How to use Installshield's built-in custom actions - They are not visible in execute sequence

Question

There are two types of custom actions in installshield namely in-built and user-defined. I want to use installshield's built-in custom action named ISSQLServerValidate to check if it is possible connect to a given SQL Server instance or not using a user credential provided by the user. Detail of the in-built custom action ISSQLServerValidate is present here. I'm working on a Basic MSI project.

But when I go to either User Interface or Execute sequences I don't see it at all. I'm able to see whole lot of Standard actions (e.g. AppSearch, LaunchConditions) and many other in-built custom actions (e.g. ISPreventDowngrade, setUserProfileNT etc.).

Why ISSQLServerValidate in-built custom action is not visible in my project?

Answer 1

There are two factors that are likely to affect whether you can see the ISSQLServerValidate action.

1. There's a right-click option to show or hide the all the InstallShield actions. Since these are implementation details for options you have chosen in other views, it defaults to hiding these actions. However since your screen capture includes ISSetupFilesExtract and ISSetupFilesCleanup, I'm assuming you've already chosen to show these actions.
2. Most of these actions are only added once there's something for them to do. So ensure that you have added a connection (and maybe a script) in the SQL Scripts view.

Alternately, if you know how this action should be configured (for example if you can copy it from another project), it is safe to populate it and the related actions yourself. But I'd suggest just getting InstallShield to add it for you by adding the connection and/or script.