Hey Tom,
I have the option for users to choose the installation directory from a
custom InstallDirDlg.wxs file, basically just copied with a different name,
call it MyInstallDirDlg.wxs. The user can either click a button and browse
or type the location manually into an edit field. The value gets set to a
property defined in my main installer .wxs file as WIXUI_INSTALLDIR. Then
in a custom MyWixUI_InstallDir.wxs, I have it publish the SetTargetPath
event to value [WIXUI_INSTALLDIR].
By default the directory structure is put in as follows:
<Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
<Directory Id='ProductFolder' Name='Product'>
<Directory Id="PRODUCTVERSIONFOLDER" Name="Version">
<RegistryKey Root="HKCU"
Key="Software\IWARS\ResearchAndDevelopment\Uninstall">
<RegistryValue Value="0" Type="string" KeyPath="yes" />
</RegistryKey>
... components below ...
</Directory>
</Directory>
</Directory>
Thomas Svare wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> How does the directory for the binaries and docs get set when the user
> chooses a non-default install directory? It sounds like this isn't
> happening in any maintenance operations.
>
> Thanks,
> Tom
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 8:07 AM
> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate directories
>
>
> Hey Tom,
>
> I managed to get a verbose log of a good and bad uninstall (seemed the
> easiest place to start.) INSTALLDIR was set properly in both logs. The
> issue with the uninstall prevents itself with only the data files used
> by
> our application being removed. This holds true for the other issues as
> well, the data files don't seem to be causing a problem. The binary
> files
> and documentation for our product remain behind. In both logs their
> directory data is also the same, which naturally means it works fine
> when
> installed to the default directory.
>
> There isn't really any key difference between the binary files being
> installed and the data files. One difference being that all the binary
> files are being installed under a single component (which I know is a
> rule
> violation but the ruling to do it this way is happening above me). I
> also
> don't see how it could be contributing to this particular problem.
>
>
> Thomas Svare wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Try looking at the property dump section of a verbose log and compare
>> the directory table entry values between a good default install and a
>> bad patch/repair/uninstall. INSTALLDIR is has been an issue for me in
>> the past.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Tom
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
>> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 3:50 PM
>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate directories
>>
>>
>> Thanks for the tip Tom, I'm looking into at least one discrepency that
> I
>> saw
>> come up after the Orca/patch transform. I'm not sure if it's causing
>> this
>> error or not but chances are it would have caused problems down the
>> road.
>>
>> The second issue you mentioned I was curious about as well. Do you
> know
>> of
>> anything that could cause a property to be set by the UI and not by
>> repair
>> and uninstall? I could see this happening with registry key entries
>> which
>> shouldn't be the case in my installer, but could you help me to
>> understand
>> what to look for with troublesome UI properties as well?
>>
>>
>> Thomas Svare wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> You just open the msi with Orca then choose Transform->View Patch and
>>> navigate to the msp and select OK and you'll see the changes in Orca.
>>>
>>> Since repairs and uninstalls are showing the problem it sounds like
>> some
>>> property is getting set by the UI that isn't being re-set during
>>> patch/repair/uninstall.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Tom
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
>>> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:59 PM
>>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate directories
>>>
>>>
>>> I definitely reviewed the tables for both my installer msi as well as
>> my
>>> patch msp while trying to figure out this problem. I've never heard
>> of
>>> applying a patch using orca before though, I took at look but didn't
>> see
>>> an
>>> obvious way of doing this. Could you let me know how to use orca to
>>> apply
>>> the patch? Also the issue extends beyond patching to include repairs
>>> and
>>> uninstalls so I think the problem runs deeper than just how the patch
>> is
>>> applied.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thomas Svare wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> You may have already tried this but sometimes opening the msi and
>>>> applying the patch with Orca can point out things that are buried in
>> a
>>>> verbose log like removing a component from a feature during a patch
>>> etc.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Tom
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:00 PM
>>>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate
> directories
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> All of the components are listed as:
>>>>
>>>> Installed: Local; Request: Local; Action: Local.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Blair-2 wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> What does the log say about the component statuses?
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:27 AM
>>>>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate
>> directories
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hey Blair-2, I'd be happy to share a log of the installation but
>>>>> unfortunately I'm doing this for a company and I'm not allowed to
>>> post
>>>> the
>>>>> information for a log. I've studied the logs myself during
> patching
>>>> and
>>>>> it
>>>>> looks like it doesn't recognize that the install path is different
>>>> from
>>>>> C:\Program Files\Appname\etc. What it ends up outputting is a list
>>> of
>>>> the
>>>>> files being installed by the patch but each one specifies To be
>>>> installed;
>>>>> Won't patch; No existing file.
