Need syntax to apply TRANSFORM during silent install of Maya 2020

[tracy_carlson]

I need to perform a silent install of Maya 2020 with a Transform (MST) on the Maya installer.  I already have the silent installation working with the silent deploy syntax.  It works fine, but I need a transform tweak on the Maya.MSI file to be applied.  How do we edit the XML files to have the silent install use the desired MST file?

Thanks!

[natasha.l]

Hello @tracy_carlson, 

The standard recommendation is provided on our Maya 2020 Help page. Although, I understand you are trying to apply transforms to the installer. I will reach out to @m_latz who maybe able to provide some suggestions for you. 

Can you please provide an example of how you are applying it?  

Please remember to "Accept Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[m_latz]

I will check this tomorrow and may be I can give you a solution.

regards

Markus

[m_latz · Accepted solution]

To pass parameter to an installation package just open the "pkg.*.xml" file in the same folder as the package and add the parameter "installParams" to the "InstallFile" entry.

An example:

I created a transformation for the maya.msi installation to not create the desktop shortcut. I copied my transformation to the same folder as the maya.msi file and added the following to the pkg.maya.xml file:

<InstallFile type="MSI" contents="Folder" installParams="TRANSFORMS=x64\Maya\MayaNoDtSc.mst" file="x64/Maya/Maya.msi"/>

That worked for me to apply my transformation. You can also pass any other properties to the msi.

regards

Markus

[tracy_carlson]

Thank you so much - I actually figured this out as well 2 days ago and was going to post my response.

[tracy_carlson]

@m_latz  - Any clue how to get this working?  I would like to log the MSI log file for Maya specifically to c:\windows\debug.  When I put anything besides installParams="TRANSFORMS=x64\Maya\Maya.mst" it fails.  I was thinking I could pass other MSI parameters within the installParams but it does not like it.

installParams="TRANSFORMS=x64\Maya\Maya.mst /lime c:\windows\debug\Maya_2020_20.0.0.235_Install.log" 

If I modify <LogFile>Maya2020.log</LogFile> with a path in the pkg.maya.xml file, it does not like that either.

Thanks!

[m_latz]

I tried only to apply the TRANSFORM, because if you can apply a transform, you can do anything.

Also enable logging and define the MsiLogFileLocation.

I try later to pass also other properties and will inform you.

regards

Markus

[m_latz]

Okay tried and it is also possible to pass anything else to the msi.

if you call maya.msi via msiexec it is:

msiexec /I maya.msi TRANSFORMS="MayaNoDtSc.mst" ADSK_ADD_QUICKLAUNCH="0"

But because the new Autodesk installer uses a xml format you can not pass this, because in xml the begin and end of a string is marked with "

If you need " inside your string you have to mask them. So for XML it looks like:

installParams="TRANSFORMS=&quot;x64\Maya\MayaNoDtSc.mst&quot; ADSK_ADD_QUICKLAUNCH=&quot;0&quot;"

where &quot; is the mask for "

regards

Markus

[m_latz]

And just another note,

I suppose the new Autodesk installer does not use "msiexec.exe" they use the internal windows api.

There /l does not work. You have to use MsiLogging and MsiLogFileLocation

Just try.

regards

Markus