Our application writes some settings to the registry into the HKCU hive during runtime. I want to delete this settings during uninstall. Here is code:
<Fragment>
<DirectoryRef Id="INSTALLLOCATION" DiskId="1" FileSource="$(var.SourceDirProject)\">
<Component Id="DeleteHkcuManufacturerHive" Guid="GUID">
<Condition>REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE</Condition>
<CreateFolder/>
<RemoveRegistryKey Action="removeOnUninstall"
Id="HKCUkey" Root="HKCU" Key="Software\$(var.Manufacturer)"/>
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
</Fragment>
ICE57: Component 'DeleteHkcuManufacturerHive' has both per-user and per-machine data with a per-machine KeyPath.
Why I'm getting ICE57? Installation is per-User. Thank's in advance.
UPD: Where is here the per-machine element? May be it is an INSTALLLOCATION=Program Files\ManufacturerDirectory?
You are operating on the HKCU hive which is only available to the current user.
MSDN states:
ICE57 validates that individual components do not mix per-machine and
per-user data. This ICE custom action checks registry entries, files,
directory key paths, and non-advertised shortcuts. Mixing per-user and
per-machine data in the same component could result in only partial
installation of the component for some users in a multi-user
environment.
The ICEs are validations on your installation package. As stated above, ICE57 is to make sure you don't mix up per-machine and per-user constructs. If you must remove entries to HKCU during uninstall (and the software is installed per-machine) then you can turn off that specific validation in Visual Studio in Properties > Tool Settings as shown in the screenshot below:
However, you may want to think about the root cause of your issue. If you are doing a per-machine install, your installer or application should probably not be writing to HKCU as it is only available to the current user, whereas your app is installed for all users.
I've got an answer on wix-users mailing list. Here is Peter Shirtcliffe's answer:
ProgramFiles is a per-machine location. You can only access it when elevated. If you want to install program code in a per-user installation, you should install to %LocalAppData%\Programs.
Remove the condition entirely. The component will be installed but will have no effect until you uninstall the application. At that point, when the component is removed, the registrykey will be removed also.
Related
I have Wix project in which I need a common used dll library to be installed if it's absent.
If this dll exists I should not overwrite it.
So, when I set DefaultVersion="0.0.0.0" this dll is not overwritten if it exists, its ok. But when I delete app, the dll is beeing removed. How do I prevent removing dll in the case when it existed before installation?
I don't want to make it permanent because it should be removed if it didn't exist before installation.
<Component Id="myLib.dll" Permanent="no" Directory="Shared_Dir">
<File Name="myLib.dll" KeyPath="yes"
Source="mySource\myLib.dll"
DefaultVersion="0.0.0.0"
/>
Add reference to WixUtilExtension and xmlns:util="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension" attribute to Wix element in your code.
Define <Property Id="Dll_Installed" Value="false"/> in Product element.
Add child <Condition>NOT Dll_Installed</Condition> to component myLib.dll.
Add that somewhere in your code:
<Fragment>
<util:FileSearch
Id="Dll_Installed"
Variable="Dll_Installed"
Path="[Shared_Dir]myLib.dll"
Result="exists"/>
</Fragment>
DefaultVersion attribute is not necessary.
The feature you are describing is reference counting. The Windows Installer reference counts with Components. Components are identified by their GUID.
So the normal way to address this requirement is to put the File in a Component and make sure the GUID of the Component is stable. The WiX Toolset should do exactly that automatically if if you do not specify the Component/#Guid attribute.
So the default behavior should just work for you.
The only other piece of the puzzle is the Windows Installer will install the latest version of a file. If the file version is the same or less the file will not be installed but will be reference counted.
Based on the details in the question it seems like you should be just fine with:
<Component Directory="Shared_Dir">
<File Source="mySource\myLib.dll" />
</Component>
One might ask why the Windows Installer use Components to reference count files. We'll, it allows you to group other resources, like registry keys, together and control their install as a unit. Much more important if you are installing COM servers than plain old files.
I am trying to use a component condition for an admin manual pdf. If the installer is in the administrators group I want the admin manual to be installed. Here's how I'm setting this up but it's not being installed even if installer is an administrator. What am I missing?
