I'am creating a very simple installation in WISE Studio 7. This is all I'am doing:
1) Create Environment Path Variable "TestPathVariable" and set it's Env. Variable to ALLUSERSPROFILE. The current value becomes C:\ProgramData since I'am on Vista.
2) In Files, right under Destination Computer, I create a new folder called TestPathVariable and move some files under it.
When I try to run the installation, the it starts copying files to C:\TestPathVariable instead of C:\ProgramData.
I have checked the Replace checkbox and "Replace when Matched" checkbox, and have even used a pre-defined path variable, but it would still copy files to whatever the variable name is set to.
Why does it not use the current value of the variable?
Thanks,
Igor
This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.
Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.
If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.
Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.
Save solutions to your questions, answers you’ve discovered through searching plus helpful articles in your personal knowledgebase for easy future access.
Access the answers to your technology questions today.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.
Try it out and discover for yourself.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.
Yes, I also have an installdir in addition to this env variable. Files are getting copied to both places.
I know the simple way to do this is to just create the ProgramData folder and be done with it, but this app also needs to be installable on WInXP , 98 and 2k and all those OSses have different folders that are mapped to the ALLUSERPROFILE folder. So if the user is installing in XP, it shouldn't be writing those files to a hard coded path of C:\ProgramData.
Igor
Igor, there is a predefined value built within the MSI authoring tool (Wise, Installsheild) that is called PROGRAMFILESFOLDER under the directory table. This property has a global value that is set to Program files on all OS. In orca, go to the directory table and look for INSTALLDIR. Set the directory parent of INSTALLDIR to ProgramFilesFolder and you are pretty much done. MSI is smart enough to assess the OS at install time and will automatically change the value to the corresponding OS. Cheers - Kcehtrak.
While the above workaround has achieved the original purpose, the error was in moving files to TestPathVariable instead of [TestPathVariable] . That's how Installer knows property name from hardcoded value. Another mistake might be in using not-all-caps property name, though this depends on some other factors as well.
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: kcehtrakPosted on 2008-01-13 at 21:24:36ID: 20651065
igor, environment variables cannot be used to dictate installdir. Env variables are only used as a part of the installation to aid the main exe and its mainly strings that contain information about the environment for the system, and the currently logged on user. What you did just then is create folder under destination computer and moved some files under it and thats how msi is going to install it. If you want the files to go to C:\Program Data then you need to create a folder called Program Data under destination computer and move the files to that directory to get the desired result. Cheers - Kcehtrak