WiX - How do I install to an alternative path if registry search fails

Question

My program is supposed to be installed to a path that recorded in registry. If the registry key is not found, then install to another(default) path.

For example, I'd like to have something like:

<Property Id="MYINSTALLDIR">
    <RegistrySearch Id='MyRegistry' Type='raw' Root='HKCU' Key='Software\MyApp\Foo' Name='InstallDir' />
    if not found, then set "MYINSTALLDIR" to "D:\working\defaultApps"
</Property>

How should I write my wxs file to make this happen?

EDIT:

The problem now is:

if not found in registry, then set "MYINSTALLDIR" to LocalAppDataFolder

I tried

<Property Id="MYINSTALLDIR" Value="LocalAppDataFolder">
    <RegistrySearch Id='MyRegistry' Type='raw' Root='HKCU' Key='Software\MyApp\Foo' Name='InstallDir' />
</Property>

But error returned:

Error 1606. Could not access network location LocalAppDataFolder.

See this answer on how to set a property based on a condition: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1690162/wix-set-a-property-based-on-a-condition — BryanJ, Aug 08 '12 at 20:17

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 15 '12 at 06:23

Ok, I finally figure out how to do it.

With Custom Action, the default value can now be set to another property:

<Property Id="MYINSTALLDIR">
    <RegistrySearch Id='MyRegistry' Type='raw' Root='HKCU' Key='Software\MyApp\Foo' Name='InstallDir' />
</Property>

<CustomAction Id="UserInstallDir" Property="InstallDir" Value="[INSTALLDIRCU]" Execute="immediate" />
<CustomAction Id="UserInstallDirDefault" Property="InstallDir" Value="[LocalAppDataFolder]" Execute="immediate" />

<InstallExecuteSequence>
    <Custom Action="UserInstallDir" After="AppSearch">MYINSTALLDIR</Custom>      
    <Custom Action="UserInstallDirDefault" After="AppSearch">NOT MYINSTALLDIR</Custom>      
</InstallExecuteSequence>

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 09 '12 at 00:06

4

From memory the example below should work. If no value is found for the search, the property gets the default value. It's only overwritten if the search succeeds.

<Property Id="MYINSTALLDIR" Value="Default Property Value">
    <RegistrySearch Id='MyRegistry' Type='raw' Root='HKCU' Key='Software\MyApp\Foo' Name='InstallDir' />
</Property>

answered Aug 09 '12 at 00:06

saschabeaumont

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I just met problem with your solution. Just edited my question, could you help to have a look? Thx! – Deqing Aug 15 '12 at 05:27

WiX - How do I install to an alternative path if registry search fails

2 Answers2