BUG #4321: 8.3 installer shortens allowable BASE_DIR path length?

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 4321
Logged by: Bob Kuhfahl
Email address: bobk(at)asg(dot)com
PostgreSQL version: 8.3
Operating system: windows
Description: 8.3 installer shortens allowable BASE_DIR path length?
Details:

We're a ISV using postgres in our product and we use the postgres silent
installer from with ours. We install postgres next to our product and the
path can be anywhere the user chooses. We're currently on 8.2 and looking
to upgrade to 8.3.
---
* Testing found the following problem: Failed to retrieve the
'CustomActionData' property whilst preparing to execute initdb.
---
* This was a result of the following command line: MsiExec.exe /i
postgresql-8.3-int.msi /qb INTERNALLAUNCH=1 SERVICEDOMAIN=USRESXROBERTKU
SERVICEPASSWORD="asgp0stg3sq(l)" SERVICEACCOUNT=nispostgres
SERVICENAME="asg postgresql" SUPERUSER=postgres SUPERPASSWORD=naviplex
CREATESERVICEUSER=1 LISTENPORT=5432 PERMITREMOTE=1
BASEDIR="C:\Program Files\ASG\Naviplex Integration
Services\postgresql-8.3.3-1" /l "postgres_install.log"
---
* Putting L*v on the above, we find this in the log:
MSI (s) (CC:9C) [11:46:25:236]: Generating random cookie.
MSI (s) (CC:9C) [11:46:25:252]: Created Custom Action Server with PID 3336
(0xD08).
MSI (s) (CC:94) [11:46:25:330]: Running as a service.
MSI (s) (CC:3C) [11:46:25:330]: Hello, I'm your 32bit Elevated custom action
server.
MSI (s) (CC:70) [11:46:27:002]: Executing op:
ActionStart(Name=RunInitdb,Description=Initializing database cluster (this
may take a minute or two)...,)
MSI (s) (CC:70) [11:46:27:002]: Executing op:
CustomActionSchedule(Action=RunInitdb,ActionType=3073,Source=BinaryData,Targ
et=_RunInitdb(at)4,CustomActionData=1033;C:\Program Files\ASG\Naviplex
Integration Services\postgresql-8.3.3-1\;C:\Program Files\ASG\Naviplex
Integration Services\postgresql-8.3.3-1\data\;C:\Program Files\ASG\Naviplex
Integration
Services\postgresql-8.3.3-1\share\;5432;1;C;SQL_ASCII;postgres;naviplex;USRE
SXROBERTKU;nispostgres;asgp0stg3sq(l);;)
MSI (s) (CC:AC) [11:46:27:049]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL:
C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSI60.tmp, Entrypoint: _RunInitdb(at)4
MSI (s) (CC!7C) [11:52:48:286]: Note: 1: 2205 2: 3: Error
MSI (s) (CC!7C) [11:52:48:286]: Note: 1: 2228 2: 3: Error 4: SELECT
`Message` FROM `Error` WHERE `Error` = 1709
MSI (s) (CC!7C) [11:52:48:380]: Product: PostgreSQL 8.3 -- Failed to
retrieve the 'CustomActionData' property whilst preparing to execute
initdb.
---
* A code search indicates this changed when going from 1.103 to 1.104 of
pginstca.c
i.e.
http://cvs.pgfoundry.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/pginstaller/pginst/ca/pginstca.c
.diff?r1=1.103&r2=1.104&f=u
============================================
It's not clear from the comments why this change was needed, but if someone
could change mybuf back to 8192 bytes (or something significantly more than
MAX_PATH+1 (which on windows is only 260)) - I think it would be a good
thing?
Regards,
Bob