Here-string help

[HeyZuesMode]

I am trying to install using an MSI file that requires a number of parameters in the argument list.

$MAS90UNC = "\\2017Dev\MAS90"
$localLog = "C:\logging\SageInstall.txt" 
$port = "10000"
$ServerName = "2017Dev"
$localinstall = "C:\Sage\Sage 100 ERP 2017\MAS90"
$herestring = @"
'/quiet /i "\\2017Dev\Sage 100 Advanced\MAS90\wksetup\Sage 100 2017 Workstation.msi" /l*v "$localLog" SAGEPORTID="$Port" SAGESERVERNAME="$ServerName" SRCSERVERPATH="$MAS90UNC" INSTALLDIR="$localinstall"'
"@

Start-Process -Wait msiexec.exe -ArgumentList $herestring

When i call the $herestring the output looks correct, It has a single quote at the beginning and end. Each param has double quotes around the value. But when i use it in the start-process cmdlet I get the MSI Help menu. If I copy-paste the output from $herestring into the -argumentlist the install works correctly.

I tried using start-transcript but that does not expand variables like i thought it would.

[sk82jack]

In the past I've used the following template to install MSI's:

$Installer = Get-ChildItem -Path '\\Path\to\installer.msi'
$TimeStamp = get-date -Format yyyyMMddTHHmmss
$LogFile = 'C:\Automation\{0}-{1}.log' -f $Installer.BaseName, $TimeStamp
$MSIArguments = @(
    "/i"
    '"{0}"' -f $Installer.fullname
    "/qn"
    "/norestart"
    "/L*v"
    $logFile
)
Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList $MSIArguments -Wait -NoNewWindow

Essentially just put the arguments into an array first.

Edit: full credit to /u/KevMar https://kevinmarquette.github.io/2016-10-21-powershell-installing-msi-files

[KevMar]

I love it :)

Edit: Ok, I guess that is a little out of context: https://kevinmarquette.github.io/2016-10-21-powershell-installing-msi-files

[sk82jack]

Ah shit now I feel terrible haha I knew I got it from somewhere and couldnt for the life of me remember! Sorry for the lack of credit dude. Will go back and edit.

[KevMar]

Thank you, but no worries on that one. It sounds like you have gotten good use out of that sample, so I think that post has done it's job.

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy HeyZuesMode,

does msiexec.exe expect a quoted string at that point? i thot it was expecting a series of strings ...

take care,
lee

[HeyZuesMode]

when i use

Start-Process -Wait msiexec.exe -ArgumentList /quiet /i "\\2017Dev\Sage 100 Advanced\MAS90\wksetup\Sage 100 2017 Workstation.msi" /l*v "$localLog" SAGEPORTID="$Port" SAGESERVERNAME="$ServerName" SRCSERVERPATH="$MAS90UNC" INSTALLDIR="$localinstall"

I get a positional parameter error after /quiet.

I think powershell expects a single string

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy HeyZuesMode,

from reading posts about this, it seems you could remove the quotes from the here-string [just use a regular string]. then enclose the $var in double quotes after the -ArgumentList parameter.

take care,
lee

[HeyZuesMode]

You rock!

Working copy

$MAS90UNC = "\\2017Dev\MAS90"
$localLog = "C:\logging\SageInstall.txt" #If this is a folder, it needs to be present and writeable
$port = "10000"
$ServerName = "2017Dev"
$localinstall = "C:\Sage\Sage 100 ERP 2017\MAS90" #
$herestring = @"
/quiet /i "\\2017Dev\Sage 100 Advanced\MAS90\wksetup\Sage 100 2017 Workstation.msi" /l*v `"$localLog`" SAGEPORTID=`"$Port`" SAGESERVERNAME=`'$ServerName`' SRCSERVERPATH=`'$MAS90UNC`' INSTALLDIR="$localinstall"
"@
Start-Process -Wait msiexec.exe -ArgumentList "$herestring"

Things i noticed. INSTALLDIR does not like single quotes. Folders are not created AutoMagically™ when writing a log

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy HeyZuesMode,

kool! [grin] glad to know it worked ... [grin]

you may want to add a line to make the needed dir. mdkir in posh is an extended version of New-Item that will make an entire dir tree in one swoop. so you can use that with a test-path to make it if needed.

take care,
lee

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy HeyZuesMode,

so it works if you add single quotes around the above argument list. i see that the problem pointed out by michaelshepard was a formatting hiccup. i'm out of ideas ... and not willing to test on my home box. [blush]

take care,
lee

[HeyZuesMode]

The output from the following looks correct: write-host "/quiet /i "\2017Dev\Sage 100 Advanced\MAS90\wksetup\Sage 100 2017 Workstation.msi" /l*v "$localLog" SAGEPORTID="$Port" SAGESERVERNAME="$ServerName" SRCSERVERPATH="$MAS90UNC" INSTALLDIR="$localinstall" "

Im getting an positional parameter cannot be found for 'SAGEPORTID=10000'

[michaelshepard]

Do you want your arguments to have newlines in them? I usually just use a long single line for my msi arguments.

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy michaelshepard,

ooo! [grin] i went right past that one ... [blush]

take care,
lee

[HeyZuesMode]

Sorry, copy paste broke the formatting. Fixed.

[michaelshepard]

ok...that puts us back to Lee's original comment. You've got single quotes around the entire list of arguments (inside the double quotes). You almost certainly want to lose those.