Re: Visual Studio 2005 Installer Variables?

Hi Steve,

I you're using Visual Studio, in the Window for the Setup Registry, after
creating the Key, right-click it and select "New " (whatever type of value).

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
Software Composer
http://unclechutney.blogspot.com

In case of Minimalism, break Philip Glass.

"Steve Barker" <stevebarker@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:43301961-07A1-4BE2-B92A-F51C4C5655C2@microsoft.com...
> Hi guys,
>
> Apologies if this is posted in the wrong please; if so, please let me know
> and I'll re-post. (Apologies also for duplicating a post I made
> previously;
> I've had some problems with my passport account associations!)
>
> I've just written an installer using Visual Studio 2005, and as part of
> the
> install, I want to create some registry keys. I want the registry keys to
> contain, amongst other things, the directory that the product was
> installed
> into. Creating registry keys using the installer is very easy, but I'm not
> sure how to include installation specific information into these keys. Is
> there some kind of variable I can use to get the values I require? I will
> also need to do some string manipulation on these values. For instance, if
> the installation location is "C:\Program Files\Test", I might need to
> write
> "C:\Program Files\Test\MyFile.txt" to the registry.
>
> Any help would be gratefully received!
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Steve.
>

Hi Kevin, and thanks for your response.

I can already create registry keys and values through the installer. That is
not the problem; apologies if my post was a little vague. (I think I was
using the term "key" when really I meant "value"!)

I want to set the information stored in the values dynamically, depending on
where the installation path set by the user. Say I have a value called "Test"
in my key. If the user decides to install to "C:\MyInstallations\Here", I
want the Test value to be set to "C:\MyInstallations\Here\MyFile.txt", where
as if the user chooses the default location, the Test value should be
something like "C:\ProgramFiles\{CompanyName}\{Product}\MyFile.txt". I'm
looking to be able to access variables that describe the installation
location in order to set dynamic registry values.

Many thanks,

Steve.

"Kevin Spencer" wrote:

> Hi Steve,
>
> I you're using Visual Studio, in the Window for the Setup Registry, after
> creating the Key, right-click it and select "New " (whatever type of value).
>
> --
> HTH,
>
> Kevin Spencer
> Microsoft MVP
> Software Composer
> http://unclechutney.blogspot.com
>
> In case of Minimalism, break Philip Glass.
>
> "Steve Barker" <stevebarker@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:43301961-07A1-4BE2-B92A-F51C4C5655C2@microsoft.com...
> > Hi guys,
> >
> > Apologies if this is posted in the wrong please; if so, please let me know
> > and I'll re-post. (Apologies also for duplicating a post I made
> > previously;
> > I've had some problems with my passport account associations!)
> >
> > I've just written an installer using Visual Studio 2005, and as part of
> > the
> > install, I want to create some registry keys. I want the registry keys to
> > contain, amongst other things, the directory that the product was
> > installed
> > into. Creating registry keys using the installer is very easy, but I'm not
> > sure how to include installation specific information into these keys. Is
> > there some kind of variable I can use to get the values I require? I will
> > also need to do some string manipulation on these values. For instance, if
> > the installation location is "C:\Program Files\Test", I might need to
> > write
> > "C:\Program Files\Test\MyFile.txt" to the registry.
> >
> > Any help would be gratefully received!
> >
> > Many thanks,
> >
> > Steve.
> >
>
>
>

Hi Steve,

I don't believe this can be done via the Setup and Deployment project tools
in Visual Studio. It will probably be necessary for you to create a custom
(unmanaged code, using the Windows Setup API -
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa377657.aspx) Installer. You can
read the Platform SDK reference here:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372866.aspx

The specific section on adding registry keys on the Installation or removal
of an application is here:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa367530.aspx

You would use the Installer Database to add the registry keys, and to get
the information you need about the installation:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa369395.aspx

Wish I had better news for you, but it looks like you have your work cut out
for you.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
Software Composer
http://unclechutney.blogspot.com

In case of Minimalism, break Philip Glass.

