WiX: How to override "C:\Program Files (x86)" on x64 machine in WixUI_Advanced sequence?

Asked 29/3, 2011 at 22:42 Answered 15/5, 2012 at 16:6

I'm using WixUI_Advanced sequence to allow users pick per-machine or per-user installation and change destination folder. My WiX project is intended to produce both x86 and x64 MSIs (I'm using WiX Tips and Tricks recommendations). I also keep the app installation folder in the registry for major upgrades (I use APPLICATIONFOLDER property and directory ID -- instead of INSTALLLOCATION -- per WixUI_Advanced requirements).

There is a bug in WixUI_Advanced sequence that causes the Destination Folder dialog to display the app folder under C:\Program Files (x86) instead of C:\Program Files when running on a 64-bit machine, even when the code correctly sets app folder to ProgramFiles64Folder property. The bug tracker comment suggests using the SetDirectory element to set the value of APPLICATIONFOLDER, but there is no example explaining how to do this. When I tried, it did dot make any difference (I also found a number of posts recommending using a custom action to set APPLICATIONFOLDER, but none worked for me). Does anyone know how to make WixUI_Advanced sequence display correct 'Program Files' folder on a 64-bit system (and also show the originally selected folder during major upgrades)?

If it helps, I'll provide sample WXS snippets, but they pretty much follow the recommendations from the StackOverflow's WiX Tips and Tricks post. Also, my 64-bit MSI package is indeed a 64-bit package (I have the package and components marked as 'x64"; and it does not run on 32-bit platforms). I'm using WiX 3.6 and Visual Studio 2010.

CODE SAMPLE:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">

<Product 
    Id="81955f17-31f3-4e51-8294-372f96141c00" 
    Name="WiX64BitDemo" 
    Language="1033" 
    Version="1.0.0.0" 
    Manufacturer="Test" 
    UpgradeCode="5bed9777-bea6-4dc3-91d7-5dd93819563a">

<Package 
    InstallerVersion="300" 
    Compressed="yes"
    InstallScope="perMachine"
    Platform="x64" />

<MajorUpgrade 
    AllowSameVersionUpgrades="no"
    DowngradeErrorMessage="Can't downgrade."
    Schedule="afterInstallInitialize" />

<Media 
    Id="1" 
    Cabinet="media1.cab" 
    EmbedCab="yes" />

<Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Secure="yes">
    <RegistrySearch Id="FindInstallLocation"
        Root="HKLM"
        Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\[WIX_UPGRADE_DETECTED]"
        Name="InstallLocation"
        Type="raw"
        Win64="yes" />
</Property>

<Property Id="ApplicationFolderName" Value="WiX64BitDemo" />
<Property Id="WixAppFolder" Value="WixPerMachineFolder" />

<SetDirectory 
    Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" 
    Value="[ProgramFiles64Folder][ApplicationFolderName]">APPLICATIONFOLDER=""</SetDirectory>

<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
    <Directory Id="ProgramFiles64Folder">
        <Directory Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Name="WiX64BitDemo">
            <Component 
                Id="ReadmeComponent" 
                Guid="*" 
                Win64="yes">

                <File
                    Id="ReadmeFile"
                    Name="readme.txt"
                    Source="$(var.ProjectDir)readme.txt"
                    KeyPath="yes"/>
            </Component>
        </Directory>
    </Directory>
</Directory>

<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="WiX64BitDemo" Level="1">
    <ComponentRef Id="ReadmeComponent" />
</Feature>

<UI Id="UISequence">
    <UIRef Id="WixUI_Advanced"/>
</UI>

</Product>
</Wix>

Many thanks to Sascha Beaumont for solving this problem. Here is the working sample:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
<Product
    Id="81955f17-31f3-4e51-8294-372f96141c00"
    Name="WiX64BitDemo" 
    Language="1033" 
    Version="1.0.0.0" 
    Manufacturer="Test" 
    UpgradeCode="5bed9777-bea6-4dc3-91d7-5dd93819563a">

<Package 
    InstallerVersion="300" 
    Compressed="yes"
    InstallScope="perMachine"
    Platform="x64" />

<MajorUpgrade 
    AllowSameVersionUpgrades="no"
    DowngradeErrorMessage="Can't downgrade."
    Schedule="afterInstallInitialize" />

<Media 
    Id="1" 
    Cabinet="media1.cab" 
    EmbedCab="yes" />

<Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Secure="yes">
    <RegistrySearch Id="FindInstallLocation"
        Root="HKLM"
        Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\[WIX_UPGRADE_DETECTED]"
        Name="InstallLocation"
        Type="raw"
        Win64="yes" />
</Property>

<Property Id="ApplicationFolderName" Value="WiX64BitDemo" />
<Property Id="WixAppFolder" Value="WixPerMachineFolder" />

<SetDirectory 
    Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" 
    Value="[ProgramFiles64Folder][ApplicationFolderName]">APPLICATIONFOLDER=""</SetDirectory>

<Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
    <Directory Id="ProgramFiles64Folder">
        <Directory Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Name="WiX64BitDemo">
            <Component 
                Id="ReadmeComponent" 
                Guid="*" 
                Win64="yes">

