Using Placeholders
The MSI Package Builder enables the creation of adaptable installations for various deployment environments. In practice, file system structures and paths to system folders can vary across machines, influenced by Windows system language, user profiles, and other factors. MSI Package Builder addresses these challenges using placeholders.
The file system definition placeholders, represented in the next chapter, enable you to replace absolute file system paths, which are unique to each system, with universal placeholders. This approach ensures your installations are adaptable to various environments with different Windows system folder structures.
With property definition placeholders, you can utilize both a predefined set of standard placeholders and create your own for tasks like configuring custom actions, modifying the registry, and implementing other changes in the installation project. For instance, this allows passing a custom property as an installation parameter, enabling the package to utilize the provided property during installation.
System folder definition placeholders can also be used in a set of monitoring filters to skip activities from specified processes or changes to defined file system items and registry keys during the Live Monitoring process. Additionally, they can be utilized in uninstall filters to retain shared resources on a PC after uninstalling an MSI.
What's Inside