Shortcut problems

Shortcut problems

• Carltegeder

  I have a separate project for the installer (but like yours, both executable and the installer project are in the same solution). My shorcuts are also pointing to the install directory (instead of the executable itself). I don't think there is anyway to make the shortcut to point to a specific file in Windows installer (God knows why).
   
  I will indeed try to set the registry key in the application itself if everything else fail, but I'm really curious to find a solution for this problem the "Microsoft" way :D
  
  You can check your Application Event Viewer to find the exact problem of why your program keep repairing it's install (it'll tell you what's missing or broken).
  
  I'll definitely let you know when I find a solution to mine.
  
  

• DemonEyesKyo

  I'm having the same problem.
  
  My problem is: I have a registry entry - to have the program run at startup - that's set during the install process. In my application, user can opt to have this feature turned off (the program will then delete this registry entry). However, when that's done, the next time user launches the program through the shortcut item, the windows installer repair is launched (you can see the whole problem on the event viewer). This however is not happening when they launch the program directly (by launching the .exe file)
  
  So I know where it all occured, just not sure how to fix it (to make the shortcut ignore the existance of this registry entry.
  
  The closest solution I have on this is from the MSDN chat forum: http://msdn.microsoft.com/chats/transcripts/windows/windows_060503.aspx

  "....do not make these resources key paths of any components"

  I don't understand what that means :)  Does that mean I can't refer to that registry entry on my code anywhere
  
  Any input will be appreciated.

  
  
  

• LucaTarrini

  Here is something more interesting.  When trying to fix the shorcut the properties dialog is not the same as a regular shorcut.  Many things can not be changed and even if the path for the failed shorcut is changed to the real location, it still does not work.
  
  

• Saranga Amarasinghe

  Hopefully I can shed some light on what is happening and the issues you are seeing.

  Visual Studio creates advertised shortcuts.  What these do is check on the condition of the application (all the files are there and all of the registry entries are there) when you launch the app through the shortcut.

  I think that explains all of the behavior you are seeing.

  Now to work around it there are several things you can do.

  Edit the built MSI using ORCA, it is a tool included with the Windows Installer SDK.  In the shortcut table change the Target from "DEFAULTFEATURE" to probably
  "[TARGETFOLDER]\<name of your app>" This will create a regular shortcut rather then an advertised one.

  If you know where the app is going to be installed you can create a regular shortcut to that path. Change its extension (VS will resolve shortcuts to actual files) then add it to the setup project finally change its target name back to the correct extension ".lnk"

  If you wanted to add a registry entry that will be changed but still retain the benefits of advertised shortcuts you could create the reg key on first run as was suggested or during a custom action.  

  I hope that clears up what is happening and gives you a way to solve your problems.
  

  
  
  

• Haitashi

  Thanks.  I checked the log and there is nothing out of the ordinary - installation successful it says.  I now tried to copy all my vb code into a blank solution and create another new deployment project and that doesn't work.
  
  Hallelujah!  I found that my startup module that I was using to handle command line parameters was the problem.  So I removed it and set the default startup object to a form AND I had to rebuilt the entire solution, copying the source code to it.
  
  I hope that you find a solution to your problem Summer.
  
  

• Ajish M

  I figured out how to do this without manually editing the .msi

  This same question was asked in several different threads so I put the answer in a central plase here:

  http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=1221084&SiteID=1&mode=1

  Jacob Wagner
  Sr. IT Technician
  American River College
  wagnerjp AT arc DOT losrios DOT edu

  
  

• Keessie

  Will this also help with a shortcut that I added to the Start - Programs - Application folder of my msi Instead of creating a shortcut normal shortcut it created one with a target that can not be changed. This target does not point to the application directory. The program will not start correctly because my VB application has a connection that points to an ini file. This ini file is in the application directory.

  Thank you.

  
  

• Archana G

  That was an interesting windows installer chat.  I think that not setting the registry key in the installer is worth a try.  You could create the registry key on the first run of the executable.  You could keep track if it is the first run using a text file or just call the program once, after installation is complete, by sending a command line parameter like MyApp.exe -RegisterKey
  
  
  As for my situation,
  
  This is my new hypothesis:
  The problem is with the primary output of the project that I am installing.
  
  These are my reasons:
  

  • It links to the output folder and not any one specific file.
  • I've created multiple new deployment projects using all the default values and any combination I thought worth trying and ALL of them failed at creating a shorcut to the primary output of my project.

  Maybe the actual problem is having the deployment project in the same solution
  
  I am using a custom installer class from the same project that it is installing.  Maybe this is the problem.  Are you using a custom installer class
  
  
• Shortcut problems