MSI Application Packaging: How to install a file into the user profile
Hello Application Guru's
I have a MSI packaging question.
I need to create a msi that installs a file into a userprofile \%username%\Appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\. This is for a large scale deployment
The problem is the %username% variable. I tried creating the file into C:\ProgramData\Appdata..but it didnt copy the file into the other users profiles.
How could best approach this?
**Am using Installshield 2013
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Coolio, its nice when you can simply move it to a machine location. Its not always that easy. - Badger 10 years ago
Answers (4)
Try using the [AppDataFolder] folder/property. This drops into the %username%\AppData\Roaming folder (off the top my head, so could be wrong, I always get muddled with prodefined folders)
Right click on the root of the folders, in the memu youll find it.
Thanks google for the pic!
http://community.flexerasoftware.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9011&stc=1&d=1300975619
Remember, you still need a entry point into the MSI to trigger the selfheal to propergate into the user profile. Are you using a shortcut to lunch the app - you could then use a advertised shortcut.
Good luck!
Comments:
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active setup could help if there is/was no trigger in the profile.. - jaybee96 10 years ago
There are 2 ways to achieve what you want in packaging terms, as has been alluded to above.
If the package has an advertised entry-point such as - but not exclusively an advertised shortcut, use self-healing. To save you time on this topic, Google for John McFadyen's blog on self-healing. You won't find a better, clearer write-up.
If the package has no advertised entry-point, use Active Setup. MSDN documents this quite well.
Outside the scope of packaging, particularly if this is a single file or small group of files, is to use a script called by the domain log-in script.
Apologize with the lateness of my reply...
I managed to resolved the issue via Badger's suggestion about copying the file to the C:\Program Files\... instead of the \\%username%\Appdata\.... The user was able to confirmed this method worked...
I have never used Active Setup Before (there was no entry point for this app) but it looks interesting and I might play around with a alternative package for practice using this method.
Many thanks to all that replied and espicially to Badger.
Take care all.