>>>>>
>>>>> If you're interested in a particular portion of the log file I
> might
>>>> be
>>>>> able
>>>>> to show you by replacing the product and path information with
>>>> fictional
>>>>> data so you could see what might be the problem without my
> violating
>>>> my
>>>>> company's policies.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank for all your help so far!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Blair-2 wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The location that the components you are patching are already
>>>> installed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Could you share a log that shows it not working in that
>>> circumstance?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 1:55 PM
>>>>>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate
>>> directories
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> When you refer to the "currently installed location", are you
>>>> referring
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> the location that my product installs to by default or the
> location
>>>>>> selected
>>>>>> by the user. If the latter, then the patch should be installing
> to
>>>> that
>>>>>> location.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Blair-2 wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are your patches MSP files performing either small updates or
>> minor
>>>>>>> upgrades? If so, the patch application won't let you patch
>> anywhere
>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>> than the currently installed location since the keypath of the
>>>>>>> components
>>>>>>> can't be changed without a major upgrade.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: XorPtr [mailto:reaper4...@gmail.com]
>>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 1:12 PM
>>>>>>> To: wix-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>>>> Subject: [WiX-users] Patching problems with alternate directories
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I've been having an issue with my WiX patch which I haven't been
>>>> able to
>>>>>>> find
>>>>>>> any information for. The company I work for wants to give users
>>> the
>>>>>>> freedom
>>>>>>> to install our product in a directory of their choice. We've
>> given
>>>> the
>>>>>>> installer a default directory which can be changed at install
> time
>>>> by
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> user. This has worked fine up until attempting to patch the
>>>> package. I
>>>>>>> successfully made a patch which patches the package without
>> problem
>>>> if
>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>> installed to the default location, however if users choose to
>>>> install
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> product in an alternate location and then patch the patch fails
>>>> because
>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>> still trying to change files on the default location. Any ideas
>> on
>>>> how
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> can dynamically set up the patch install location based on where
>>> the
>>>>>>> user
>>>>>>> installs our product? Thanks in advance.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Big Jim.
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> View this message in context:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
>>>> 386p
>>>>>>> 4102386.html
>>>>>>> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ----
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Join us December 9, 2009 for the Red Hat Virtual Experience,
>>>>>>> a free event focused on virtualization and cloud computing.
>>>>>>> Attend in-depth sessions from your desk. Your couch. Anywhere.
>>>>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/redhat-sfdev2dev
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ----
>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Join us December 9, 2009 for the Red Hat Virtual Experience,
>>>>>>> a free event focused on virtualization and cloud computing.
>>>>>>> Attend in-depth sessions from your desk. Your couch. Anywhere.
>>>>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/redhat-sfdev2dev
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> View this message in context:
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
>>>> 386p
>>>>>> 4142265.html
>>>>>> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ----
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Return on Information:
>>>>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>>>>> Get the facts.
>>>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ----
>>>>> --
>>>>>> Return on Information:
>>>>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>>>>> Get the facts.
>>>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> View this message in context:
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
>>>> 386p
>>>>> 4145621.html
>>>>> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ----
>>>>> --
>>>>> Return on Information:
>>>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>>>> Get the facts.
>>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ------
>>>>> Return on Information:
>>>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>>>> Get the facts.
>>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> View this message in context:
>>>>
>>>
>>
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
>>>> 386p4146422.html
>>>> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ------
>>>> Return on Information:
>>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>>> Get the facts.
>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ------
>>>> Return on Information:
>>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>>> Get the facts.
>>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> View this message in context:
>>>
>>
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
>>> 386p4146811.html
>>> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ------
>>> Return on Information:
>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>> Get the facts.
>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ------
>>> Return on Information:
>>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>>> Get the facts.
>>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> WiX-users mailing list
>>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> View this message in context:
>>
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
>> 386p4147717.html
>> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ------
>> Return on Information:
>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>> Get the facts.
>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>> _______________________________________________
>> WiX-users mailing list
>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------
>> Return on Information:
>> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
>> Get the facts.
>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
>> _______________________________________________
>> WiX-users mailing list
>> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>>
>>
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102
> 386p4151154.html
> Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------
> Return on Information:
> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
> Get the facts.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
> _______________________________________________
> WiX-users mailing list
> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Return on Information:
> Google Enterprise Search pays you back
> Get the facts.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
> _______________________________________________
> WiX-users mailing list
> WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
>
>
--
View this message in context:
http://n2.nabble.com/Patching-problems-with-alternate-directories-tp4102386p4164725.html
Sent from the wix-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return on Information:
Google Enterprise Search pays you back
Get the facts.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/google-dev2dev
_______________________________________________
WiX-users mailing list
WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
