Software Deployment

This is a bit of a pain because you want to write a user-specific value to a machine-specific key.

If your users always used their own PCs and never roamed, you wouldn't have a problem. But it's very unusual to be in a position whereby you can say that no user will ever use another users' PC!

Assuming the was a per-machine install, my personal approach would be to use the "TempFolder" property in the registry table.

I'd also include a vbscript in my application folder like this:

Const sHKLMKEY = "HKLM\Software\Application\CacheFolder"

Set oWsh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

sTemp = LCase(oWsh.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%Temp%"))

sRegVal = LCase(oWsh.RegRead(sHKLMKEY))

Set oWsh = Nothing

If Instr(sRegVal, sTemp) = 0 Then

sProdCode = WScript.Arguments(0)

Const sFeature = "NameOfFeatureContainingHKLMKeysGoesHere"
Const msiReinstallModeMachineData = 128
Const msiUILevelNone = 2

Set oInst = CreateObject("WindowsInstaller.Installer")

oInst.UILevel = msiUILevelNone
oInst.ReinstallFeature sProdCode, sFeature, msiReinstallModeMachineData

Set oInst = Nothing

End If

I haven't tested the script, so it's probably got bugs that need fixing.

Then I'd create a shortcut to the script in the "StartupFolder" so that it would run at each logon. The "Arguments" column of the "Shortcut" table would take the following data: "[ProductCode]". You could use a machine "run" registry key if you preferred.

There's definately easier ways of doing this, but in my humble opinion you'll struggle to find a neater one. This same technique can be used to do many other things, including running custom actions with "system" privileges at logon (assuming the install is managed). Notice that you could have written a simpler script to edit the registry key directly, but the user would need permissions to the key first.[;)]

Local Settings\Temp is not roamed

How to use the TempFolder property in registry table?

What made you think it did roam?

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ExcludeProfileDirs"

The issue caused by roaming is that the value of your "HKLM" key should be different for all users who might roam onto that machine. Therefore the vlue of the key must change every time a different user logs on to the PC. As long as the sae user logs on every day, there is no need for the value to change.

"[TempFolder]".

If your users always used their own PCs and never roamed, you wouldn't have a problem. But it's very unusual to be in a position whereby you can say that no user will ever use another users' PC!

maybe i misunderstood you ..

I gave it up and placed the Cache folder in the Program directory

Like I said... there are easier ways of solving your problem. Unfortunately, many of them aren't always desirable or permissable.

Whilst your quick fix may be acceptable in your environment, it would be a definate "no no" in many other environments. For a start, you're potentially allowing users to write data to an undesirable location. Depending on what the application is you could also be compromising confidential information.

Even using the "TempFolder" may have been a bad option in the first place. If an application uses information from that folder from one session to another, it may be preferable to use a roaming or redirected folder.

"[TempFolder]".

Oh thats a property ;-)

Like I said... there are easier ways of solving your problem. Unfortunately, many of them aren't always desirable or permissable.

Well, i can't argue with your consideration for a secure invironment, as it may be different for every company, but was just looking for the techinal approach, as i realize that you have to change the HKLM key for every user - made me think if it would accept the key in HKCU, but also there is an issue how long you can spend on one package, considering this is small package for a low percentage of company users i made the easy choice

Thanks for your input!

Bart [8|]