Requirement:
InstallScope="perUser" />
<Condition>Privileged</Condition>
Find below:
<Component Id="cmp_ManualForAdmins.pdf" Guid="4C28B047-74D2-4642-A180-0039B4C2C5BC">
<File Id="fil_ManualForAdmins.pdf" Name="ManualForAdmins.pdf" Source="$(var.WindowsFormsApp1_TargetDir)ManualForAdmins.pdf">
<Shortcut Id="startMenuAdminManual" Directory="ProgramMenuSubFolder" Name="AdminManual"></Shortcut>
</File>
<Condition>Privileged</Condition>
</Component>
I just spent an hour investigating this and there really aren't any good answers. Because the MSI is invoked from a standard user process and doesn't require elevation, MSI never knows the user can elevate so the Privileged property isn't set.
I figured a custom action might help to work around this but searching up C# Detect Admin revealed various classes and API calls that all had the same behavior.
If I install a protoype MSI from an elevated command prompt the condition evaluates to true and the 'admin.txt' file is installed. From a non elevated it is not installed.
So what would I do? One of two things:
1) Make a second Docs MSI that is a permachine install that requires elevation
or
2) Build and deploy a docs.exe which is manifested to require admin. If the program successfully elevates then have it extract the PDF from an embedded resource to the temp directory and do a ShellExecute to launch the default PDF viewer with that file.
Administrative Installation: Admins typically perform an administrative installation (file extraction) of a setup - at least if they work in big companies that do application packaging. Hence I tend to try to make files like that easily visible on the extracted source media - instead of installing them during normal installation (or both or either, doesn't matter which).
Sample administrative installation (glorified file extraction):
msiexec /a Test.msi TARGETDIR=D:\ExtractedFiles\
More about Administrative Installations.
Admin.pdf: Here is a quick hack that I haven't tested extensively. The admin.pdf will show up during file extraction and not during installation:
<..>
<Feature Id="MainApplication" Title="MainApplication" Level="1">
<Feature Id="SomeFiles" Title="SomeFiles" Level="1" />
<!-- Remove "Display" attibute to show Admin feature in normal setup GUI -->
<Feature Id="Admin" Title="Admin" Level="1001" Display="hidden" />
</Feature>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Component Id="AdminManual" Feature="Admin" Guid="{00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000DBFB0000}">
<File Source="D:\Admin.pdf" />
</Component>
<..>
Running administrative installation will extract the admin.pdf to the top level extraction directory:
msiexec /a Test.msi TARGETDIR=D:\ExtractedFiles\
The Admin feature is hidden from the normal installation GUI. Change the attribute "Display" to change this. Just remove it for example - for testing purposes.
When uninstalling my application, I'd like to configure the Wix setup to NOT to remove few files that were added as part of the installation. It seems like the uninstaller removes all the files that were originally installed from the MSI file. How do I do that?
Here are my files which I wish to keep it forever
<Binary Id="RootCABinary" SourceFile="Assets\Certificates\RootCA.cer" />
<Binary Id="SubCABinary" SourceFile="Assets\Certificates\SubCA.cer" />
I have used WixIIsExtension.dll to install these certificates to the windows store.
Overwrite: Is it important that the file never gets overwritten? If so, add
"Never Overwrite" to your component. WiX attribute: NeverOverwrite="yes". Remember to test upgrade scenarios!
Permanent Component: As stated by Pavel, you can set a component permanent:
<Component Permanent="yes">
<File Source="License.rtf" />
</Component>
Blank GUID: Another way to do it is to set a blank component GUID. It essentially means "install and then leave alone". No repair or uninstall should be done (remember to add NeverOverwrite="yes" if the file should never be overwritten):
<Component Guid="" Feature="MainApplication">
<File Source="SubCA.cer" KeyPath="yes" />
</Component>
Read-Only Copy: I sometimes install files to a per-machine path (for example somewhere under program files) and then copy them to a per-user location (somewhere in the user-profile) on application launch, and then do operations on them that entail that the files should not be deleted. This is good in cases where you want to do something that change the files in question (they need to be writable). Then it is good to "untangle" them from deployment concerns (files will not be meddled with by installer operations at all - the installer has no knowledge of them). The original read-only copy installed to program files can be uninstalled though (no longer needed?).
