util:RemoveFolderEx

[alicera]

https://www.hass.de/content/wix-how-use-removefolderex-your-xml-scripts

I follow this to remove program. After install the program with msi, I add some file into the folder. Then I remove it with msi , the files that I add still exist. It can not be removed. Do you know why? thank

[kurtanr]

Hello @alicera,

without some sample code it is difficult to say what the problem is.

Remarks at https://wixtoolset.org/documentation/manual/v3/xsd/util/removefolderex.html suggest that:

• "for a typical use case of removing a folder during uninstall is to write the directory path to the registry and to load it during uninstall" (using RememberPropertyPattern)

In the sample article you linked APPLICATIONFOLDER was indeed read from registry. Are you doing the same?

Alternatively, if you just want to delete some files and not the entire folder, you can instead use https://wixtoolset.org/documentation/manual/v3/xsd/wix/removefile.html

[alicera]

hi @kurtanr Thanks for your reply.

I try install it with msi and create a folder 0 by myself Then remove the app, the folder can not clear up. There is a 0 folder exist

Here is the code that I reproduce and I reference this https://www.hass.de/content/wix-how-use-removefolderex-your-xml-scripts https://www.codeproject.com/Tips/105638/A-quick-introduction-Create-an-MSI-installer-with

you can get the icon with https://www.codeproject.com/favicon.ico I create the example.exe (fake).

I build it with the command

"C:/Program Files (x86)/WiX Toolset v3.11/bin/candle.exe" -ext WixUtilExtension example.wxs && "C:/Program Files (x86)/WiX Toolset v3.11/bin/light.exe" -ext WixUtilExtension example.wixobj

example.wxs

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?define ProductVersion = "0.0.1"?>
<?define ProductUpgradeCode = "12345678-1234-1234-1234-111111111111"?>
<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"
  xmlns:util="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension">
   <Product Id="*" UpgradeCode="$(var.ProductUpgradeCode)" 
            Name="Example Product Name" Version="$(var.ProductVersion)" Manufacturer="Example Company Name" Language="1033">
      <Package InstallerVersion="200" Compressed="yes" Comments="Windows Installer Package"/>
      <Media Id="1" Cabinet="product.cab" EmbedCab="yes"/>
      <Icon Id="ProductIcon" SourceFile="favicon.ico"/>
      <Property Id="ARPPRODUCTICON" Value="ProductIcon"/>
      <Property Id="ARPHELPLINK" Value="http://www.exampleproduct.com"/>
      <Property Id="ARPURLINFOABOUT" Value="http://www.examplecompany.com"/>
      <Property Id="ARPNOREPAIR" Value="1"/>
      <Property Id="ARPNOMODIFY" Value="1"/>
      <Upgrade Id="$(var.ProductUpgradeCode)">
         <UpgradeVersion Minimum="$(var.ProductVersion)" OnlyDetect="yes" Property="NEWERVERSIONDETECTED"/>
         <UpgradeVersion Minimum="0.0.0" Maximum="$(var.ProductVersion)" IncludeMinimum="yes" IncludeMaximum="no" 
                         Property="OLDERVERSIONBEINGUPGRADED"/>   
      </Upgrade>
      <Condition Message="A newer version of this software is already installed.">NOT NEWERVERSIONDETECTED</Condition>

      <Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER">
        <RegistrySearch Key="Software\Example Company Name\Example Product Name" Root="HKLM" Type="raw" Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER_REGSEARCH" Name="Path" />
      </Property>

      <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
         <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
            <Directory Id="INSTALLDIR" Name="Example">
               <Component Id="ApplicationFiles" Guid="12345678-1234-1234-1234-222222222222">
                  <File Id="ApplicationFile1" Source="example.exe"/>
               </Component>
            </Directory>
         </Directory>

         <Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
            <Directory Id="ProgramMenuSubfolder" Name="Example">
               <Component Id="ApplicationShortcuts" Guid="12345678-1234-1234-1234-333333333333">
                  <Shortcut Id="ApplicationShortcut1" Name="Example Shortcut Name" Description="Example Product Name" 
                            Target="[INSTALLDIR]example.exe" WorkingDirectory="INSTALLDIR"/>
                  <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\Example Company Name\Example Product Name" 
                            Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes"/>
                  <RemoveFolder Id="ProgramMenuSubfolder" On="uninstall"/>
               </Component>
            <Component Id="CleanupMainApplicationFolder" Guid="0ffde969-e17c-4708-a7fd-3e0dfacab6b0">
                <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\Example Company Name\Example Product Name" Name="Path" Type="string" Value="[APPLICATIONFOLDER]" KeyPath="yes" />
                <!-- We need to use APPLICATIONFOLDER variable here or RemoveFolderEx
                        will not remove on "install". -->
                <util:RemoveFolderEx On="uninstall" Property="APPLICATIONFOLDER" />
            </Component>
            </Directory>
         </Directory>
      </Directory>

      <InstallExecuteSequence>
         <RemoveExistingProducts After="InstallValidate"/>
      </InstallExecuteSequence>

      <Feature Id="DefaultFeature" Level="1">
         <ComponentRef Id="ApplicationFiles"/>
         <ComponentRef Id="ApplicationShortcuts"/>       
           <ComponentRef Id="CleanupMainApplicationFolder" />

      </Feature>
   </Product>
</Wix>

install it with msi and create a folder 0 by myself _ uninstall it

0 exist , not remove

[kurtanr]

Hello @alicera,

one thing I've noticed is that RegistrySearch targets Root="HKLM" and in RegistryValue you are targeting Root="HKCU".

Also, your code does not really follow the example from https://www.hass.de/content/wix-how-use-removefolderex-your-xml-scripts where XML structure is quite different (e.g. RemoveFolderEx is under the DirectoryRef component).

I also suggest you install / uninstall the installer with logging enabled (/L*V) and you should get more information regarding the problem.

[alicera]

1. Can I use the Root="HKCU" to RegistryValue ( installed path ) not Root="HKLM" ?
2. https://www.hass.de/content/wix-how-use-removefolderex-your-xml-scripts the sample have some problem, (1) The "APPLICATIONFOLDER" of ` is reference from A or B ?

A : B:

[alicera]

A <Property Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER">

B <DirectoryRef Id="APPLICATIONFOLDER">

[kurtanr]

Hello @alicera,

1. Both HKCU and HKLM are fine - the important thing is that you use the same one both in RegistrySearch and in RegistryValue.
2. Don't think the linked example is wrong - I saw similar code samples in other places also.

Anyway, since this issue is not really related to any of the examples / articles in this repository, I am closing the issue.

[alicera]

Thanks your help

Do you meet the status? When I upgrade my program with wix, I found the will remove the folder.

I expect the uninstall step not the upgrade.

Do you have any idea?

[kurtanr]

Hello @alicera,

during major upgrade previous version of the application if first uninstalled and then the new version is installed ('Schedule' property has some more information about that). This is why folders are deleted on upgrade.

[alicera]

I reference the major upgrade. I set Schedule as afterInstallInitialize.

At the same condition, I try to use

<RemoveFile Id="FILE" Directory="log" Name ="*.*" On ="uninstall"/>
<RemoveFolder Id="FOLDER" Directory="log" On="uninstall"/>

and

<util:RemoveFolderEx On="uninstall" Property="INSTALLDIR"/> 

The util:RemoveFolderEx will be trigger when uninstall and upgrade. The RemoveFolder and RemoveFile will be trigger when uninstall.