Obtaining A Database Handle

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

Before working with a database you must first obtain a handle to it.

    To access information about an installer database

1. You obtain a handle to the database in one of two ways:
   • If an installation is in progress, you get a handle to the active database by calling the MsiGetActiveDatabase function.
   • Otherwise, to open any specified database, call the MsiOpenDatabase function.
2. Once you have a database open, you can call a variety of functions to obtain information about the database or to manipulate the database. For example, you can:
   • Obtain a record that contains all primary keys of the specified database by calling the MsiDatabaseGetPrimaryKeys function.
   • Check the current state of a database by calling the MsiGetDatabaseState function. With the MsiGetDatabaseState function, you can determine the read/write status for a database or if the handle is valid.