Python 3.6.5 Documentation >  "msilib" — Read and write Microsoft Installer files

"msilib" — Read and write Microsoft Installer files
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**Source code:** Lib/msilib/__init__.py

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The "msilib" supports the creation of Microsoft Installer (".msi")
files. Because these files often contain an embedded “cabinet” file
(".cab"), it also exposes an API to create CAB files. Support for
reading ".cab" files is currently not implemented; read support for
the ".msi" database is possible.

This package aims to provide complete access to all tables in an
".msi" file, therefore, it is a fairly low-level API. Two primary
applications of this package are the "distutils" command "bdist_msi",
and the creation of Python installer package itself (although that
currently uses a different version of "msilib").

The package contents can be roughly split into four parts: low-level
CAB routines, low-level MSI routines, higher-level MSI routines, and
standard table structures.

msilib.FCICreate(cabname, files)

Create a new CAB file named *cabname*. *files* must be a list of
tuples, each containing the name of the file on disk, and the name
of the file inside the CAB file.

The files are added to the CAB file in the order they appear in the
list. All files are added into a single CAB file, using the MSZIP
compression algorithm.

Callbacks to Python for the various steps of MSI creation are
currently not exposed.

msilib.UuidCreate()

Return the string representation of a new unique identifier. This
wraps the Windows API functions "UuidCreate()" and
"UuidToString()".

msilib.OpenDatabase(path, persist)

Return a new database object by calling MsiOpenDatabase. *path*
is the file name of the MSI file; *persist* can be one of the
constants "MSIDBOPEN_CREATEDIRECT", "MSIDBOPEN_CREATE",
"MSIDBOPEN_DIRECT", "MSIDBOPEN_READONLY", or "MSIDBOPEN_TRANSACT",
and may include the flag "MSIDBOPEN_PATCHFILE". See the Microsoft
documentation for the meaning of these flags; depending on the
flags, an existing database is opened, or a new one created.

msilib.CreateRecord(count)

Return a new record object by calling "MSICreateRecord()". *count*
is the number of fields of the record.

msilib.init_database(name, schema, ProductName, ProductCode, ProductVersion, Manufacturer)

Create and return a new database *name*, initialize it with
*schema*, and set the properties *ProductName*, *ProductCode*,
*ProductVersion*, and *Manufacturer*.

*schema* must be a module object containing "tables" and
"_Validation_records" attributes; typically, "msilib.schema" should
be used.

The database will contain just the schema and the validation
records when this function returns.

msilib.add_data(database, table, records)

Add all *records* to the table named *table* in *database*.

The *table* argument must be one of the predefined tables in the
MSI schema, e.g. "'Feature'", "'File'", "'Component'", "'Dialog'",
"'Control'", etc.

*records* should be a list of tuples, each one containing all
fields of a record according to the schema of the table. For
optional fields, "None" can be passed.

Field values can be ints, strings, or instances of the Binary
class.

class msilib.Binary(filename)

Represents entries in the Binary table; inserting such an object
using "add_data()" reads the file named *filename* into the table.

msilib.add_tables(database, module)

Add all table content from *module* to *database*. *module* must
contain an attribute *tables* listing all tables for which content
should be added, and one attribute per table that has the actual
content.

This is typically used to install the sequence tables.

msilib.add_stream(database, name, path)

Add the file *path* into the "_Stream" table of *database*, with
the stream name *name*.

msilib.gen_uuid()

Return a new UUID, in the format that MSI typically requires (i.e.
in curly braces, and with all hexdigits in upper-case).

See also: FCICreate UuidCreate UuidToString

Database Objects
================

Database.OpenView(sql)

Return a view object, by calling "MSIDatabaseOpenView()". *sql* is
the SQL statement to execute.

Database.Commit()

Commit the changes pending in the current transaction, by calling
"MSIDatabaseCommit()".

Database.GetSummaryInformation(count)

Return a new summary information object, by calling
"MsiGetSummaryInformation()". *count* is the maximum number of
updated values.

See also: MSIDatabaseOpenView MSIDatabaseCommit
MSIGetSummaryInformation

View Objects
============

View.Execute(params)

Execute the SQL query of the view, through "MSIViewExecute()". If
*params* is not "None", it is a record describing actual values of
the parameter tokens in the query.

View.GetColumnInfo(kind)

Return a record describing the columns of the view, through calling
"MsiViewGetColumnInfo()". *kind* can be either "MSICOLINFO_NAMES"
or "MSICOLINFO_TYPES".

