Properties are global variables used by Windows Installer during an
installation. Their values can be authored into the installation
database or set to values determined by the operating environment.
Properties can be used inside Formatted Type
fields with the format [PROPERTY] and they will be replaced at install
time with the value of the property. There are two main types of Windows Installer
properties: - Private Properties (contain lower-case letters in their name,
example: My_Prop)
- Public Properties (contain only upper-case letters in their name,
example: MY_PROP)
 The difference between them is that the value of Public
Properties passes from the InstallUI Sequence (in which the dialogs are
shown) to the InstallExecute Sequence (in which the system is modified).
Additionally, only Public Properties can be specified at the "msiexec"
command line.
 Therefore, make sure that you use a Public Property for an UI control
(Editbox, Combobox etc) if you want its value to be available in the
InstallExecute Sequence (for instance, if the value of this Property is
written in the registry).
One very important group of properties are the Windows Installer predefined
system Folders. The Properties complete reference can be found using this
link: This topic is included in the Windows Installer SDK, which is part of the
Windows SDK. Most properties used in an installation package created with
Advanced Installer are Windows Installer Properties. However, some of
them are custom and they are specific only to Advanced
Installer: | Property Name | Description | | APPDIR | Path of the Application Folder in the Files and Folders page (it is usually the
main installation folder). | | SHORTCUTDIR | Path of the Application Shortcut Folder in the
Files and Folders page (it usually
points to a folder in the Start menu). | | SOURCEDIR | Location of the MSI file. It is resolved when you launch the MSI
package and it shouldn't be confused with the "SourceDir" Windows
Installer property. | | SETUPEXEDIR | Location of the EXE bootstrapper (it is resolved when you launch
the installation through the EXE bootstrapper). | | OLDPRODUCTS | A list with the Product Codes of the older versions of your
installation package. This property is set only in a package which
upgrades another package. | | AI_INSTALL | Set (it is not empty) when the first installation of the package
is performed. | | AI_MAINT | Set (it is not empty) when the installation package is running
in maintenance mode (Modify, Repair and Remove options). | | AI_PATCH | Set (it is not empty) during a patch installation. | | ODBC_RES_PROP | ODBC Resource set in the "SQLConnectionDlg" dialog. | | SERVER_PROP | Server name set in the "SQLConnectionDlg" dialog. | | PORT_PROP | Port set in the "SQLConnectionDlg" dialog. | | DATABASE_PROP | Database name set in the "SQLConnectionDlg" dialog. | | USERNAME_PROP | Username set in the "SQLConnectionDlg" dialog. | | PASSWORD_PROP | Password set in the "SQLConnectionDlg" dialog. | | AI_SH_DIR | Start menu folder in which the shortcuts will be placed (it can
be set by using the "StartMenuShortcutsDlg" dialog). | | IAgree | Set to "Yes" or "No", depending on whether the user accepts or
doesn't accept the terms in the License Agreement. | | AI_DESKTOP_SH | Set (it is not empty) when the user selects the "Desktop" option
in the "ShortcutsDlg" dialog. | | AI_STARTMENU_SH | Set (it is not empty) when the user selects the "Start Menu
Program folder" option in the "ShortcutsDlg" dialog. | | AI_QUICKLAUNCH_SH | Set (it is not empty) when the user selects the "Quick Launch
toolbar" option in the "ShortcutsDlg" dialog. | | AI_STARTUP_SH | Set (it is not empty) when the user selects the "Startup folder"
option in the "ShortcutsDlg" dialog. | | AI_PACKAGE_TYPE | Set to the type of the package and it can have one of these
values: Intel for a 32-bit package, x64
for a 64-bit package and Intel64 for an Intel64
(Itanium) package. |
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