2 replies to this topic

[scochard]

This may be a basic question, but how do you create an installer project so that the program is installed such that all users of the machine (including Limited users with XP) can use the one instance of the program. We sell our program to schools who want to have an account/user for each kid in the class and want each user to be a Limited User. Our product currently only installs to the Administrator's account who happens to be doing the install.

One twist with our program is that each user can add things to it, in the form of graphics, Flash files, MP3's, etc. Each user's "things" must remain their things, and not be available to other users.

This means we have to install the program's functional components (.exe, dll's, etc) into the global Program Files folder and the basic version of these "things" into each user's Application Data folder and possibly the UserData folder. The program also adds registry entries into the HKEY_CURRENT_USER so the program can find the "things" that were installed and that were added by the user.

I'd imagine that means we have to iterate thru each user, add the Registry entries for each user, and then copy the relevent files to the User's folders in their Documents and Settings folder. How does one go about iterating thru each user during an install? And how does one iterate thru different users in the registry.

I searched the archives of this site and couldn't find anything about it. Hopefully I'm just being stupid and there is a simple one-line-of-script that will handle it.

Thanks, Steve

[Stefan Krueger]

There's a sample here on InstallSite that shows how to load another user's regsitry hive.
However the recommedned solution would be to handle this inside the program. That is, put the default things in the program files folder, and when a new user starts the program, copy them to their user folder and create the HKCU entries.

[scochard]

Stefan,

Thanks!

It seems I've been over thinking the problem. Your solution is elegant and simple...always the best way to go.

Thanks again,

Steve