View.Fetch()

Return a result record of the query, through calling
"MsiViewFetch()".

View.Modify(kind, data)

Modify the view, by calling "MsiViewModify()". *kind* can be one of
"MSIMODIFY_SEEK", "MSIMODIFY_REFRESH", "MSIMODIFY_INSERT",
"MSIMODIFY_UPDATE", "MSIMODIFY_ASSIGN", "MSIMODIFY_REPLACE",
"MSIMODIFY_MERGE", "MSIMODIFY_DELETE",
"MSIMODIFY_INSERT_TEMPORARY", "MSIMODIFY_VALIDATE",
"MSIMODIFY_VALIDATE_NEW", "MSIMODIFY_VALIDATE_FIELD", or
"MSIMODIFY_VALIDATE_DELETE".

*data* must be a record describing the new data.

View.Close()

Close the view, through "MsiViewClose()".

See also: MsiViewExecute MSIViewGetColumnInfo MsiViewFetch
MsiViewModify MsiViewClose

Summary Information Objects
===========================

SummaryInformation.GetProperty(field)

Return a property of the summary, through
"MsiSummaryInfoGetProperty()". *field* is the name of the property,
and can be one of the constants "PID_CODEPAGE", "PID_TITLE",
"PID_SUBJECT", "PID_AUTHOR", "PID_KEYWORDS", "PID_COMMENTS",
"PID_TEMPLATE", "PID_LASTAUTHOR", "PID_REVNUMBER",
"PID_LASTPRINTED", "PID_CREATE_DTM", "PID_LASTSAVE_DTM",
"PID_PAGECOUNT", "PID_WORDCOUNT", "PID_CHARCOUNT", "PID_APPNAME",
or "PID_SECURITY".

SummaryInformation.GetPropertyCount()

Return the number of summary properties, through
"MsiSummaryInfoGetPropertyCount()".

SummaryInformation.SetProperty(field, value)

Set a property through "MsiSummaryInfoSetProperty()". *field* can
have the same values as in "GetProperty()", *value* is the new
value of the property. Possible value types are integer and string.

SummaryInformation.Persist()

Write the modified properties to the summary information stream,
using "MsiSummaryInfoPersist()".

See also: MsiSummaryInfoGetProperty MsiSummaryInfoGetPropertyCount
MsiSummaryInfoSetProperty MsiSummaryInfoPersist

Record Objects
==============

Record.GetFieldCount()

Return the number of fields of the record, through
"MsiRecordGetFieldCount()".

Record.GetInteger(field)

Return the value of *field* as an integer where possible. *field*
must be an integer.

Record.GetString(field)

Return the value of *field* as a string where possible. *field*
must be an integer.

Record.SetString(field, value)

Set *field* to *value* through "MsiRecordSetString()". *field* must
be an integer; *value* a string.

Record.SetStream(field, value)

Set *field* to the contents of the file named *value*, through
"MsiRecordSetStream()". *field* must be an integer; *value* a
string.

Record.SetInteger(field, value)

Set *field* to *value* through "MsiRecordSetInteger()". Both
*field* and *value* must be an integer.

Record.ClearData()

Set all fields of the record to 0, through "MsiRecordClearData()".

See also: MsiRecordGetFieldCount MsiRecordSetString
MsiRecordSetStream MsiRecordSetInteger MsiRecordClearData

Errors
======

All wrappers around MSI functions raise "MSIError"; the string inside
the exception will contain more detail.

CAB Objects
===========

class msilib.CAB(name)

The class "CAB" represents a CAB file. During MSI construction,
files will be added simultaneously to the "Files" table, and to a
CAB file. Then, when all files have been added, the CAB file can be
written, then added to the MSI file.

*name* is the name of the CAB file in the MSI file.

append(full, file, logical)

Add the file with the pathname *full* to the CAB file, under the
name *logical*. If there is already a file named *logical*, a
new file name is created.

Return the index of the file in the CAB file, and the new name
of the file inside the CAB file.

commit(database)

Generate a CAB file, add it as a stream to the MSI file, put it
into the "Media" table, and remove the generated file from the
disk.

