How to create a Per-User Registry keys in MST?
I have created a Transform (MST) for Vendor extracted MSI. I need to add couple of Reg Keys under [HKCU]Software\AppName. I simply created those keys in NewComponent that i created under CurrentUserFeature. When i tested it in Test Machine, the Registry entries did not get created. I do not have any Advertised entry under the feature. Can anyone suggest on how to make this Registry keys created for all Users that log into the machine.
Answers (1)
if you have no advertised entry point into the msi (like a shortcut), self-heal will not trigger.
Things you can do/check
- put the currentUser feature as a parent to all other features, that way if you do have an advertised shortcut, it will also repair your settings,
- make sure one of the registry keys is keypath of the CurrentUser feature, and that is won't exist yet before the self-heal,
- if you don't have an advertised shortcut anywhere and can't make one, you could use ActiveSetup to trigger the command msiexec.exe /fu <your msi or productcode> /qn for a silent repair per-user
- make sure the WriteRegistryValues and RemoveRegistryValues standard actions are part of the execute sequence for the msi (InstallExecuteSequence table)
Comments:
-
Hi,
The reason i didn't make CurrentUserFeature as parent Feature is because i do not want to change the Vendor logic. I have tried using the Active Setup, and it works fine but it takes longer than usual for User while trying to Login first time. I hope that won;t be a problem. Can any of the Registry keys be set as key path under same featue? Can you please elaborate more. Thanks in advance. - shrestha.rajiv.k 10 years ago-
>because i do not want to change the Vendor logic.
You won't be changing any of that, just the feature's position in the tree. I can't think of a single MSI where a vendor tested for a feature's position in that tree.
Remember also that there are entry-points for advertising other than shortcuts. Look them up in MSDN.
>put the currentUser feature as a parent to all other features
To trigger self-healing there's no need to move ALL the features, only the one(s) which contain the advertised entry-point. In your case, if there are none, shuffling the feature tree is pointless. - anonymous_9363 10 years ago-
Thank you for clarifying, i have got these working. I did not realize that it is that easy. Thank you again. - shrestha.rajiv.k 10 years ago
