Setting working directory for a WiX shortcut - wix

I'm having trouble setting the working directory of a shortcut created as part of a WiX script. Here are the basics:
<!-- create a start menu shortcut. -->
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
<Directory Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder" Name="My Name">
<Component Id="ApplicationShortcut" Guid="822A26AF-5231-4EDA-A18D-5DF15020BD94">
<Shortcut Id="ApplicationStartMenuShortcut"
Name="My Name"
Description="My Description"
Target="[INSTALLLOCATION]My.exe"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLLOCATION" />
<RemoveFolder Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder" On="uninstall"/>
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
<!-- Install the app. -->
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="INSTALLLOCATION" Name="My Name">
<Component Id="ProductComponent" Guid="4740357A-69D3-4626-A0F7-D0667C93A2CE">
<File Id="My.exe" Name="My.exe" Source="My.exe" />
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
This jives with examples I've seen, and the shortcut gets created, and it points to the right exe, but the shortcut has no working directory specified, and so the app doesn't find its local resources.

You don't need to say [INSTALLLOCATION] because the ShortCut table defines the WkDir column describes "The name of the property that has the path of the working directory for the shortcut."
I would reccomend trying this:
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
<Directory Id="ApplicationProgramsFolder" Name="My Name">
</Directory>
</Directory>
<!-- Install the app. -->
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="INSTALLLOCATION" Name="My Name">
<Component Id="ProductComponent" Guid="4740357A-69D3-4626-A0F7-D0667C93A2CE">
<File Id="My.exe" Name="My.exe" Source="My.exe" />
<Shortcut Id="ApplicationStartMenuShortcut"
Advertise="yes"
Name="My Name"
Description="My Description"
Directory="ApplicationProgramsFolder"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLLOCATION">
<Icon Id="My.exe" SourceFile="My.exe" />
<Shortcut>
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>

I think you need square brackets around your INSTALLLOCATION in the working directory attribute.

Related

WiX ICE64: The directory XX is in the user profile

I have checked the answers here and the blog post at http://robmensching.com/blog/posts/2007/4/27/how-to-create-an-uninstall-shortcut-and-pass-all-the/, but I just cannot see what I am missing. I believe I am using MfgStartMenuFolder correctly. The error is at:
<Directory Id="MfgStartMenuFolder" Name="!(bind.property.Manufacturer)" />
In my main fragment I have:
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="ManufacturerFolder" Name="!(bind.property.Manufacturer)" >
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="!(bind.property.ProductName)" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder" >
<Directory Id="MfgStartMenuFolder" Name="!(bind.property.Manufacturer)" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
In my fragment for Start Menu folder objects I have:
<DirectoryRef Id="MfgStartMenuFolder" >
<Component Id="ApplicationShortcut" Guid="MY-GUID" >
<Shortcut Id="ApplicationStartMenuShortcut"
Name="!(bind.property.ProductName)"
Description="Find Files (Reasonably) Fast"
Directory="MfgStartMenuFolder"
Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]\FinderOfFiles.exe"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
Icon="MyShortcutIcon" />
<RemoveFolder Id="RemoveMfgStartMenuFolder"
Directory="MfgStartMenuFolder"
On="uninstall" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU"
Key="Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]\ProgramMenuShortcut"
Name="installed"
Type="integer"
Value="1"
KeyPath="yes" />
</Component>
</DirectoryRef>
I am using WiX 3.11 and not using any add-ons like Wax.
I rewrote the whole sections, so this issue is moot.

Wix - Installing an app off the c:\ root instead of program files and creating shortcuts