Directory Objects
=================

class msilib.Directory(database, cab, basedir, physical, logical, default[, componentflags])

Create a new directory in the Directory table. There is a current
component at each point in time for the directory, which is either
explicitly created through "start_component()", or implicitly when
files are added for the first time. Files are added into the
current component, and into the cab file. To create a directory, a
base directory object needs to be specified (can be "None"), the
path to the physical directory, and a logical directory name.
*default* specifies the DefaultDir slot in the directory table.
*componentflags* specifies the default flags that new components
get.

start_component(component=None, feature=None, flags=None, keyfile=None, uuid=None)

Add an entry to the Component table, and make this component the
current component for this directory. If no component name is
given, the directory name is used. If no *feature* is given, the
current feature is used. If no *flags* are given, the
directory’s default flags are used. If no *keyfile* is given,
the KeyPath is left null in the Component table.

add_file(file, src=None, version=None, language=None)

Add a file to the current component of the directory, starting a
new one if there is no current component. By default, the file
name in the source and the file table will be identical. If the
*src* file is specified, it is interpreted relative to the
current directory. Optionally, a *version* and a *language* can
be specified for the entry in the File table.

glob(pattern, exclude=None)

Add a list of files to the current component as specified in the
glob pattern. Individual files can be excluded in the *exclude*
list.

remove_pyc()

Remove ".pyc" files on uninstall.

See also: Directory Table File Table Component Table
FeatureComponents Table

Features
========

class msilib.Feature(db, id, title, desc, display, level=1, parent=None, directory=None, attributes=0)

Add a new record to the "Feature" table, using the values *id*,
*parent.id*, *title*, *desc*, *display*, *level*, *directory*, and
*attributes*. The resulting feature object can be passed to the
"start_component()" method of "Directory".

set_current()

Make this feature the current feature of "msilib". New
components are automatically added to the default feature,
unless a feature is explicitly specified.

See also: Feature Table

GUI classes
===========

"msilib" provides several classes that wrap the GUI tables in an MSI
database. However, no standard user interface is provided; use
"bdist_msi" to create MSI files with a user-interface for installing
Python packages.

class msilib.Control(dlg, name)

Base class of the dialog controls. *dlg* is the dialog object the
control belongs to, and *name* is the control’s name.

event(event, argument, condition=1, ordering=None)

Make an entry into the "ControlEvent" table for this control.

mapping(event, attribute)

Make an entry into the "EventMapping" table for this control.

condition(action, condition)

Make an entry into the "ControlCondition" table for this
control.

class msilib.RadioButtonGroup(dlg, name, property)

Create a radio button control named *name*. *property* is the
installer property that gets set when a radio button is selected.

add(name, x, y, width, height, text, value=None)

Add a radio button named *name* to the group, at the coordinates
*x*, *y*, *width*, *height*, and with the label *text*. If
*value* is "None", it defaults to *name*.

class msilib.Dialog(db, name, x, y, w, h, attr, title, first, default, cancel)

Return a new "Dialog" object. An entry in the "Dialog" table is
made, with the specified coordinates, dialog attributes, title,
name of the first, default, and cancel controls.

control(name, type, x, y, width, height, attributes, property, text, control_next, help)

Return a new "Control" object. An entry in the "Control" table
is made with the specified parameters.

This is a generic method; for specific types, specialized
methods are provided.

text(name, x, y, width, height, attributes, text)

Add and return a "Text" control.

bitmap(name, x, y, width, height, text)

Add and return a "Bitmap" control.

line(name, x, y, width, height)

Add and return a "Line" control.

pushbutton(name, x, y, width, height, attributes, text, next_control)

Add and return a "PushButton" control.

radiogroup(name, x, y, width, height, attributes, property, text, next_control)

Add and return a "RadioButtonGroup" control.

checkbox(name, x, y, width, height, attributes, property, text, next_control)

Add and return a "CheckBox" control.

See also: Dialog Table Control Table Control Types ControlCondition
Table ControlEvent Table EventMapping Table RadioButton Table

Precomputed tables
==================

"msilib" provides a few subpackages that contain only schema and table
definitions. Currently, these definitions are based on MSI version
2.0.

msilib.schema

This is the standard MSI schema for MSI 2.0, with the *tables*
variable providing a list of table definitions, and
*_Validation_records* providing the data for MSI validation.

msilib.sequence

This module contains table contents for the standard sequence
tables: *AdminExecuteSequence*, *AdminUISequence*,
*AdvtExecuteSequence*, *InstallExecuteSequence*, and
*InstallUISequence*.

msilib.text

This module contains definitions for the UIText and ActionText
tables, for the standard installer actions.