如何从Visual Studio 2010安装程序运行schtasks.exe？

Question

I have aa Visual Studio 2010 solution with multiple C++ projects, and a windows installer project.

The installer works for the most part installing the deployment directories, and applications, and various shortcuts. the last thing I would like the installer to do is install a couple of Tasks in the Windows Task Scheduler.

I can run the schtask.exe from the command line and it works fine. I thought I could then just copy this same command to a CustomAction within the installer. However this does not work and the installation fails with the message "There is a problem with this windows installer package. A program required for this install could not be run..."

I have add the System Folder to the FileSystem setup, and in the CustomActions I have added a CustomAction under the Commit node.

The CustomAction sourcePath property is pointed to C:\\Windows\\System32\\schtasks.exe and the Arguments property is "/create /tn ""WiwoCLLauncher"" /tr C:\\ECS\\WiwoCLLauncher.exe /sc ONSTART"

Can anyone give some insight on how to run schtasks.exe from the VS2010 installer?

Answer 1

The CustomAction sourcePath property is pointed to C:\\Windows\\System32\\schtasks.exe

That does not do what you hope it does. The setup project builder will actually include schtasks.exe from your machine into the MSI file. And will try to deploy it onto the target machine. Luckily the Windows File System Protection feature prevents you from murdering the user's operating system. But does leave you with a failed install.

The Setup builder doesn't give you enough flexibility to prevent the builder from doing this. Technically you can use Orcas to edit the MSI file afterwards (remove the deployment item and change the custom action type from 2 to 34) but that gets to be rather painful. As long as you want to stick with the VS builder then do consider writing a wee little bit of C# code that uses Process.Start() to run the command.