Add program shortcuts to MSI
So I repackaged a non-MSI-based app. Along the way I created several MSI's that didn't work (I'd get error messages when I tried launching the program said I was missing some reg entries), and eventually one that did.
In the MSI that works, there weren't any program shortcuts on the desktop or in Start > Programs. But in one of my non-working MSI's, the shortcuts were there.
So I'm trying to add the shortcuts to my working MSI. I'm as far as having the shortcuts appear both on the desktop and in Start > Programs, but the program icon doesn't appear for either shortcut.
Here's my only clue: in the broken MSI that has the correct shortcuts, the Icon table lists "Icon1" for Name and "[Binary Data]" for Data, whereas my working MSI does not.
I just discovered I can't copy rows between MSI's, at least not with Orca, and I can't manually enter this data into my working MSI because "[Binary Data]" isn't a legit entry.
Reckon I should also mention that I have two shortcuts in the "Shortcut" table, and these I was able to manually recreate by typing in the data from the broken MSI.
So I'm guessing I need to do something in the "Icon" table; I'm just not sure what.
In the MSI that works, there weren't any program shortcuts on the desktop or in Start > Programs. But in one of my non-working MSI's, the shortcuts were there.
So I'm trying to add the shortcuts to my working MSI. I'm as far as having the shortcuts appear both on the desktop and in Start > Programs, but the program icon doesn't appear for either shortcut.
Here's my only clue: in the broken MSI that has the correct shortcuts, the Icon table lists "Icon1" for Name and "[Binary Data]" for Data, whereas my working MSI does not.
I just discovered I can't copy rows between MSI's, at least not with Orca, and I can't manually enter this data into my working MSI because "[Binary Data]" isn't a legit entry.
Reckon I should also mention that I have two shortcuts in the "Shortcut" table, and these I was able to manually recreate by typing in the data from the broken MSI.
So I'm guessing I need to do something in the "Icon" table; I'm just not sure what.
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Posted by:
MSIPackager
15 years ago
You can copy and paste rows from the icon table in Orca (ctrl+shift+c / ctrl+shift+v).
Or you can write the contents of the binary column from the working MSI to a file on your PC (e.g. c:\temp\icon.ico) then read it back into the icon table of the broken one.
Cheers,
Rob.
Or you can write the contents of the binary column from the working MSI to a file on your PC (e.g. c:\temp\icon.ico) then read it back into the icon table of the broken one.
Cheers,
Rob.
Posted by:
RonW
15 years ago
Well that's bizarre: I swear I tried every way I could think up to copy and paste rows between two MSI's but couldn't. Then I read your message, tried it again, and...it worked. Also saw how I could write the binary contents to a file, so thanks for that info too.
One extra question: I just noticed I have an extraneous uninstall entry in Add/Remove Programs which I assume is getting added via my MSI. I'm not sure how to go about tracking it down, and making sure I'm deleting the extraneous one as opposed to the correct one.
One extra question: I just noticed I have an extraneous uninstall entry in Add/Remove Programs which I assume is getting added via my MSI. I'm not sure how to go about tracking it down, and making sure I'm deleting the extraneous one as opposed to the correct one.
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