2 replies to this topic

[sweetp]

I wanted to try to write an installer that would install a number of needed components.  These components already have installers,  so my installer calls them (successfully).  

However I want only 1 item to appear in Add/Remove Programs control panel.  What is the proper way to do this?  I tried hacking the registry,  removing the components keys from the uninstall location of the registry,  and remember their uninstallStrings in my registry.  

However this seems to be a dangerous thing to do.  On uninstall,  when I use the unsintallStrings that I remembered,  the components seem to be confused whether they are already installed or not.

[Taco Bell]

Yes, you always have to be careful with modifying the registry.

Howevever, your best approach, would be to either delete or rename the DisplayName registry entries for these encapsulated installs.  Then customize OnMaintUIBefore/OnMaintUIAfter to have your wrapper install, just make use of the original uninstall strings.

[sweetp]

Thanks TacoBell,  I was just sort of figuring out the same thing,  but your post confirmed that this is OK and the way to go about doing this.  Thanks much