Detect silent install in .NET Custom Action

Question

How do you detect that the install is running in silent mode?

I have a custom application that I've added a .msi setup project. I run the .msi file with the /qb switch, and in my custom installer c# code I would like to be able to detect this.

Edit: nobugs says to test the UILevel property. How do I access the UILevel property from a class derived from the System.Configuration.Install.Installer class?

Answer 1

First I would point out that InstallUtil is a very bad pattern. They run out of process, tatoo the process with a CLR version and when they fail they raise a 1001 error modal dialog even during a silent install.

Instead you should use WiX's DTF pattern.

MsiGetMode ( Session.Mode ) is limited during deferred execution so you will have to serialize and deserialize the UILevel.

http://www.msifaq.com/a/1044.htm

Answer 2

Taking the hint from nobugz, I did the following:

1. On the Custom Actions view of the .msi setup project, I added the following to my CustomActionData (to pass the UILevel through to my custom installer):

   /UILevel="[UILevel]"

2. Within my C# code for the code derived from base class Installer, I added code to get the value:

   string uiLevelString = Context.Parameters["UILevel"];

3. It was then simple to parse the string for an int value. If the value is <= 3, it is a silent install.