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Changing Default Installation Locations for Setup Packages

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When you create a setup package with the Packaging Wizard, you can specify where the application should be installed on a user's computers by choosing from a list of installation locations.

You can also identify whether a file should be shared with other applications or not. A shared file can be used by other applications. Designating it as a shared file ensures that the file is left on the user's computer when other applications using the shared file are uninstalled.

Note   When you build a setup package with the Packaging Wizard, a new folder will be created in the user's C:\Program Files folder. By default, the folder is given the name you provided for the application on the Application Information screen. This folder is added even if you are not installing the application itself to the Program Files folder and is used to store information for uninstalling the application.

To modify the installation location for a particular file

  1. In the Packaging Wizard, on the Modify Installation Locations screen, click the Installation Location field and use the drop-down menu to select a path location.

    Installation location options Example
    $(AppPath) C:\Program Files\ApplicationName
    $(WinPath) C:\Windows
    $(WinSysPath) C:\Windows\System
    $(WinSysPathSysFile) C:\Windows\System32
    $(CommonFiles) C:\Program Files\Common Files
    $(CommonFilesSys) C:\Program Files\Common Files\System
    $(ProgramFiles) C:\Program Files
    $(MSDAOPath) C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\DAO
    $(Font) C:\Windows\Fonts

  2. Add subfolder information to an installation location by clicking in the Installation Location field at the end of the token and typing a backslash followed by the subfolder name, for example, $(ProgramFiles)\My Subfolder.

  3. In the Shared field, use the drop-down menu to select whether the file should be shared with other applications. To share the file, select True. To not share the file, select False.

  4. Click Next, or if you have established the necessary options for your setup package, then click Finish to package your application and close the Packaging Wizard.

See Also

The Packaging Process | Creating a Setup Package Using the Packaging Wizard | Deploying Your Application | Packaging Wizard | Testing Your Setup Package | Dependencies Screen (Packaging Wizard) | Including Dependency Files in Setup Packages