C# application user settings maintained during update

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I have a C# application that currently stores user settings/configurations in a separate xml file. My application uses a wix installer and id like to know if there is a way to preserve the xml file should the user be installing a newer version of the application if they install without first removing the older version. The xml file is stored in the CommonAppData folder and should be removed if the application is uninstalled.

Backup question - Is there a better way of doing this than my current method?

UPDATE

I have implemented the following code:

    <CustomAction Id="Cleanup_Files" Directory="CompanyFolder" ExeCommand="cmd /C RD 

        &quot;[CommonFolder]&quot; /s /q" Execute="deferred" Return="ignore" HideTarget="no" 

       Impersonate="no" />

    <InstallExecuteSequence>

      <Custom Action="Cleanup_Files" Before="RemoveFiles" >

        Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

      </Custom>

    </InstallExecuteSequence>

This removes the CommonFolder directory as required on uninstall but it still removes the directory when upgrading. What changes are necessary to achieve this?

c# configuration wix installer settings

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

I have a C# application that currently stores user settings/configurations in a separate xml file. My application uses a wix installer and id like to know if there is a way to preserve the xml file should the user be installing a newer version of the application if they install without first removing the older version. The xml file is stored in the CommonAppData folder and should be removed if the application is uninstalled.

Backup question - Is there a better way of doing this than my current method?

UPDATE

I have implemented the following code:

    <CustomAction Id="Cleanup_Files" Directory="CompanyFolder" ExeCommand="cmd /C RD 

        &quot;[CommonFolder]&quot; /s /q" Execute="deferred" Return="ignore" HideTarget="no" 

       Impersonate="no" />

    <InstallExecuteSequence>

      <Custom Action="Cleanup_Files" Before="RemoveFiles" >

        Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

      </Custom>

    </InstallExecuteSequence>

This removes the CommonFolder directory as required on uninstall but it still removes the directory when upgrading. What changes are necessary to achieve this?

c# configuration wix installer settings

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

I have a C# application that currently stores user settings/configurations in a separate xml file. My application uses a wix installer and id like to know if there is a way to preserve the xml file should the user be installing a newer version of the application if they install without first removing the older version. The xml file is stored in the CommonAppData folder and should be removed if the application is uninstalled.

Backup question - Is there a better way of doing this than my current method?

UPDATE

I have implemented the following code:

    <CustomAction Id="Cleanup_Files" Directory="CompanyFolder" ExeCommand="cmd /C RD 

        &quot;[CommonFolder]&quot; /s /q" Execute="deferred" Return="ignore" HideTarget="no" 

       Impersonate="no" />

    <InstallExecuteSequence>

      <Custom Action="Cleanup_Files" Before="RemoveFiles" >

        Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

      </Custom>

    </InstallExecuteSequence>

This removes the CommonFolder directory as required on uninstall but it still removes the directory when upgrading. What changes are necessary to achieve this?

c# configuration wix installer settings

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

I have a C# application that currently stores user settings/configurations in a separate xml file. My application uses a wix installer and id like to know if there is a way to preserve the xml file should the user be installing a newer version of the application if they install without first removing the older version. The xml file is stored in the CommonAppData folder and should be removed if the application is uninstalled.

Backup question - Is there a better way of doing this than my current method?

UPDATE

I have implemented the following code:

    <CustomAction Id="Cleanup_Files" Directory="CompanyFolder" ExeCommand="cmd /C RD 

        &quot;[CommonFolder]&quot; /s /q" Execute="deferred" Return="ignore" HideTarget="no" 

       Impersonate="no" />

    <InstallExecuteSequence>

      <Custom Action="Cleanup_Files" Before="RemoveFiles" >

        Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

      </Custom>

    </InstallExecuteSequence>

This removes the CommonFolder directory as required on uninstall but it still removes the directory when upgrading. What changes are necessary to achieve this?

c# configuration wix installer settings

c# configuration wix installer settings

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited yesterday

edited yesterday

edited yesterday

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

asked 2 days ago

jhorwood28

144

144

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
0
down vote

The easiest thing to do is: do not insatall this XML file by the setup, but instead let it create by the application if it is not there. By this, an update will not touch the file.
With this scenario it is also possible to migrate the settings from an older (or newer) version.

However, the file will also remain on uninstall. If it is a requirement to remove it in this case, you can do this by a custom action with a condition like Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

share|improve this answer

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
  – jhorwood28
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
  – Klaus Gütter
  2 days ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
  – jhorwood28
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
  – Klaus Gütter
  yesterday
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

The solution for me was to follow the advice of Klaus but with some additional changes to my product.wxs file. I had to add 'AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes"' to the MajorUpgrade section.

