How to open MSI table in Delphi? - windows

Question

I need to open some tables from MSI database, read this and place some rows in this with using Delphi (in my example is Delphi 7 but allowed other versions if it needed).
For example it would look like ORCA. Msi must be open, written to the table where it's can be edited and written to the msi file.
By default, Delphi can't open MSI tables as I thing but I found a JEDI Windows API where exists libraris like JwaMsi and JwaMsiQuery. But I can't find documentations or examples of using functions like
function MsiOpenProduct(szProduct: LPCTSTR; var hProduct: MSIHANDLE): UINT; stdcall;
{$EXTERNALSYM MsiOpenProduct}
By the way, while I search information about this I found this code:
const msilib = 'msi.dll';
type
MSIHANDLE = DWORD;
TMsiHandle = MSIHANDLE;
function MsiCloseHandle(hAny: MSIHANDLE):UINT;stdcall;external msilib name 'MsiCloseHandle';
function MsiOpenProduct(szProduct:LPCSTR;var hProduct:MSIHANDLE):UINT;stdcall;external msilib name 'MsiOpenProductA';
function MsiGetProductProperty(hProduct:MSIHANDLE;szProperty:LPCSTR;lpValueBuf:LPSTR;pcchValueBuf:LPDWORD):UINT;stdcall; external msilib name 'MsiGetProductPropertyA';
function MsiSetInternalUI(dwUILevel:INSTALLUILEVEL;phWnd:LPHWND):INSTALLUILEVEL;stdcall; external msilib name 'MsiSetInternalUI';
function GetMSIProperty(aProductCode:string):string;
var
msi:TMSIHandle;
t:string;
function _getmsiproperty(_name:string):string;
var
txt:PChar;
sz:DWORD;
begin
sz:=MAX_PATH;
txt:=AllocMem(sz+1);
if MsiGetProductProperty(msi,PChar(_name),txt,#sz)=ERROR_MORE_DATA then
begin
ReAllocMem(txt,sz+1);
MsiGetProductProperty(msi,PChar(_name),txt,#sz);
end;
SetString(Result,txt,sz);
FreeMem(txt,sz+1);
end;
begin
MsiSetInternalUI(2,nil); // скрываем GUI/hide GUI
if MsiOpenProduct(PChar(aProductCode),msi)=ERROR_SUCCESS then
begin
t:=_getmsiproperty('ARPPRODUCTICON'); // главная иконка приложения/main program icon
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('ProductIcon');
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('CompleteSetupIcon');
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('CustomSetupIcon');
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('InfoIcon');
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('InstallerIcon');
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('RemoveIcon');
if t='' then t:=_getmsiproperty('RepairIcon');
Result:=t;
MsiCloseHandle(msi);
end;
end;
What is better to use and where I can see documentation and/or examples?
P.S. Sorry for my English

Answer 1

I would use the COM-based API to MSI.
See this thread and the MSI API documentation

Answer 2

So, solution exist and I do it! It's not so gracefully but it's working...
At first, read articles from MSDN (in my case is articles about work with MSI database).
At second, you must understand what you need to do. In my case it is:
Open msi database
Read table names
Read needed table and show it
If it needed - make changes and save it
Here I show how I do the three first steps.
Preparing
Download JEDI Windows AP (for easer work with msi) and add to project JwaMsi.pas, JwaMsiDefs.pas and JwaMsiQuery.pas (do not forget about USES list). Dependencies will be added automatically.
Next, place on form all needed components.
Let's code!
1 Open msi database and 2 Read table names
Define variables for handlers and for buffers
var msi_handler_DB, msi_handler_view, msi_handler_record:TMSIHandle;
txt:PChar;
sz:DWORD;
Now we need take a list of tables (more info here) and place it in ListBox, for example
begin
sz:=MAX_PATH; //initialise
txt:=AllocMem(sz+1); //variables
OpenDialog1.Execute; //select file
If MsiOpenDatabase(PChar(OpenDialog1.FileName), MSIDBOPEN_DIRECT, msi_handler_DB)=ERROR_SUCCESS //check if DB is open
then begin //start reading
Listbox1.Clear; //prepare listbox for filling
MsiDatabaseOpenView(msi_handler_DB, 'SELECT * FROM _Tables',msi_handler_view); //prepare query to _Table
MsiViewExecute(msi_handler_view, msi_handler_record); //execute...
While not MsiViewFetch(msi_handler_view, msi_handler_record)=ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS //and fetch it in cycle until end of table
do begin
MsiRecordGetString(msi_handler_record,1,txt,sz); //read string
ListBox1.Items.Add(txt); //and write to listbox
end; //end of fetch cycle
MsiCloseAllHandles; //close handles (we don't need they more)
end; //stop reading
end;
3 Read needed table and show it
It's easy!
begin
edit1.text:=Listbox1.Items.ValueFromIndex[ListBox1.ItemIndex];
If MsiOpenDatabase(PChar(OpenDialog1.FileName), MSIDBOPEN_DIRECT, msi_handler_DB)=ERROR_SUCCESS //open database again
then begin
MsiDatabaseExport(msi_handler_DB, pchar(ListBox1.Items.Strings[ListBox1.ItemIndex]), 'C:\Windows\Temp', Pchar(ListBox1.Items.Strings[ListBox1.ItemIndex]+'.idt')); //export table to .idt
MsiCloseAllHandles; //and close handler again
//...
//here must be placed code for
//parsing .idt as tabulation separated file
//with wordwrap and show it.
//for example - in StringGrid
//...
DeleteFile('C:\Windows\Temp\'+ ListBox1.Items.Strings[ListBox1.ItemIndex]+'.idt'); //do not forget delete temporary .idt file. save our planet! :)
end;
end;
4 If it needed - make changes and save it
Just repeat third step from the end to beginning: export StringGrid to file (about .idt and it's structure you can read here: one, two, three), import in to MSI with property MsiDatabaseImport (do not forget open database before and append it after, also remember about close handlers) and delete temporary .idt file.
Good luck!
P.S. Sorry for my English, part two :)