Is my understanding of the RegistryKey's action parameters incorrect? Recently, we moved from having the keys with the Action parameter set to 'createAndRemoveOnUninstall', to 'create'. We were clobbering keys between applications with this setting. When rereading the documentation, it is unclear to me if it is going to also remove the key value even if another application placed one correctly through Windows Installer.
Regardless, we started having orphaned registry keys on the system after making this change. And after reviewing them, they all were Registry keys that did not yet have any children. For instance, we had '<RegistryKey Key="ActiveTasks" Action="create" />'. This key needed to be present for an application to function, and after the service has been configured, it will place some registry values. However, I have noticed that having this statement, Windows Installer leaves the key, even if our application has not yet placed any values. I would have expected Windows Installer to remove it based on documentation. However, other places in our code do not exhibit this behavior, but all the rest of the locations specifically call out a RegistryValue child for them, as in: <RegistryKey Root="HKLM" Key="MyParentKey" Action="create"> <RegistryValue Name="MyValue" Type="string" Value="test" KeyPath="yes" /> </RegistryKey> After uninstalling, the above key was successfully removed, while the ActiveTasks key remained, with no attached registry values. Setting the Action to 'createAndRemoveOnUninstall' on the first registry key does correctly remove the whole key, but it certainly seems that it shouldn't be a requirement. Our intention is to specifically begin calling out registry values that should be removed in the future, but we aren't there yet, but at that time it will be a moot point I think. So, to summarize my question, is it expected behavior that if I declare a RegistryKey, with the Action set to Create, with no children, and my application does not create children or values, that Windows Installer will not remove the key on full product uninstall (WiX 3.5)? Thanks! Mark E. Scott Jr. msc...@scott-usa.com<mailto:msc...@scott-usa.com> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cloud Computing - Latest Buzzword or a Glimpse of the Future? This paper surveys cloud computing today: What are the benefits? Why are businesses embracing it? What are its payoffs and pitfalls? http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sdnl/114/51425149/ _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
