Feature to allow MsiProperty to have empty value about issues

[robmen]

A workaround that might work is to define your MsiProperty with an undefined variable reference. Like MsiProperty Value='[THISISNOTAVARIABLE]'. At compile time, the value will not be empty, and at install time, the value will resolve to an empty string as you desire.

I have not tested this, so it is possible Burn v4 was changed to ignore properties that resolve to blank. But it's worth a shot. Let us know if that works.

[chrpai]

I'm trying to understand the gap your trying to solve. You mention silent install so presumably these are public properties (All CAPS) and more specifically Secure Custom Public Properties listed in the SecureCustomPublicProperties property. Just add the Secure attribute and the error should go away.

If this is not a property passed at the command line (private property) then just remove the property. If something is setting the property during the install it can do so dynamically. The property doesn't need to exist in the property table.

Is there some other scenario I'm not thinking of?

[DarrelF]

I am trying to install the MariaDB MSI by chaining it into the WiX Bundle as follows:

`

  <!-- Install MariaDB.                               -->
  <MsiPackage SourceFile="$(var.ProjectDir)\Redistributables\mariadb-10.11.5-winx64.msi" Permanent="yes" Visible="no" Vital="yes">
    <MsiProperty Name="CLEANUPDATA" Value="" />

   . . .

`
The MsiProperty with an empty Value produces a WiX compiler error.

I interpret the MariaDB Silent Install documentation as needing CLEANUPDATA to be defined as a public property with an empty value to have the boolean value false. (See https://mariadb.com/kb/en/installing-mariadb-msi-packages-on-windows/#silent-installation)

[chrpai]

If your never going to pass a value then don't pass the property at all. If your going to have some kind of UI in the bootstrapper to let the user selelct the value or let them pass it from the command line to the bootstrapper then define a WiXVariable and assign that to the MsiProperty.

[barnson]

Needs to allow overriding a default (e.g., =1) with a value that indicates false (typically 0 but MSI uses a lot of empty strings to indicate false).

[DarrelF]

It appears not to work. While it compiles without error, I see the following in the MariaDB .log file (CLEANUPDATA is the MsiProperty I am trying to set to an empty string):

`MSI (s) (40:F8) [12:23:01:118]: Command Line: CLEANUPDATA= DATADIR=C:\ProgramData. . .

. . .

MSI (s) (40:F8) [12:23:01:124]: Product installation will be elevated because user is admin and product is being installed per-machine.
MSI (s) (40:F8) [12:23:01:124]: Running product '{A5340DA7-FAD1-4775-86A7-3E165A5A5449}' with elevated privileges: Product is assigned.
MSI (s) (40:F8) [12:23:01:124]: PROPERTY CHANGE: Deleting CLEANUPDATA property. Its current value is '1'.

`
So even though I set it is still indicating a value of '1', which means it is true. I am not sure why it indicates it is "Deleting" it.

[AlexHolly]

I get the same log messages but it works in my case. The Data folder is still there after mariadb uninstall.

        <Property Id="CLEANUPDATAPROPERTY" Secure="yes" />`
        ...
        <MsiProperty Name="CLEANUPDATA" Value="[CLEANUPDATAPROPERTY]" />