Other approaches: You can also create such files using custom actions during installation (usually text files only), you can download the file in question from your web site on application launch (makes the file easy to manage and update / replace? Vulnerable to connection problems - firewalls, etc...) and the application can create the file using "internal defaults" in the main executable on launch. And there are no doubt further approaches that I can't recall.
Put your binaries in a separate WiX component and make it permanent. Have a look at this thread as well
I'm trying to solve my issue with autogerating GUID for multiple components in same folder installed under AppData (per-user installation).
Before edit I had one component with 3 files. Then I've decided to use auto GUID for this component, so I have divided it into 3 component (each with one file). I thought that now I can use Component GUID with * and registry value with KeyPath=yes but it's not working. Any advice is very appreciated.
Here is code snippet:
<Directory Id='INSTALLDIR' Name='$(var.myInstallDir)'>
<Component Id='MainExecutable' Guid='I_WOULD_LIKE_ASTERISK_HERE_ALSO_BUT_HAVE_HARD_CODED_GUID' >
<RemoveFolder Id='RemoveINSTALLDIR' Directory='INSTALLDIR' On='uninstall' />
<util:RemoveFolderEx On="uninstall" Property="APPLICATIONFOLDER" />
<RegistryValue Root='HKCU' Key='Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]' Type='string' Name='Path' Value='[INSTALLDIR]' KeyPath='yes'/>
<File Id='ffile1' Name='file1' DiskId='1' Source='file1'> </File>
<Shortcut Id="startmenujfile" Directory="ProgramMenuDir" Name='$(var.myAppName)'
Target="[SystemFolder]cmd.exe" Arguments=" /c START javaw.exe -jar [INSTALLDIR]file1.jar ."
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLDIR"
Icon="apsoiconmultiico" IconIndex="0" />
<Shortcut Id="desktopjfile" Directory="DesktopFolder" Name='$(var.myAppName)'
Target="[INSTALLDIR]file1.jar" Arguments=" ."
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLDIR"
Icon="iconmultiico" IconIndex="0" />
</Component>
<Component Id='MainExecutable2' >
<File Id='ffile2' Name='file2' DiskId='1' Source='file2' />
<RegistryValue Root='HKCU' Key='Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]' Type='string' Value='' KeyPath='yes'/>
</Component>
<Component Id='MainExecutable3' >
<File Id='ffile3' Name='file3' DiskId='1' Source='file3' />
<RegistryValue Root='HKCU' Key='Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]' Type='string' Value='' KeyPath='yes'/>
</Component>
</Directory>
And error for components:
error CNDL0230 : The Component/#Guid attribute's value '*' is not valid for this component because it does not meet the criteria for having an automatically generated guid. Components with registry keypaths and files cannot use an automatically generated guid. Create multiple components, each with one file and/or one registry value keypath, to use automatically generated guids.
Thank you
EDIT:
Thanks to #Stein Åsmul answer. I need to ask one more time..
I'm trying to solve this because we are moving from Java Web Start (jnlp) to very simple .msi file which installs only elementary files and shortcuts. Then the app itself has automatical update system which downloads all other files.
Our app can have "mupliple sets of versions" installed on same machine (like set A: "app 1 demo, app 2 test" and set B: "app 2 demo, app 2 test"). Every set and every version in the set can have different files (this is a job for update system itself).
Now the question. I'm a newbie in .msi installation so I'm not sure about many steps. I know productId, upgradecode.. but what about component GUID (in my case Component Id='MainExecutable') in enviroment with multiple sets of app installed on same machine (per-user but different directory - AppData/local/setA and AppData/local/setB) with registry KeyPath=yes? Can this component has fixed GUID for all our installations if productId is different (so hardcoded in .wxs for all installations)? Thank you for explanation.
Short Answer: You cannot use auto-guids for components that have the same / non-unique key path - which is the case for per-user registry key paths. Simpler approach: Install files to a per-machine location and copy them into each user-profile on application launch instead of
installing them per-user via an MSI. This de-couples all user-profile files
from common deployment problems (overwriting / resetting, upgrade problems, uninstall problems, etc...). Auto-Guids are possible for per-machine key paths - they are unique per component.
