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Installation of Isolated Components

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Windows Installer performs the following actions during installation of an application when the package contains isolated components. Typically, Component_Shared is a DLL that is shared by Component_Application and other client executables.

Installation

  • Copy the files of Component_Shared into the same folder as Component_Application only if Component_Application is also being installed.
  • Create a zero-byte file with the short file name of the key file of Component_Application. Locate this file in the same folder as Component_Application. Append the extension .LOCAL to this file name.
  • Increment the SharedDLL refcount if the msidbComponentAttributesSharedDllRefCount bit is set in the Attributes column of the Component table.
  • Register Component_Application as a client of Component_Shared and register a key path pointing to the shared location of Component_Shared.
  • Install all of the resources of Component_Application as usual.

If Component_Shared or its key file is already installed on the computer do not copy files to the shared location of Component_Shared.

If Component_Shared or its key file is not yet installed on the computer:

  • Copy the files of Component_Shared to the shared location.
  • Process all install actions for Component_Shared.
  • If Component_Shared is a COM component, register the full COM path such that the syntax [$Component] and [#FileKey] point to the shared location of Component_Shared.