Calling Database Functions from Programs

Before calling any of the following Database Functions from a program, such as a custom action or an automation process, the installer must first run the CostInitialize action, FileCost action, and CostFinalize action.

The following is a list of database functions used in Windows Installer:

• MsiGetComponentState
• MsiGetFeatureCost
• MsiGetFeatureState
• MsiGetFeatureValidStates
• MsiGetSourcePath
• MsiGetTargetPath
• MsiSetComponentState
• MsiSetFeatureState
• MsiSetInstallLevel
• MsiSetTargetPath
• MsiVerifyDiskSpace

Before calling MsiSetFeatureAttributes from a program, the installer must first run the CostInitialize action. The installer then runs the CostFinalize action after MsiSetFeatureAttributes.

The following example illustrates the order in which function actions must be called when using MsiGetTargetPath in a program.

#include <windows.h>
#include <Msiquery.h>
#include <tchar.h>
#pragma comment(lib, "msi.lib") 

int main()  
{ 

MSIHANDLE hInstall;
TCHAR *szBuf;
DWORD cch  = 0 ;
 
if(MsiOpenPackage(_T("PathToPackage...."), &hInstall) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
{
    if(MsiDoAction(hInstall, _T("CostInitialize"))==ERROR_SUCCESS  
        && MsiDoAction(hInstall, _T("FileCost"))==ERROR_SUCCESS  
        && MsiDoAction(hInstall, _T("CostFinalize"))==ERROR_SUCCESS)   
    { 
        if(MsiGetTargetPath(hInstall, _T("FolderName"), _T(""),&cch)==ERROR_MORE_DATA)
        { 
            cch++; // add 1 to include null terminator since MsiGetTargetPath does not include it on return 
            szBuf = (TCHAR *) malloc(cch*sizeof(TCHAR));
            if(szBuf)
            {
                if(MsiGetTargetPath(hInstall, _T("FolderName"), szBuf,&cch)==ERROR_SUCCESS)
                {
                    // Add code to use szBuf here
                }
                free(szBuf);
            }
        } 
    } 
    MsiCloseHandle(hInstall);
}

return 0;  
}