Computer name is not resolved in shortcut name

[Lukas]

Hi i want to create shortcut to exe file in target folder with name: Product name - computer name, but ComputerName is not resolved in name of shortcut it's blank.

Reproduction steps:

• I added shortcut in "Files and Folders". For name i used [|ProductName] - [|ComputerName]. For target i used exe file in target dir.
  When shortcut is created during install process Product name is correctly resolved but computerName is blank.

• I tried to use solution from this topic viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30486#p81765, i created custom action which should set installer property but with same result. Computer name is still blank. From logs i see that computer name property was resolved to real computer name. I am using version 16.7.

Best regard,

Lukas

[Catalin]

Hello Lukas and welcome to Advanced Installer forums,

As you may know, there are two types of Windows Installer properties:

- Formatted properties

- Pseudo-formatted properties

The main differences between them is the following:

- the formatted type is resolved at install time

- the pseudo-formatted type is resolved at build time and the property name is preceded by a pipe character "|"

In your screenshot, you are trying to use the ComputerName property as a pseudo-formatted one - which honestly is the only option, because the "Name" field from the "Edit Shortcut Properties" dialog is of pseudo-formatted type.

However, the ComputerName property that you are trying to use here is resolved at install time, by a system call to GetComputerName function.

This is the reason why your property is not resolved.

A solution to this would be to have a custom action, scheduled after the "Add Resources" ("Custom Actions" page) action group, with its execution time set to "When the system is being modified (deferred)", that will rename the shortcut to your desired value.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Catalin

[Lukas]

Thank you for your suggestion. It resolved it.

Lukas

[Catalin]

You are always welcome, Lukas!

I am glad everything works as expected now.

Best regards,
Catalin