6 replies to this topic

[RomanO]

What is proper use of  the ProductID & PIDKey properties ? I'm trying to put
ProductID (which I want use as a  serial number) into registry, but I'm
always getting value "None" under ProductID.
TIA,
Roman

[Art McKendry]

Try putting it in [Brackets] when you create the key value.

[RomanO]

ProductID is a part of HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Installer/Products/InstallProperties registry entries(just like Display Version,Display Name,Help link,InstallSource, etc...). Therefore I suppose I don't need to create registry entry in my project. Instead, I just tried to set both PIDKEY/ProgramID, unfortunately I always get "None" under ProgramID in registry. Both ISWI and MSI helps are useless.

[AndrewWalker]

I believe those setting are things that ISWI sets for its own internal use or possibly for the Add/Remove programs to be able to pickup some extended information such as Usage.  I don't think it's something you need to set.

If I've gotten this confused and you're talking about the GUID, there should be a "Generate GUID" button anywhere one might be needed.

[RomanO]

Art&Andrew, thank you for your replies. I'll try explain little bit deeper what I was trying to do: Serial number, as is entered by users, is used to enabling/disabling features on the fly. Another serial number, another set of features CAN be installed. Some another serial number entered by user, another set of features enabled/disabled. Instead of  putting serial entered by the user into HKLM\Software\Company\ProductName or HKCU\Software\Company\ProductName, I've tought myself it would be nice to store serial number in the same place where the rest of  information about product is stored. If you look closer to registry entries under HKLM\Sotfware\Microsoft\Windows\Installer you will see ProductID entry. For most of App I have installed on my computer, this entry has a value "none". But, there are some exceptions:ISWI has this value filled with serial number  had to enter during installation, also Seagate Crystal reports Installer has filled this value with serial number (btw, Crystal Reports installer is NOT build with ISWI, imo w/ Wise Installer). Also ISWI an MSI help files states that ProductID/PIDKEY should be used for anti-piracy purposes - to protect software. Unfortunately, both helps are in this topics absolute weak and almost useless (at least for me). Good point: I made a post to installshield.iswi.general also and Mr.Dickau gave me solution :>>you'll need to add an empty ProductID property to the Property Manager to avoid getting  
"None"  written to the registry<<. So, that's it. The only thing I need is to make the SerialNumber field on User Information Dialog will be shown,write dll for checking ProductID(aka serial number) and from within this dll set property indicating which features enable/disable. And, in the maintence mode, installer already knows ProductID, so I don't need put things around AppSearch and RegLocator (which is obviously  quite easy thing to do) package. Therefore, the user cannot reinstall the product with enabling features which were during initial installation disabled.
This solution has one big advantage for me: I make installer packages for various companies on contract basis, so I don't need to care about HKLM\Software\Software\Companyname\ProductName\Version ... stuff.
Once again, thank you guys.

[AndrewWalker]

Thank you for the information!  I now understand what you were after, and probably wouldn't have had a clue.  Now I do!  :)