Keeping registry entries across installs

[XS]

Our application stores settings in the registry that need to exist between
installs. These keys are set to default values in the setup script.

When a user installs a new version and the old one is removed those registry keys don't need to be deleted and recreated in the new install.

We've tried marking the entries permanent, but that does not seem to help.

The new install seems to overwrite with the default values even if the key already exists. There is a flag in InnoSetup that specifies to only create the key if it does not exist. We need to get the same effect in InstallAware.

What is the best way to do this?

Thank you.

[MichaelNesmith]

Unfortunately, Windows Installer does not provide a "do not overwrite" flag for the registry. InstallAware, being a Windows Installer tool, must be constrained this limitation.

However, you may use the Check Registry and If commands to branch your setup code at runtime, and call Write Registry on the related keys only if they do not already exist. This is what InstallAware adds to Windows Installer - branching execution at runtime.