this is the markup i used to create the directory structure and create sub directories. it does work just fine. it creates the software directory of the c:\ root and creates the sub directories under that. But then i add a new component group called "shortcuts". I want to create a short cut on the start menu and a desktop icon.i am not sure of what to call the id where the ?????? are in the start menu directory. i also get the following error when i build the project.
Error 1 The Component/#Directory attribute was not found; it is required.
it occurs twice. one at this line Component Id="cmpStartMenuShortcut" and one at this line Component Id="cmpDesktopShortcut"
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="WINDOWSVOLUME">
<Directory Id="SoftwareDirectory" Name="UnionAdministrator">
<Directory Id="RuntimeFolder" Name="Runtime" />
<Directory Id="ReportsFolder" Name="Reports" />
<Directory Id="TasksFolder" Name="Tasks" />
<Directory Id="DebugLogsFolder" Name="DebugLogs" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
<Directory Id ="FontsFolder" />
<Directory Id ="???????????r">
<Directory Id="AppStartMenuFolder" Name="Runtime" />
</Directory>
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" />
</Directory>
<SetDirectory Id="WINDOWSVOLUME" Value="[WindowsVolume]" />
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents">
<Component Id="cmpCreateRuntimeFolder"
Guid="{27D409D8-8D86-4CB0-8165-E30A6E3998EC}"
Directory="RuntimeFolder">
<CreateFolder />
</Component>
<Component Id="cmpCreateReportsFolder"
Guid="{9621003B-0BDC-44D8-B981-C5B9CA76C733}"
Directory="ReportsFolder">
<CreateFolder />
</Component>
<Component Id="cmpCreateTasksFolder"
Guid="{785A0024-16B2-499D-9B67-6BCBB8094C55}"
Directory="TasksFolder">
<CreateFolder />
</Component>
<Component Id="cmpCreateDebugLogsFolder"
Guid="{9C91955B-967A-411D-ACD9-6C6AA15F84E8}"
Directory="DebugLogsFolder">
<CreateFolder />
</Component>
</ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>
<Fragment>
<ComponentGroup Id="Shortcuts">
<Component Id="cmpStartMenuShortcut"
Guid="{2A561F4E-118A-4927-9C29-7FF441B77097}">
<Shortcut Id="StartMenuShortcut"
Name="Union Adminstrator"
Description="Runs UnionAdminstrator"
Directory="AppStartMenuFolder"
Target="[RuntimeFolder]UnionAdministrator.exe" />
</Component>
<Component Id="cmpDesktopShortcut"
Guid="{6A686136-06D9-469B-93BA-076D5F32D46B}">
<Shortcut Id="DesktopShortcut"
Name="Union Adminstrator"
Description="Runs UnionAdminstrator"
Directory="DesktopFolder"
Target="[#FILE_UAEXE] " />
</Component>
</ComponentGroup>
</Fragment>
Give directory for shortcuts.and assign it like you have done for other components.
Also since you cant give shortcut as keypath, you could keep registry in shortcut component as keypath.

Wix - uninstall remove files but not folders

I created a wix installer using heat cmd.
On uninstall all files are removed but not all folders are removed.
this the relevant part of my code:
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="$(var.PlatformProgramFilesFolder)">
<Directory Id="companyDir" Name="companyName">
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="AppName">
<Directory Id="INSTALLDIR" >
<Directory Id="bin" Name="bin">
<!-- Auto-start via Registry -->
<Component Id="AppNameAutoStartUp" Guid="MYGUID">
<Condition>AUTOMATIC_START_UP=1 OR Installed</Condition>
<RegistryValue Id="App.rst" Root="HKCU" Action="write" Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" Name="AppName" Value="[#AppName.exe] -sc" Type="string" />
</Component>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="docs" Name="Docs">
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="CommonAppDataFolder">
<Directory Id="ConfCompanyDir" Name="Company">
<Directory Id="CONFINSTALLFOLDER" Name="AppName">
<Directory Id="CONFINSTALLDIR" >
<Directory Id="conf" Name="conf">
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
<!-- Shortcuts and Directories for Shortcuts -->
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder" Name="Programs">
<Directory Id="ProgramMenuDir" Name="AppName">
<Component Id="ProgramFilesShortcut" Guid="MYGUID">
<Condition>DESKTOP_SHORTCUT = 1</Condition>
<Shortcut Id="desktopAppName" Directory="DesktopFolder" Name="AppName" Target="[#AppName.exe]" WorkingDirectory="bin" Icon="AppIcon.ico">
</Shortcut>
<RemoveFolder Id="ProgramFilesShortcut" On="uninstall" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
</Component>
<Component Id="ProgramMenuDir" Guid="MYGUID">
<Shortcut Id="startmenuAppName" Directory="ProgramMenuFolder" Name="AppName" Target="[#AppName.exe]" Icon="AppIcon.ico" WorkingDirectory="bin" Arguments="-s">
<!-- Set the AppID in order to get toasts to work -->
<ShortcutProperty Key="System.AppUserModel.ID" Value="Company.AppName" />
</Shortcut>
<RemoveFolder Id="ProgramMenuDir" On="uninstall" />
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\[Manufacturer]\[ProductName]" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" Name="Desktop" />
</Directory>
The Docs folder is removed on uninstall but the bin folder is not removed (although it is empty, all the files are removed).
Does anyone have any idea why it is not removed?
I added code like this to your Feature element:
<Component Directory='INSTALLDIR'>
<RemoveFolder Id='CleanupApplicationFolder' On='uninstall' />
</Component>
So you should change INSTALLDIR to main folder (and it should uninstall all).

