We have a DLL project that extends an installed product. The installed application has a registry key that points to its own /Bin directory:

HKLM/Software/MyCompany/MyApplication - Key=ExePath Value="Progra~1/MyApplication/Bin"

What we would like to do is take that registry value, remove the /Bin and interpose something different:

Progra~1/MyApplication/Extensions

However, the .Net Setup Project has no method for manipulating this value either directly or via a Custom Action. This needs to be automatic because different versions of the "MyApplication" may have slightly different target directory structures.

In my searches, it looks like the only access I have for doing this kind of thing is using C++ and acting on the Msi handle or switching to use one of the third party installers out there like InstallShield or Wise.

Any ideas?

If you can't use that exact path as returned from the search then yes, you're correct, you can't run code (like a custom action) before the install to set folders etc.

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Phil Wilson

You can do this with:
1) A Search Target Machine (in LaunchConditions) that searches for the registry path and stores it in a property.
2) A Custom folder where the Property is the name of your search property.

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Phil Wilson

Thats the issue. We do use a Search Target Machine - Registry value:

(Name)= ACLocation
Property = ACLOCATION
RegKey = Software\Kofax Image Products\Ascent Capture\3.0
Root = vsdrrHKLM
Value = EXEPATH

This registry value will be something like this:

C:\Program Files\AscentSS\ServLib\Bin

I really need to use this registry value because it could be different depending upon the specific installation of the main product, i.e.:

C:\Program Files\Ascent\ServLib\Bin
D:\AscentSS\ServLib\Bin
etc...

What I want to do is get this value, remove the "Bin" off the end and interpose something like, "Cap\MyApp", producing an install target like this:

C:\Program Files\AscentSS\ServLib\Cap\MyApp

So far, I haven't been able to find a way to do this within the .Net Setup Deployment Project.

If you can't use that exact path as returned from the search then yes, you're correct, you can't run code (like a custom action) before the install to set folders etc.

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Phil Wilson

That's unfortunate. I was rather hoping there was some back door method for doing this.Thank you for your help.