Predefined Variables Confusion in Files & Directory Paths
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:25 pm
Hi again,
I pretty much spent half day playing with all the pre-defined variables dealing with paths trying to find the right variable I need that works with both CD/DVD install and single file installs.
I placed a setup.ini file with the installer so that the installer can read default configurations from it. However obtaining the pre-defined variable that contains the path to the installer was difficult. I found that it was conditionally, SFXDIR for compressed and either EXEDIR or ROOTDIR for uncompressed (both will always provide the same value no matter what type of installer, kinda ridiculous)
This is my findings for the other directories:
EXEDIR - folder path to exe file paired with the msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
EXEFILE - file path to exe file paired with the msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
MSIFILE - file path to msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
ROOTDIR - folder path to msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
SFXFILE - file path to the exe setup file (real one) when compressed, otherwise blank
SFXDIR - folder to the exe setup (real one) when compressed, otherwise blank
It would have been nice if the help documentation explained this better.
This is what is says in documentation:
EXEDIR: The folder containing the setup executable itself.
EXEFILE: The full path and file name of the setup executable.
MSIFILE: The full path and file name of the setup installation database.
ROOTDIR: The folder containing the setup executable itself.
Notice that EXEDIR and EXEFILE, and ROOTDIR sounds like the path to the setup executable that the user typically runs? Too bad it's not.
Continuing on:
SFXFILE: If an uncompressed directory layout is used, this variable is empty. Otherwise set to the file name of the self extracting executable which bootstrapped the installer.
SFXPATH: If an uncompressed directory layout is used, this variable is empty. Otherwise set to the full path of the folder containing the self extracting executable which bootstrapped the installer.
Let me know if I'm wrong with my findings.
Hope this helps someone.
Kenneth
I pretty much spent half day playing with all the pre-defined variables dealing with paths trying to find the right variable I need that works with both CD/DVD install and single file installs.
I placed a setup.ini file with the installer so that the installer can read default configurations from it. However obtaining the pre-defined variable that contains the path to the installer was difficult. I found that it was conditionally, SFXDIR for compressed and either EXEDIR or ROOTDIR for uncompressed (both will always provide the same value no matter what type of installer, kinda ridiculous)
This is my findings for the other directories:
EXEDIR - folder path to exe file paired with the msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
EXEFILE - file path to exe file paired with the msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
MSIFILE - file path to msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
ROOTDIR - folder path to msi installer (usually in temp when extracted)
SFXFILE - file path to the exe setup file (real one) when compressed, otherwise blank
SFXDIR - folder to the exe setup (real one) when compressed, otherwise blank
It would have been nice if the help documentation explained this better.
This is what is says in documentation:
EXEDIR: The folder containing the setup executable itself.
EXEFILE: The full path and file name of the setup executable.
MSIFILE: The full path and file name of the setup installation database.
ROOTDIR: The folder containing the setup executable itself.
Notice that EXEDIR and EXEFILE, and ROOTDIR sounds like the path to the setup executable that the user typically runs? Too bad it's not.
Continuing on:
SFXFILE: If an uncompressed directory layout is used, this variable is empty. Otherwise set to the file name of the self extracting executable which bootstrapped the installer.
SFXPATH: If an uncompressed directory layout is used, this variable is empty. Otherwise set to the full path of the folder containing the self extracting executable which bootstrapped the installer.
Let me know if I'm wrong with my findings.
Hope this helps someone.
Kenneth