How to check for a running process?

You can create a Wisescript custom action to check for and then kill a running process...here's a snippet I found elsewhere.

This is WiseScript sample:
Check In-use File %SYS32%\Test.exe
Set Variable FOR to 0
While TESTUSE Equals (Ignore Case) "in-use" loop
Set Variable FOR to %FOR%
If File or Directory exists %SYS32%\taskkill.exe then
Execute %SYS32%\taskkill.exe /f /im TEST* (Wait)
Else
Execute %INST%\kill.exe TEST* -f /s (Wait)
End
If FOR Less Than "5" then
Pause 1000 Milliseconds
Check In-use File %SYS32%\Test.exe
Else
Set Variable TESTUSE to not in-use
End
End

>> vadimrapp1: (25048294)
>> Installer usually takes care of that by itself, no effort is required. Google
>> windows installer restart manager .

Yeah I thought WFWI would take care of it itself, but I tested that theory, and to my surprise, it didn't.  That's why I poseted this question.

>>jmcmunn: (25049392)
>>You can create a Wisescript custom action to check for and then kill a
>> running process...here's a snippet I found elsewhere.

Not sure I know where exactly this code would go.  Some of these commands remind me of WISE System Install 9.0 code...I Looked for commands in WFWI and I could never find these types of commands in it.  If I had, it would have made life a lot easier.

I just made little experiment: created trivial vb6 application project1.exe v. 1.0 and placed it under program files\test; recompiled project1.exe with v.2.0 and created installation that would install project1.exe 2.0 into the same program files\test; ran project1.exe, then launched the installation. As expected, it showed the dialog "files in use". I will attach this sample here so you can try it out (rename installation.txt to .msi and project1.txt to .exe). My version of windows installer is 4.5.

Natively "Files-In-Use" should already be supported.  If you want, you can force the tasks to close simply by having the MSI Script execute a "TaskKill" command.

For example, I want to close all opened "Internet Explorer" windows:
Command would be: TASKKILL /F /IM "IEXPLORE.EXE"

Have the Custom Action run before the "InstallInitialize" standard action.  You could either put this in a VBScript and make the Action from "Call VBScript from Embedded Code" or the "Execute Program from Destination" (just direct it to the "Windows\System 32\TaskKill.exe").

I will give that a try Mirfster, thank you for the input.  I'll post my results.

No problem, if you require any examples (MSI Script, WiseScript or VBScript), just let me know and I will be happy to provide them.

A sample was attached in id 25059875 , and the sample is working as intended. There's no indication that the author looked at it, tried it, and followed it in his project.

I recommend option #3

Award the points to "vadimrapp1", "jmcmunn" and myself.

I agree, split the points as Mirfster suggests.  Without more feedback from the original author, we do not know which solution is best for his scenario, but all posts are valid solutions in certain cases.

25049392
25059875
25597058

I am sorry if there was confusion.  I tried all of the suggestions, and for some reason I could not get any of them to work.  Until we can fix the problem in the future, our only recourse here was to shut down the running application before an upgrade was performed.  

I wasn't able to post any more questions until I resolved this one first. That is why I deleted the question, none of the answers worked.

> none of the answers worked.

In the id 25059875, I uploaded sample installation that I built and verified. To double-check, I just re-downloaded it now, ran it, and it showed "files in use" dialog - see the picture. Did you try that?

Like I stated in my previous post, nothing worked.  I don't know if the WSE file is somehow corrupted (because i've had that happen before) or what.  The routine is very complex, and I don't have the time to rebuild it from scratch since I am innundated with other projects.  I am hoping one day, when I get a chance and rebuild from scratch, maybe that will fix the problem.  Until then, we have to tell our clients to exit the application before upgrading.  It's a minor inconvenience.

ok, so to summarize:

The question was: "I created a setup routine that allows for upgrades to previous routines created. (...) How do I set up WFWI to check to see if a certain executable is running in memory and not allow the install to continue until it's closed?"

We showed how and even provided a working sample.

But since this routine that you yourself have created is very complex and you don't have time to "set up WFWI to check..." that you wanted, or to figure what's different from the working sample, you say that "Nothing worked".

Moderator, I recommend PAQ/no refund.

Vadimrapp1,

I was trying to be nice in my posting, but you are insinuating that I am incompetent and am not doing my part, and that I resent.  Before you start making comments, I suggest that you CAREFULLY read what is posted.

I explained that I DID TRY the information supplied, but NONE OF THE STUFF WORKED. I also explained that I am aware, it MIGHT be a problem with the WSE file itself.  I do not have time to RECREATE THE ENTIRE PROJECT right now.  I DID NOT say that I didn't have time to try your suggestions. Since I CANNOT VERIFY who's suggestion works, since none did in my specific case, I do not think it's fair to award the point to any one individual.  Since I could not determine based in this case, who to award points to, I decided to delete the question.

Please try to be a little more diplomatic in the future with your posts, before you start bashing someone.  If the moderator wants to apply the points across all individuals, that's his/her choice. In my specific case, I cannot verify who's (IF ANYONES) suggestion was the correct one...therefore I didn't feel comfortable assigning points.

PAQ/no refund" that I recommended in the previous post means that the points are not assigned to anyone - which is in agreement with what you just said, and also for the same reason - since you did not have time to actually try the suggestions (which is understood, and hardly an insinuation), there's no proof that our solution would have worked; hence it's not right to assign the points. But since the solution does explain how to do what you asked and even has working sample that anybody can try and see, I think it's worth being in the database where anybody can find it.