Re: Detect Previous Version
Hi Jeff,
> Why does the setup require that we support an uninstall if we want to
> detect previous version?
Because this is a requirement of the Windows development guidelines. You
have to register the product (using a Product GUID) with Windows to support
the standard detect previous version feature. If you don't do this and you
would like to support a non-standard detect previous version method then you
have to create your own Windows registry key & unique value name and write
the installation folder (and optionally the version, installation date,
etc.) to the registry (e.g. using the "Edit Registry..." SB function). You
have to read that value name to detect the previous version (e.g. using the
"Get Registry Key Value..." SB function).
BTW, it is absolutely mandatory to register the uninstall along with the
Product GUID if you are using the standard method. Otherwise, system
optimizer or other registry clean tools (or even Windows itself) might
remove the Product GUID from the registry. After that your product can't be
detected any longer without performing a complete system search.
Does this help?
Friedrich
Re: Detect Previous Version
Yes, that helps Friedrich. Thanks.
Is there a particular system wide "traditional" place I should put my
custom registry key?
Thanks.
Jeff Slarve
www.jssoftware.com
Twitter free since Jan 11, 2016
I'll search help files & Google for you.
Grammar troll's, are the worse.
Re: Detect Previous Version
Hi Jeff,
> Is there a particular system wide "traditional" place I should put my
> custom registry key?
I believe it's this one:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall
Best regards,
--
Arnor Baldvinsson
Icetips Alta LLC
Re: Detect Previous Version
Hi Jeff,
> Yes, that helps Friedrich. Thanks.
>
> Is there a particular system wide "traditional" place I should put my
> custom registry key?
The following would be perfectly valid:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\YourCompany\YourProduc t
Friedrich
Re: Detect Previous Version
Hi Arnor,
>> Is there a particular system wide "traditional" place I should put my
>> custom registry key?
>
> I believe it's this one:
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall
This is the key for the standard registration. If you put your
"non-uninstall" information into this key, system optimizer, registry clean
tools or Windows might remove the information.
Friedrich
Re: Detect Previous Version
Thanks again Friedrich.
Jeff Slarve
www.jssoftware.com
Twitter free since Jan 11, 2016
I'll search help files & Google for you.
Grammar troll's, are the worse.
Re: Detect Previous Version
A checkbox in SB could do this very thing in "Detect Previous Version"
if there's no uninstall desired :)
Jeff Slarve
www.jssoftware.com
Twitter free since Jan 11, 2016
I'll search help files & Google for you.
Grammar troll's, are the worse.
Re: Detect Previous Version
Hi Friedrich,
>>> Is there a particular system wide "traditional" place I should put my
>>> custom registry key?
>>
>> I believe it's this one:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall
>
> This is the key for the standard registration. If you put your
> "non-uninstall" information into this key, system optimizer, registry clean
> tools or Windows might remove the information.
Oops, sorry, didn't realize the change in subject;)
ut I believe that is the key where *uninstallers* should place their
information, correct?
I have software that never shows up in the Programs list in the control
panel for uninstalls. Is that because it doesn't write the information
to this key? Some may come with uninstallers and they seem to work
correctly, but just never show up in the list so they have be
uninstalled "manually"
Best regards
--
Arnor Baldvinsson
Icetips Alta LLC
Re: Detect Previous Version
Hi Arnor,
> Oops, sorry, didn't realize the change in subject;)
>
> ut I believe that is the key where *uninstallers* should place
> their information, correct?
Yes, that's correct :)
> I have software that never shows up in the Programs list in the
> control panel for uninstalls. Is that because it doesn't write
> the information to this key? Some may come with uninstallers
> and they seem to work correctly, but just never show up in the
> list so they have be uninstalled "manually"
Yes, I think so. The installer has to write an unique application product
code GUID and specific information (e.g. product name, version, install
location, etc.) to this key. SetupBuilder handles this automatically.
Friedrich