> Decompiling the File table.
> Decompiling the CheckBox table.
> Decompiling the Icon table.
> Decompiling the ComboBox table.
> Decompiling the Dialog table.
> Decompiling the Control table.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1067 : The Control.Attributes
> column's value, '5767169', is not a recognized legal value.  This
> information will be left out of the decompiled output.
> Decompiling the ControlCondition table.
> Decompiling the ControlEvent table.
> Decompiling the CreateFolder table.
> Decompiling the CustomAction table.
> Decompiling the Error table.
> Decompiling the EventMapping table.
> Decompiling the FeatureComponents table.
> Decompiling the InstallExecuteSequence table.
> Decompiling the InstallUISequence table.
> Decompiling the ISComponentExtended table.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1060 : The ISComponentExtended
> table is being decompiled as a custom table.
> Decompiling the ISCustomActionReference table.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1060 : The ISCustomActionReference
> table is being decompiled as a custom table.
> Decompiling the ISDRMFileAttribute table.
> Decompiling the ISDRMLicense table.
> Decompiling the LaunchCondition table.
> Decompiling the ListBox table.
> Decompiling the ListView table.
> Decompiling the Media table.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1062 : The ModuleSignature table
> can only be represented in Windows Installer XML for merge modules.  The
> information in this table will be left out of the decompiled output.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1062 : The ModuleComponents table
> can only be represented in Windows Installer XML for merge modules.  The
> information in this table will be left out of the decompiled output.
> Decompiling the MsiDigitalCertificate table.
> Decompiling the MsiPatchCertificate table.
> Decompiling the Shortcut table.
> D:\Office\temp\IS_2015.msi : warning DARK1066 : The Patch table is added to
> the install package by a transform from a patch package (.msp) and not
> authored directly into an install package (.msi). The information in this
> table will be left out of the decompiled output.
> Decompiling the Property table.
> Decompiling the RadioButton table.
> Decompiling the TextStyle table.
> Decompiling the UIText table.
> Decompiling the Upgrade table.
> dark.exe : warning DARK1058 : The AdminExecuteSequence table contains an
> action 'ScheduleReboot' which is not allowed in this table.  If this is a
> standard action then it is not valid for this table, if it is a custom
> action or dialog then this table does not accept actions of that type.
> This action will be left out of the decompiled output.
> dark.exe : warning DARK1058 : The AdvtExecuteSequence table contains an
> action 'RegisterTypeLibraries' which is not allowed in this table.  If this
> is a standard action then it is not valid for this table, if it is a custom
> action or dialog then this table does not accept actions of that type.
> This action will be left out of the decompiled output.
> dark.exe : warning DARK1058 : The AdvtExecuteSequence table contains an
> action 'ScheduleReboot' which is not allowed in this table.  If this is a
> standard action then it is not valid for this table, if it is a custom
> action or dialog then this table does not accept actions of that type.
> This action will be left out of the decompiled output.
> dark.exe : warning DARK1024 : The InstallExecuteSequence table contains an
> action 'MsiConfigureServices' which is not a known custom action, dialog,
> or standard action.  This action will be left out of the decompiled output.
>
>
> It doesn't generate any wxs file.  Does anyone else is facing any such
> issues? Any work around?
>
> Thanks
>
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