"Steve Barker" <stevebarker@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:5F7C2CA7-3263-4FF6-829F-561B87229274@microsoft.com...
> Hi Kevin, and thanks for your response.
>
> I can already create registry keys and values through the installer. That
> is
> not the problem; apologies if my post was a little vague. (I think I was
> using the term "key" when really I meant "value"!)
>
> I want to set the information stored in the values dynamically, depending
> on
> where the installation path set by the user. Say I have a value called
> "Test"
> in my key. If the user decides to install to "C:\MyInstallations\Here", I
> want the Test value to be set to "C:\MyInstallations\Here\MyFile.txt",
> where
> as if the user chooses the default location, the Test value should be
> something like "C:\ProgramFiles\{CompanyName}\{Product}\MyFile.txt". I'm
> looking to be able to access variables that describe the installation
> location in order to set dynamic registry values.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Steve.
>
> "Kevin Spencer" wrote:
>
>> Hi Steve,
>>
>> I you're using Visual Studio, in the Window for the Setup Registry, after
>> creating the Key, right-click it and select "New " (whatever type of
>> value).
>>
>> --
>> HTH,
>>
>> Kevin Spencer
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Software Composer
>> http://unclechutney.blogspot.com
>>
>> In case of Minimalism, break Philip Glass.
>>
>> "Steve Barker" <stevebarker@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>> news:43301961-07A1-4BE2-B92A-F51C4C5655C2@microsoft.com...
>> > Hi guys,
>> >
>> > Apologies if this is posted in the wrong please; if so, please let me
>> > know
>> > and I'll re-post. (Apologies also for duplicating a post I made
>> > previously;
>> > I've had some problems with my passport account associations!)
>> >
>> > I've just written an installer using Visual Studio 2005, and as part of
>> > the
>> > install, I want to create some registry keys. I want the registry keys
>> > to
>> > contain, amongst other things, the directory that the product was
>> > installed
>> > into. Creating registry keys using the installer is very easy, but I'm
>> > not
>> > sure how to include installation specific information into these keys.
>> > Is
>> > there some kind of variable I can use to get the values I require? I
>> > will
>> > also need to do some string manipulation on these values. For instance,
>> > if
>> > the installation location is "C:\Program Files\Test", I might need to
>> > write
>> > "C:\Program Files\Test\MyFile.txt" to the registry.
>> >
>> > Any help would be gratefully received!
>> >
>> > Many thanks,
>> >
>> > Steve.
>> >
>>
>>
>>

Thanks for Kevin's input.

Hi Steve,

I think what you want is doable through the VS 2005 setup project. Here are
some approaches you can consider:

1. There are plenty of built-in and context related propeties in windows
setup/installer sdk. And such properties can also be used in VS setup
project(since the setup project provide a sub set of what windows installer
sdk provides).

#Property Reference
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa370905.aspx

And for the installation folder(main folder) the user choose at runtime,
there is a corresponding property named "TARGETDIR". So you can get the
main install folder of the installing program in your setup project.

#TARGETDIR Property
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa372064.aspx

You can directly use this property in the VS setup project's registry
editor(pass the property name into the certain registry item's value) e.g.

value: [TARGETDIR]\

#Properties for the Registry Editor
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/bbxyfa24(VS.80).aspx

2. The above one may be quite limited when you want to add more values
derived from the built-in properties(in windows installer). For example,
you may want to concatenate the propety with other values. Then, you can
consider creating a custom Action to do the work. You can pass those
context or built-in properties in to your custom action and use those
properties in your own code. Here are some good reference introducing using
custom action and pass data into it:

#Walkthrough: Using a Custom Action to Display a Message at Installation
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9cdb5eda(VS.80).aspx

#Visual Studio Setup - projects and custom actions
http://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/v...-setup---projec
ts-and-custom-actions/

Please let me know if you have anything unclear. If you feel necessry I can
send you a very simple setup project demo on this.

Sincerely,

Steven Cheng

Microsoft MSDN Online Support Lead



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