    <MajorUpgrade AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes" DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of 

    [ProductName] is already installed." />

Thanks to Klaus for all of their advice!

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

add a comment | 

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
0
down vote

The easiest thing to do is: do not insatall this XML file by the setup, but instead let it create by the application if it is not there. By this, an update will not touch the file.
With this scenario it is also possible to migrate the settings from an older (or newer) version.

However, the file will also remain on uninstall. If it is a requirement to remove it in this case, you can do this by a custom action with a condition like Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

share|improve this answer

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
  – jhorwood28
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
  – Klaus Gütter
  2 days ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
  – jhorwood28
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
  – Klaus Gütter
  yesterday
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

The easiest thing to do is: do not insatall this XML file by the setup, but instead let it create by the application if it is not there. By this, an update will not touch the file.
With this scenario it is also possible to migrate the settings from an older (or newer) version.

However, the file will also remain on uninstall. If it is a requirement to remove it in this case, you can do this by a custom action with a condition like Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

share|improve this answer

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
  – jhorwood28
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
  – Klaus Gütter
  2 days ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
  – jhorwood28
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
  – Klaus Gütter
  yesterday
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

up vote
0
down vote

The easiest thing to do is: do not insatall this XML file by the setup, but instead let it create by the application if it is not there. By this, an update will not touch the file.
With this scenario it is also possible to migrate the settings from an older (or newer) version.

However, the file will also remain on uninstall. If it is a requirement to remove it in this case, you can do this by a custom action with a condition like Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

share|improve this answer

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

The easiest thing to do is: do not insatall this XML file by the setup, but instead let it create by the application if it is not there. By this, an update will not touch the file.
With this scenario it is also possible to migrate the settings from an older (or newer) version.

However, the file will also remain on uninstall. If it is a requirement to remove it in this case, you can do this by a custom action with a condition like Installed AND REMOVE="ALL" AND NOT UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE

share|improve this answer

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

answered 2 days ago

Klaus Gütter

814412

814412

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
  – jhorwood28
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
  – Klaus Gütter
  2 days ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
  – jhorwood28
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
  – Klaus Gütter
  yesterday
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
  – jhorwood28
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
  – Klaus Gütter
  2 days ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
  – jhorwood28
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
  – Klaus Gütter
  yesterday
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
– jhorwood28
2 days ago

Thanks for your reply, I have not used custom actions before. How do i structure the custom action and where do I place it within the product.wxs file?
– jhorwood28
2 days ago

A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
– Klaus Gütter
2 days ago

A very simple approach is in this answer: stackoverflow.com/a/17513551/2142950. Smarter solutions require some C# coding,
– Klaus Gütter
2 days ago

Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
– jhorwood28
yesterday

Hi Klaus, thank you for your advice im still having trouble getting it to keep the files in place during an upgrade (please see my update)
– jhorwood28
yesterday

You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
– Klaus Gütter
yesterday

You can find the installer logs in the %temp% directory. In the log file of the old product being unsinstalled during the update, what is the value of UPGRADINGPRODUCTCODE?
– Klaus Gütter
yesterday

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

The solution for me was to follow the advice of Klaus but with some additional changes to my product.wxs file. I had to add 'AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes"' to the MajorUpgrade section.

    <MajorUpgrade AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes" DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of 

    [ProductName] is already installed." />

Thanks to Klaus for all of their advice!

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

The solution for me was to follow the advice of Klaus but with some additional changes to my product.wxs file. I had to add 'AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes"' to the MajorUpgrade section.

    <MajorUpgrade AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes" DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of 

    [ProductName] is already installed." />

Thanks to Klaus for all of their advice!

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

up vote
0
down vote

The solution for me was to follow the advice of Klaus but with some additional changes to my product.wxs file. I had to add 'AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes"' to the MajorUpgrade section.

    <MajorUpgrade AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes" DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of 

    [ProductName] is already installed." />

Thanks to Klaus for all of their advice!

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

The solution for me was to follow the advice of Klaus but with some additional changes to my product.wxs file. I had to add 'AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes"' to the MajorUpgrade section.

    <MajorUpgrade AllowSameVersionUpgrades="yes" DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of 

    [ProductName] is already installed." />

Thanks to Klaus for all of their advice!

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

answered yesterday

jhorwood28

144

144

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

 

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