Adding Root Level Folder

[Dermot]

How do I add a root level folder? For example I need to create the folder C:\My Folder\. I cannot see a way to do this. I can only add it as a subfolder of the builtin root level folders.

[Brett]

Dermot,

Windows Installer doesn't like doing that very much. In general, it is preferred that you use a mapped shell folder such as Program Files, etc.

However, if you really need to do that, here is how:

- Setup the project normally with INSTALLDIR being [ProgramFilesFolder]My Product (or whatever)
- Add a Set Folder custom action that sets INSTALLDIR to "C:\My Folder" (no quotes)
- In the attributes tab, set the scheduling to be Immediate - First Sequence
- Add two timing entries - one for InstallUISequence and one for InstallExecuteSequence - make them both happen After "CostFinalize" - also, use the condition "NOT Installed"

See the attached project file for an example

[Lorne]

There's also a couple Windows Installer properties that might be useful in setting up your custom action or related folder search.

• WindowsVolume - the drive where Windows is installed. Which is usually C: but not necessarily so.
• ROOTDRIVE - the default destination drive for the installation. Can seem somewhat unpredictable if it isn't set explicitly since it isn't the first drive, it's the drive with the most free space.

[Dermot]

Thanks Brett and Lorne. That was very helpfull. I think can achieve what I want now.