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Installing Files to Multiple Drives

Updated: 23 Oct 2008 | 2 comments
piyushnasa's picture
+2 2 Votes
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You can install files to multiple drives using single MSI. You do not require custom actions or scripts to do that. You just need to put some tricks in the directory table. So here it goes...

Suppose you need to install some files on D Drive, some on E Drive and some on F Drive.

First create property in property table for these drives.

You can also use Set Property custom action if you do not want to hardcode it and use some environment variables from your builds.

Now in Directory table put the following entries:

Notice that Directory_Parent is kept blank.

Now if you go to the file section of installation expert, you can see these folders separately on the top. You can add your folders and files as desired now in these.

At installation time the property will resolve the drive and make your files to install at the correct location.

Note: Make sure to use this only when the drives you mention are present on destination machines.

This procedure might give you ICE error, but you can ignore those. It will have no impact on the working of MSI.

Comments

Eshwar's picture
24
Oct
2008
3 Votes +3
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Good to know...

Interesting info. Never tried that.
I would opt for "Set Property" custom action instead of hard code path.

Thanks piyushnasa.

Thanks,
Eshwar

EdT's picture
27
May
2009
0 Votes 0
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But beware if using network drives

If a drive is not available at the time of install, because it is not mapped, or because the installing account does not have domain access privileges, then the install will fail and roll back.
 

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