MSI install not launching the app

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akhil_naik
Posts: 6
Last visit: Tue Aug 13, 2024 4:20 am

MSI install not launching the app

Post by akhil_naik »

Hi, I am getting error after building the MSI for my application. I created a UI based app that will install in the machines.
My MSI build is successful and no error is showing during or after build. When I am installing the MSI on test machine, it installs the app but there are below issues:
1. Desktop icon not setting correctly. See attached screenshot.
2. Application is not launching after:
a. double clicking on icon
b. Right click and click on "Run as Administrator"
c. Directly running EXE file.


Product, version and build:

Product: PowerShell Studio 2024 (64 Bit)
Build: v5.8.246
OS: Windows 11.0.22631
PS Version(s): 5.1.22621.1

Operating system: Windows 11 and Windows 10


*** Please add details and screenshots as needed below. ***

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Alexander Riedel
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Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by Alexander Riedel »

If I understand this correctly, the executable file you packaged with PowerShell Studio does not execute at all after installing it with an MSI.
- Verify that the installed executable is actually identical with the executable from the source computer.
- Usually applications which cannot be launched produce an error message. Please post that here.
- The system log generally also has entries for applications which cannot be launched or fail on startup. Please post that information here.
- As you indicated PowerShell 5.1, are you including the .config file with your install?
- In what ways is your test machine different from the development machine? That assumes the exe runs there.
- Check that your A/V software on the target machine in not intervening and blocking the newly installed executable.
- Desktop icon. As there is not screenshot attached, that is difficult do diagnose. right click on the shortcut and examine the properties if it even points to the correct file.
(it would also help to know what 'not correctly' actually means. Wrong icon? no icon? odd size? colors?)
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
akhil_naik
Posts: 6
Last visit: Tue Aug 13, 2024 4:20 am

Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by akhil_naik »

Hello Alexendar,

- Yes the Executable is same.
- There is no Error message shown during the build and after MSI installation. I can see the all the shortcuts are created.
- The system log generally also has entries for applications which cannot be launched or fail on startup. Please post that information here. - Where can I find it?
- As you indicated PowerShell 5.1, are you including the .config file with your install? - Yes
- In what ways is your test machine different from the development machine? That assumes the exe runs there. Test machine is Windows 10 based Virtual machine, rest configuration are same with Development machine.
- No A/V is not blocking anything. This is checked.
- As per properties of shortcuts, its pointing to the correct path, When I change it to local then only its working. for ex: %SystemDrive%\temp\PSTImport.ico
- Desktop icon is coming like this"
Screenshot 2024-07-05 215707.jpg
Screenshot 2024-07-05 215707.jpg (4.01 KiB) Viewed 3374 times
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Alexander Riedel
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Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by Alexander Riedel »

Error message: I was not referring to a build error message or install message. When you double click on the shortcut, is there an error message?
"When I change it to local" I am not sure what that means. Is the install NOT local? What exactly is the 'correct' path?
System Logs: Type 'Event Viewer' in your search box.
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
akhil_naik
Posts: 6
Last visit: Tue Aug 13, 2024 4:20 am

Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by akhil_naik »

When you double click on the shortcut, is there an error message?
No, it just doesn't launch.
"When I change it to local" I am not sure what that means- When I set Output settings to local folder "C:\Temp", I can see that desktop shortcut is created but icon file is not showing. When I double clicked on it, it does launch the app. Now, for project requirement, When I am pointing output settings to server/ shared path, it failed to show shortcuts on desktop and we are to put the and Output settings are set to be on a server( see attched screenshot -D:\ is a network path), it failed to show desktop icon for app as well as failed to launch the app.
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Alexander Riedel
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Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by Alexander Riedel »

We seemingly have a disconnect here on vocabulary. I am not sure what you mean by 'output settings' in this context. Just creating the MSI on a network folder does not install it anywhere.
Why don't we step back and you attach your .psbuild file here and describe exactly what it is you are attempting to do.
Please remember that we cannot see your screen, so screenshots are really helpful if you attach or embed them.
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
akhil_naik
Posts: 6
Last visit: Tue Aug 13, 2024 4:20 am

Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by akhil_naik »

hi, here is the attached .psbuild file.
refer - invalid icon.jpg for the icon that is showing instead of correct image.
Attachments
invalid icon.jpg
invalid icon.jpg (4.27 KiB) Viewed 3311 times
output settings.jpg
output settings.jpg (91.56 KiB) Viewed 3311 times
PST-Project.psproj.psbuild
(6.72 KiB) Downloaded 86 times
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Alexander Riedel
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Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by Alexander Riedel »

Thank you for uploading the .psbuild file and the screenshots.
I notice that you add the icon specifically even though it is already the icon within the executable file.
That is generally not necessary. If you do not specify an icon file explicitly, the first icon in the target file, here an executable, will be used for the shortcut.
So you can just remove the specified extra icon file as well as the references to it in the shortcuts.

The way you specified the icon file, just in case you want to do that with different icons, has an error.
You set the icon index to 1. Icon indices start counting at 0. A .ico file never has more than one icon in it, so you must leave that at zero when using that file type.
If the icon source is an executable file which contains multiple icons, the index can be used to specify the desired icon.
The maximum index is the number of icons in the file minus 1.
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
akhil_naik
Posts: 6
Last visit: Tue Aug 13, 2024 4:20 am

Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by akhil_naik »

hi Alex,

I have followed the instructions you provided and now, I am able to see the Desktop shortcuts and entry in Program files (x86). however, when I double click on shortcuts, I am still not able to launch the app. See below:
desktop-shortcut.jpg
desktop-shortcut.jpg (51.05 KiB) Viewed 2809 times
its pointing to correct path where I have my EXE that should run just like any other app.
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Alexander Riedel
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Re: MSI install not launching the app

Post by Alexander Riedel »

The .psbuild file you attached here packaged a 64 bit exe and installed it in the 64 bit Program Files folder.
Now this shows a 32 bit install folder. So the parameters have changed.
Once again, if an application cannot be launched, the reason can be found in the Windows Event log.
It can be a missing runtime, a mismatched platform, missing PowerShell version, lack of access rights.
Since you switched to 32 bit for some reason, you may be missing the 32 bit runtimes required.
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
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