                <File
                    Id="ReadmeFile"
                    Name="readme.txt"
                    Source="$(var.ProjectDir)readme.txt"
                    KeyPath="yes"/>
            </Component>
        </Directory>
    </Directory>
</Directory>

<Feature Id="ProductFeature" Title="WiX64BitDemo" Level="1">
    <ComponentRef Id="ReadmeComponent" />
</Feature>

<UI Id="UISequence">
    <UIRef Id="WixUI_Advanced"/>
</UI>

<CustomAction
        Id="OverwriteWixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder"
        Property="WixPerMachineFolder"
        Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]"
        Execute="immediate"
/>

<CustomAction 
    Id="SetARPINSTALLLOCATION" 
    Property="ARPINSTALLLOCATION" 
    Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]"  
/>

<InstallUISequence>
    <Custom Action="OverwriteWixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" After="WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" />
</InstallUISequence>

<InstallExecuteSequence>
    <Custom Action="OverwriteWixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" After="WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" />
    <Custom Action="SetARPINSTALLLOCATION" After="InstallValidate"/>
</InstallExecuteSequence>

</Product>
</Wix>

Frankly answered 29/3, 2011 at 22:42 Comment(0)

Something like this would probably do the trick:

<MajorUpgrade AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes"
          DowngradeErrorMessage="Can't downgrade."
          Schedule="afterInstallInitialize" />


<Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER" Secure="yes">
    <RegistrySearch Id="FindInstallLocation"
        Root="HKLM"
        Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\[WIX_UPGRADE_DETECTED]"
        Name="InstallLocation"
        Type="raw"
        Win64="yes" />
</Property>


<CustomAction Id="Overwrite_WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" Property="WixPerMachineFolder" Value="[ProgramFiles64Folder][ApplicationFolderName]" Execute="immediate" />
<InstallUISequence>
    <Custom Action="Overwrite_WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" After="WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" />
</InstallUISequence>
<InstallExecuteSequence>
    <Custom Action="Overwrite_WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" After="WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder" />
</InstallExecuteSequence>

<SetProperty Id="ARPINSTALLLOCATION" Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]" After="CostFinalize" />

UPDATE: SetDirectory schedules the action prior to WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder - code updated for manually scheduled elements to schedule between WixSetDefaultPerMachineFolder and WixSetPerMachineFolder. Tested OK with OP sample code under Win7 x64

UPDATE2: Added action to set ARPINSTALLOCATION as http://robmensching.com/blog/posts/2011/1/14/ARPINSTALLLOCATION-and-how-to-set-it-with-the-WiX-toolset

Germanize answered 30/3, 2011 at 0:43 Comment(7)

Thanks Sascha, but it does not seem to work. I updated the post to include the complete WXS file sample (it installs a single Readme.txt file located in the project folder). When I run it on a 64-bit Windows 2008 Server, the Destination Folder dialog still points to Program Files (x86) folder. Is there anything wrong with the code? – Frankly 30/3, 2011 at 20:35

Hi Alek, see updated post - this was OK for me on Win7 x64 in a 5min smoke test :) – Germanize 7/4, 2011 at 4:10

The only problem I see now is that the upgrade does not seem to recognize the original installation folder (i.e. if you modify the destination folder in the original setup, and then upgrade, the upgraded setup version will not see the original folder). Not sure why. – Frankly 7/4, 2011 at 20:25

Okay, I figured it out. For some reason WiX does not populate InstallLocation registry value with the path to installation folder, so it cannot retrieve it on upgrade. I added a cutom action to set it up (adapted from blogs.technet.com/b/alexshev/archive/2008/02/09/…). – Frankly 7/4, 2011 at 21:34

Shouldn't the registry entry be in Vendor\AppName instead of Microsoft\Windows. Is CurrentVersion also a placeholder? – Thetes 26/4, 2018 at 9:47

You get a 404 now on that blog URL unless it's all lowercase: robmensching.com/blog/posts/2011/1/14/… – Clause 30/10, 2020 at 22:32

This approach worked for me with WIX 4 by removing Win64="yes". – Distaff 19/1 at 22:17

I had to change two things to make WIX put my 64-bit app in the Program Files folder:

A. In the WIX Package element, add 'Platform="x64"':

‹Package Description="desc..." Manufacturer="company..." InstallerVersion="200" Platform="x64" Compressed="yes" /›

B. In the Directory element for the top folder, change ProgramFilesFolder to ProgramFiles64Folder:

‹Directory Id="ProgramFiles64Folder" Name="PFiles"›

(I also had to include the ‹program name› .exe.config file in the folder for the program to work correctly)

Entasis answered 15/5, 2012 at 16:6 Comment(1)

This doesn't work when using the WixUI_Advanced as stipulated by the OP. – Doering 2/7, 2015 at 17:14

-1

I think you need to set the Win64 property to Yes for one of the nodes.

Leviticus answered 30/3, 2011 at 0:48 Comment(1)

It is already set to Win64="yes" on all components (for x64 build). – Frankly 30/3, 2011 at 4:18

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