CODEWITHSUNDEEP
wixwindows-installer
Simon
Simon

Reputation: 4844

Wix setup uses default Application path on Update and not from registry as expected

We are using Wix Toolset V3.11 to build our setup.

Because of the following declaration, our default installation Path is C:/Program Files(x86)/Acme/AppName. 

<Property Id="ApplicationFolderName" Value="$(var.Manufacturer)\$(var.AppFolderName)"  />
<Property Id="WixAppFolder" Value="WixPerMachineFolder" />

Via the 'Advanced' button in the setup we change this path to C:/Program Files(x86)/Acme/FooBar:

enter image description here

The following declaration saves the changed path in the registry:

<RegistryKey
    Key="Software\$(var.Manufacturer)\$(var.AppName)"
    Root="HKLM">
    <RegistryValue Id="InstallationRegistry"
        Type="string"
        Name="InstallDir"
        Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]" />
    </RegistryKey>

Via Regedit.exe I can see the Path C:/Program Files(x86)/Acme/FooBar in the Registry as expected. All okay.

Problem: But now, when I run a new setup which is an update, then all Files have been moved from the custom folder C:/Program Files(x86)/Acme/FooBar to the default folder C:/Program Files(x86)/Acme/AppName.

When I execute an update and click on the 'Advanced' button, then the default path C:/Program Files(x86)/Acme/AppName is preallocated:

enter image description here

I use the following markup to query the Path out of the Registry:

<Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER">
    <RegistrySearch Id='InstallationRegistrySearch' Type='raw' Root='HKLM' Key='Software\$(var.Manufacturer)\$(var.AppName)' Name='InstallDir' />
</Property>

Here is the relevant markup:

<Fragment>
    <ComponentGroup Id="RootComponents" Directory="APPLICATIONFOLDER">
      <Component Id="RootComponent" Guid="xxxxxxxxx" Win64='yes'>   
        <RegistryKey
          Key="Software\$(var.Manufacturer)\$(var.AppName)"
          Root="HKLM">
          <RegistryValue Id="InstallationRegistry"
                         Type="string"
                         Name="InstallDir"
                         Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]" />
        </RegistryKey>

      </Component>      
    </ComponentGroup>

    [...]


<Product ...>
    <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
      <Directory Id="PROGRAMFILESPATH" Name="$(var.ProgramFilesPath)">
        <Directory Id="ManufacturerFolder" Name="$(var.Manufacturer)">
          <Directory Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Name="$(var.AppFolderName)" >

            <!-- here are the application files (e.g. Appname.exe)-->
            [...]

          </Directory>
        </Directory>
      </Directory>      
    </Directory>


    [...]

    <Property Id="ApplicationFolderName" Value="$(var.Manufacturer)\$(var.AppFolderName)"  />
    <Property Id="WixAppFolder" Value="WixPerMachineFolder" />

    <Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER">
      <RegistrySearch Id='InstallationRegistrySearch' Type='raw' Root='HKLM' Key='Software\$(var.Manufacturer)\$(var.AppName)' Name='InstallDir' />
    </Property>

    <Property Id="PREVIOUSVERSIONSINSTALLED" Secure="yes" />
    <Property Id="ALLUSERS" Value="1"/>

    [...]

    <UI>
      [...]
      <UIRef Id="WixUI_Advanced"/>
    </UI>
</Product>

What are we doing wrong?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 948

Answers (1)

Stein &#197;smul
Stein &#197;smul

Reputation: 42216

Remember Properties: Property values are not auto-magically persisted by MSI, hence the need for patterns such as the "Remember Property Pattern".

Bitness: It looks like you are reading back from the registry, but could it be that you have a "bitness problem"? In other words you read from the x64-section of the registry and not the x86-section? (or vice versa).

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Manufacturer\Acme\Program

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Manufacturer\Acme\Program

Upvotes: 2

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