How can I use a custom action to dynamically populate rows in the table?

Question

How can I use a custom action to dynamically populate rows in the table?

Answer

Immediate custom actions have full access to the Windows Installer database. All you need to do is use the database API to open a view and execute the view. The rest is the SQL query you create that performs an insert of a temporary row in the database. All of this, the APIs + SQL queries, are documented on MSDN in the Windows Installer documentation. If the table needs to be around in memory so that your changes aren't lost when dropped from view, then add a hold count to it (and release the hold count at the end after the requisite action runs).

• MsiGetActiveDatabase
• MsiDatabaseOpenView
• MsiViewExecute

Content credit also belongs to

• Carolyn, MSI Team Dev Lead. You can get other Carolyn insights about developing for Windows Installer from the Windows Installer Chat Archives

[Author: Robert Flaming]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at https://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.