Per-User Key Path: HKCU\Software\Company\Product\MyKeyPath
Repeats for every user! => No auto-guid possible. It is not unique.
User 1: C:\Profiles\User1\Product\File.exe, Key path: HKCU\Software\Product\MyKeyPath
User 2: C:\Profiles\User2\Product\File.exe, Key path: HKCU\Software\Product\MyKeyPath
For the record, here is what would happen if you set a userprofile disk-based key-path (as opposed to a registry key path which you are supposed to use): Color illustration.
Per-Machine Key Path: C:\Program Files\Company\Product\Main.exe
Only one installation instance! Unique key path allows auto-guid.
Read-Only Templates: A general issue first: it is recommended that you don't install files directly into the user profile folders. Rather you should install them to your main installation folder under Program Files and then copy them in place during application launch for every user who uses the application. The files can then be copied to every user-profile on demand and on launch of the application (upgrades are possible too, if you implement it well).
Technically: You cannot use an auto-guid for components that has the same / non-unique key path. The technical reasons can perhaps be best understood by reading this old answer: Change my component GUID in wix? Essentially the key path must be unique in order to be able to create an automatic GUID, and this is not the case with per-user registry keys. The path is the same for all users - to the same registry key (even if the content is different for each user). A limitation of the MSI technology.
Note that if you install to a per-machine path you will be able to use auto-GUIDs since you can have a unique file key path for the component. This should work fine. Just move the files to a per-machine path and set an auto-guid. Upgraded files will overwrite older files and you can copy newer files over the ones in the user profile on launch - if desirable. A risky operation most of the time.
Cloud: I am fond of cloud-based approaches to download files into the user profile on-demand directly from the Internet or Intranet as an alternative to deployment via MSI. It all depends what you have access to.
More Details: There are too many pre-existing answers that revolve around the same points for there to be any value in rewriting it. Please check the below links for more details on the deployment of per-user files with MSI:
Create folder and file on Current user profile, from Admin Profile
Wix deferred custom action access denied
How to create nested folder in AppData
Create a .config folder in the user folder
Make WIX installer place files in AppData
I want to make a wix installer, with an optional desktop shortcut for all users. Optional means, I cannot put it in the component of the main exe, but in a separate component, so that I can set a separate feature for the shortcut.
When doing this, wix complains:
error LGHT0204 : ICE38: Component DesktopShortcut installs to user profile. It must use a registry key under HKCU as its KeyPath, not a file.
So I set an aditional registry key like this:
<Component Id="DesktopShortcut" Guid="767f3e19-9a7d-4793-9782-75516494a57c">
<Shortcut Target="[APPLICATIONROOTDIRECTORY]ocean.exe" Id="OceanShortcutDesktop" Name="$(var.ProductName)" WorkingDirectory='APPLICATIONROOTDIRECTORY' Icon="OceanIcon"/>
<RegistryValue Root='HKCU' Key='Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]\installs' Name="desktopshortcut" Type='string' Value='' KeyPath='yes' />
</Component>
The shortcut goes in "All Users" since I set the ALLUSERS=1 property. However, there is no equivalent for registry, and the key goes in the current (installing) user registry. This is IMHO an issue : if the user profile gets deleted, the shortcut will not be deleted anymore on uninstall.
Using "HKLM" instead causes an error in wix (mixing per-user and per-machine):
error LGHT0204 : ICE38: Component DesktopShortcut installs to user profile. It's KeyPath registry key must fall under HKCU.
This is quite stupid from wix, as "All Users" component should be linked to the machine, and not to a normal user, as there is no "all users" registry.
Any idea?
You can try to change the registry root to 'HKMU' (From what I remember it's supposed to to write to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE when the install is per-machine and under HKEY_CURRENT_USER when its not).
If you change the root to 'HKMU' you will get the ICE57 error (Component 'DesktopShortcut' has both per-user data and a keypath that can be either per-user or per-machine.)
You can suppress this error and the installer will create all-users shortcut
(It worked when I tried it, but I'm not sure it's the best way to do this).
(To disable the ICE57 error see: How to fix ICE57.Per-User installation)