[wix-users] WIXUI_INSTALLDIR_VALID not being set

[Jacques Eloff]

Hi

I was investigating an install issue when I came across a very old
issue: wix-users
- PrintEula.ValidatePath fails under VMWare! (nabble.com)
<http://windows-installer-xml-wix-toolset.687559.n2.nabble.com/PrintEula-ValidatePath-fails-under-VMWare-td5048404.html>
For this issue, the problem was that the dev rebuilt uica, causing it to
dynamically link to the CRT.

The issue I'm investigating: We're using the standard custom action that
shipped with WiX so it should be statically linked. One customer reported
that they're getting a dialog informing them their local path is not valid.
After looking at the logs, I noticed that WIXUI_INSTALLDIR_VALID is never
set. After looking at the code I was baffled since ValidatePath will either
set the property to 0 or 1 and in both cases log an error if it failed to
set the property. None of these actions appear to have executed,

Excerpt from the log below:

Action start 19:35:52: WixUIValidatePath.
MSI (c) (1C:10) [19:35:52:506]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL:
C:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Local\Temp\MSIDAC0.tmp, Entrypoint: ValidatePath
MSI (c) (1C:3C) [19:35:52:508]: Cloaking enabled.
MSI (c) (1C:3C) [19:35:52:508]: Attempting to enable all disabled
privileges before calling Install on Server
MSI (c) (1C:3C) [19:35:52:508]: Connected to service for CA interface.
Action ended 19:35:52: WixUIValidatePath. Return value 1.

The copy of DLL in the MSI is from WiX 3.10.4.4718. This was on a physical
machine and we've only seen one report of it. The customer did share his VC
redist installs (in case it's related). They had everything from 2005
through 2019 on the machine, including 2010.

For now, the temporary workaround I suggested was just to launch the MSI
and set WIXUI_INSTALLDIR_VALID=1

Is there anything else that might explain the behavior? If it was a binding
issue I suspect the only way to confirm that is to wait for the popup and
then take a process dump or is there a better way to investigate.

Thanks,
Jacques