Aren't shell extensions either a DLL or OCX file as the entry point? Think about what you have to do to manually deploy your shell extensions and write down the steps (if it helps). These are the steps that you would then author in WiX to automate the process through an MSI. A simple outline with things that are common
1. Confirm it is a Windows OS 2. Confirm it is one of the version(s) of Windows you support 3. Detect where Windows is installed if needed 4. Copy extension to proposed folder (your own, or perhaps System32) 5. Register the extension with the system 6. Restart Windows if needed -----Original Message----- From: Jan Wester [mailto:happyhon...@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 1:04 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Supplemental shell extensions installation On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 9:25 PM, Michael Clark <mcl...@fullarmor.com> wrote: > a) Objectively, is WiX the right option, or should I look at other > installers for this purpose? [Michael] It's a great tool for this > purpose and its free! > > b) Are there any samples of scripts that install shell extensions? I > have looked around, but found nothing. Reinventing the wheel is > something I will probably be pretty crappy at. > [Michael] I think this is what your looking for > http://stackoverflow.com/questions/138550/how-to-register-file-types-ext > ensions-with-a-wix-installer > > > c) Likewise, are there any samples dealing with such specific > requirements for as far the platform goes? Again, my wheel would > likely not be all that round. > [Michael] Checkout this link for 32/64 bit installs > http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/08/09/4317654.aspx > > -Michael 2243 > Michael, The file extension stuff seems wrong for me. I don't have an application to hang on the Open verb, or whatever other choice. I just have shell extensions that need to play ball with any existing settings of the computer without disrupting anything else. So far, I have thumbnail and property handlers for my first file format, but a preview is on my plans. Basically, think of stuff that spruces stuff up in Explorer. I had seen that link on 32-bit and 64-bit installations. It is somewhat old though, and I had read older versions of WiX were different in some ways, so I figured there might be actual samples out there demonstrating the kind of thing I am looking for. (Something to be put besides an article like the one you linked - such articles are a great resource, but for a wix beginner like me, nearly everything implies a lot of searching and studying where a simple example document would clarify more in a simpler glance.) Jan Wester ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
