How to customize the installation dialog flow?

[trinhtranduc]

Hi everyone,

(This is my first time developing a Windows application, so I appreciate your patience.)

I'm looking to create a customized installation flow for my Windows application with the following steps:

1, User launches the executable
2, Language selection → User clicks Next
3, EULA agreement → User clicks Next
4, Login screen → User authenticates and clicks Next
5, Installation progress (display progress bar, file copying, etc.)
6, Application dashboard launch

I've referenced the Tauri Windows Installer documentation and successfully customized UI elements like banners and background images using WiX. However, seem not much customization with Wix!

Key Concerns:

• Is building a standalone .exe installer the recommended method for this workflow? I've tried this method but how can I ensure the application launches correctly after installation (Step 5)?
• Should I consider alternative packaging approaches for better customization?

Request for Advice:

• What would be the most robust approach to implement this installation flow?
• Are there any working examples or templates you could point me to?

I'd be extremely grateful for any insights or suggestions you could share!

[FabianLars]

However, seem not much customization with Wix!

You can change the whole WiX installer template. It couldn't be more customizable than that. Unless you mean the customization offered by WiX or MSI installers in general, then i agree, it's quite lacking.
I assume you mean the latter because step 4, the login screen won't be possible with .msi installers.

Should I consider alternative packaging approaches for better customization?

If step 4 is absolutely a requirement then i think none of the existing installer frameworks out there would really be that helpful and you'll need to program large parts of it yourself (probably even with a app framework instead of an installer framework).

What would be the most robust approach to implement this installation flow?

Delay step 4 into the actual app and use battle tested installers.

[trinhtranduc]

@FabianLars Thank you for your insights! Unfortunately, having an authentication screen before the actual installation begins is a mandatory requirement in my case. Because of this, I’m considering building a self-installing executable (.exe) that manages all the installation steps via custom windows base on webview2.

Would this approach be technically feasible and commonly recommended?
Or are there any major drawbacks I should be aware of (e.g., security concerns, OS restrictions, maintainability, etc.)?

[FabianLars]

Well, the main thing to keep in mind here is that now you have to make sure that WebView2 is present on the system which is one of the main reasons tauri produces installers on windows.
If you only ship to windows 11 then you're good. Windows 10 requires the system to be fully up to date. Windows 7/8 always requires you to install the webview2 yourself.
You can of course install that in a prior step 🤷

security concerns are just the normal "careful, you're using scary web tech" which also applies to the tauri app itself.
no idea about os restrictions, never made my own installer.
maintainability same as the tauri app itself i guess.
etc? hmm, apps that use webview2 trigger anti virus software more often than ones that don't. Same for .exe installers vs .msi installers. proper EV code signing often helps, but not 100% (and yes, this all applies to the tauri app and its installers as well, just twice in your case).