How to use MSI.DLL to programatically install .msi file and also provide abort/cancel?

Question

In order to provide custom more friendly looking UI when updating the application via the downloaded.msi file I have to provide a custom (WPF, if it matters) window that will in turn replicate what msiexec is doing by calling MSI.DLL functions via interop.

Initially it was a simple msiexec call against the downloaded.msi file, and it would be nice if it could stay that simple.

I also need to provide Cancel functionality just like msiexec does.

What would be the proper way to programatically start/stop/abort this via MSI.DLL functions?

(What I did is look at different MSI Interop implementations, WiX included, but couldn't easily recognize APIs to do this).

Answer 1

That's what MSI calls an "external UI handler." See the MSI SDK for details, such as "Monitoring an Installation Using MsiSetExternalUI."

Answer 2

Thanks everybody, reading the stuff you posted was an interesting learning experience.

However it turns out that I didn't dig enough on StackOverflow, my question was already posted and answered here:

How to interactive a silently installing msi? (Progress data and cancel it)