Create shortcut to desktop using WiX

How do I create a shortcut on the desktop from a wix setup project?
The shortcut is a non-advertised one.
Remember to put the component in your feature tag.
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" Name="Desktop">
<Component Id="ApplicationShortcutDesktop" Guid="*">
<Shortcut Id="ApplicationDesktopShortcut"
Name="Text under your icon"
Description="Comment field in your shortcut"
Target="[MYAPPDIRPROPERTY]MyApp.exe"
WorkingDirectory="MYAPPDIRPROPERTY"/>
<RemoveFolder Id="DesktopFolder" On="uninstall"/>
<RegistryValue
Root="HKCU"
Key="Software\MyCompany\MyApplicationName"
Name="installed"
Type="integer"
Value="1"
KeyPath="yes"/>
</Component>
</Directory>
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder" Name="PFiles">
<Directory Id="MyCompany" Name="MyCompany">
<Directory Id="MYAPPDIRPROPERTY" Name="MyAppName">
<!-- main installation files -->
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
I think my way is easier, no need for you to create a registry key:
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" SourceName="Desktop" />
<Directory Id="MergeRedirectFolder">
<Component Id="MyExeComponent" Guid="{PUT-GUID-HERE}">
<File Id="MyExeFile" Source="$(var.ExeSourcePath)" KeyPath="yes">
<Shortcut
Id="DesktopShortcut"
Directory="DesktopFolder"
Name="$(var.ShortcutName)"
WorkingDirectory="MergeRedirectFolder" />
</File>
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
Thanks for example. In WIX 3.8 it still raises:
"Error 3 ICE43: Component ... has non-advertised shortcuts. It should use a registry key under HKCU as its KeyPath, not a file."
So I did this such way in a file with features:
<Component Id="cmp79F6D61F01DD1060F418A05609A6DA70"
Directory="dirBin" Guid="*">
<File Id="fil34B100315EFE9D878B5C2227CD1454E1" KeyPath="yes"
Source="$(var.SourceDir)\FARMS.exe" >
<Shortcut Id="DesktopShortcut"
Directory="DesktopFolder"
Name="FARMS $(var.FarmsVersion)"
Description="Local Land Services desktop application"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
Icon="FARMS.exe"
IconIndex="0"
Advertise="yes" >
<Icon Id="FARMS.exe" SourceFile="$(var.SourceDir)\FARMS.exe" />
</Shortcut>
</File>
</Component>
And mentioned desktop folder in a file with product definition:
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" Name="Desktop" />
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="FARMS" >
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Fragment>
It seems lot easier in this documentation.
First, you have to point your DesktopFolder,
<Fragment>
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="DesktopFolder" Name="Desktop"/>
Then you should create Shortcut component for file that you want to create shortcut of.
<Component Id="PutYourComponentIdHere" Directory="FileDirectory" Guid="*">
<File Id="NotYourComponentId" KeyPath="yes" Source="..\YourFileSource\YourExecutable.exe">
<Shortcut Id="desktopServer" Directory="DesktopFolder" Name="YourShourtcutName" WorkingDirectory='WhereShouldYourShortcutPoint' Advertise="yes"/>
</File>
</Component>
It worked for me. I need to put icon but thats easy part. Hope it works.
After too much effort, I used this way:
<Product ...>
<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="SetupProject" Level="1">
...
...
<ComponentRef Id="cmpDesktopShortcut" />
</Feature>
<Component Id="cmpDesktopShortcut" Guid="PUT-GUID-HERE" Directory="DesktopFolder" >
<Shortcut Id="MyDesktopShortcut"
Name="Setup Project"
Description="Opens the program."
Directory="DesktopFolder"
Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]App.exe"
WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"/>
<RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\My Company\Sample Application" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
</Component>
</Product>
I believe that using a "Current User" (HKCU) registry key as Key Path causes problems on a multi-user machine tool. Because the registry key is only created for the current user and when a different user logs in, then the auto-repair of the installation kicks in.

How to create a directory in wix?

My requirement is to create a directory in programdata/test/example. How can I do that in wix?
Define the folder like this:
<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
<Directory Id="CommonAppDataFolder">
<Directory Id="TestFolder" Name="test">
<Directory Id="ExampleFolder" Name="example" />
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
The important part here is the CommonAppDataFolder Id, which is known by Windows installer. You can find the full list of known system folders in the Windows Installer Property Reference.
If you install any files to that folder, it will be created implicitly. If not, you can force it to be created by installing a component like this:
<Component Id="CreateTestFolder" Directory="ExampleFolder" Guid="PUT-RANDOM-GUID-HERE">
<CreateFolder />
</Component>
Under <Product> you can enter:
<DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
<Directory Id="CommonAppDataFolder">
<Directory Id="CommonAppXXXX" Name="test">
<Directory Id="CommonAppYYYY" Name="example">
<Component Id="CreateProgramDataZZZ" Guid="ABC-ETC">
<CreateFolder />
</Component>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
</DirectoryRef>
And reference the component CreateProgramDataZZZ in your feature.
It can also be helpful to set permissions on the directory like this:
<CreateFolder>
<util:PermissionEx User="Users" GenericAll="yes" />
</CreateFolder>
(in place of <CreateFolder />)
this will create folder for you...
<Directory Id="DIR_ID" Name="DIR_NAME">
<Component Guid="GUID" Id="id" KeyPath="no" NeverOverwrite="no" Permanent="no" Location="local">
<CreateFolder>
<util:PermissionEx CreateChild="yes" CreateFile="yes" Delete="yes" Read="yes" ReadAttributes="yes" ReadExtendedAttributes="yes" ReadPermission="yes" Traverse="yes" GenericRead="yes" GenericWrite="yes" User="Everyone" />
</CreateFolder>
</Component>
</Directory>