@AppDataCommonDir & Windows 7

[Shark007]

One of my users, McoreD, performs an unattended installation of Windows 7 where he creates an Autounattend.xml as documented by Microsoft here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749415%28WS.10%29.aspx

contents of Autounattend.xml

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="amd64">
            <FolderLocations>
                <ProfilesDirectory>D:\Users</ProfilesDirectory>
                <ProgramData>D:\ProgramData</ProgramData>
            </FolderLocations>
        </component>

He chooses to move the ProgramData folder to 'D' as documented by Microsoft.

My AutoIt executable, using @AppDataCommonDir, continues to try to write to C instead of D

any assistance you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Edited October 11, 2009 by Shark007

[Authenticity]

Ask you program user what does s/he see when s/he run the following few commands from AutoIt or the command prompt.

Opt("ExpandEnvStrings", 1)

MsgBox(0, '1', '%programdata%')
MsgBox(0, '2', RegRead('HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Folders', 'Common AppData'))

echo %programdata%

...

If everything is pointing to "C:\ProgramData" then I guess that AutoIt is actually right, if it's a mixed of "C:\..." and "D:\..." (or E...) then something is wrong with this "unattended installation"...

[McoreD]

Thanks for the prompt reply.

AutoIt:

Results from the EXE are below:

---------------------------
1
---------------------------
G:\ProgramData   <-- CORRECT
---------------------------
OK

---------------------------
2
---------------------------
C:\ProgramData  <-- INCORRECT
---------------------------
OK

Command Prompt:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

G:\Users\Mike>echo %programdata%
G:\ProgramData  <-- CORRECT

G:\Users\Mike>

Microsoft Visual C#:

MessageBox.Show(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData), "Sample C# app", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);

---------------------------
Sample C# app
---------------------------
G:\ProgramData   <-- CORRECT
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

In conclusion, Command Prompt's %programdata% and Microsoft Visual C#'s ProgramData location is consistent with the installation. It is just in AutoIt, when you do the #2 option, it gives a wrong result.

Edited October 11, 2009 by McoreD

[Authenticity]

I think that AutoIt reads the registry key or the SHGetFolderPath API function or what not. In my opinion. It's actually, Microsoft's registry acting as a graveyard of keys and not AutoIt's fault. I think that because you're dealing with this kind of system you should read from sources the system is reading from. For example the environment variables are used by the system. Your decision.

[GEOSoft]

Apparently MS has not yet setup the install of Win 7 for unattended modes yet although I'm not sure why it should be so different from XP or Vista. One thing you might try is changimg the xml file line

<ProgramData>D:\ProgramData</ProgramData>

to

<ProgramData>%systemdrive%\ProgramData</ProgramData>

[jpm]

I think that AutoIt reads the registry key or the SHGetFolderPath API function or what not. In my opinion. It's actually, Microsoft's registry acting as a graveyard of keys and not AutoIt's fault. I think that because you're dealing with this kind of system you should read from sources the system is reading from. For example the environment variables are used by the system. Your decision.

Perhaps it is a change in Windows 7 the registry is not updated. I don't have access to windows 7 so I cannot verify what AutoIt can do if MS as change the way to handle %programdata% when you relocate it

[McoreD]

Apparently MS has not yet setup the install of Win 7 for unattended modes yet although I'm not sure why it should be so different from XP or Vista. One thing you might try is changimg the xml file line

<ProgramData>D:\ProgramData</ProgramData>

to

<ProgramData>%systemdrive%\ProgramData</ProgramData>

Things to make note of, however, is that:

ECHO %programdata%

works fine as shown above and D:\ProgramData was not set by accident.

Settings %SystemDrive%\ProgramData might make it go to C:\ProgramData which is not my intention.

I will try this in Vista and see what happens...

I agree that it is not AutoIt's fault.

http://mcored.zscreen.net/SS-2009.10.11-14.47.58.png shows that Microsoft incorrectly put C:\ instead of G:\ despite what was set in Autounattend.xml however,

I repeat,

ECHO %programdata%

works fine so that means the values are read from somewhere else. Furthermore, C# reads it from somewhere else too...

MessageBox.Show(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData), "Sample C# app", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);

gives the correct path.

[McoreD]

I am now replying using Windows Vista.

AutoIt Script:

---------------------------
1
---------------------------
D:\ProgramData
---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

---------------------------
2
---------------------------
C:\ProgramData
---------------------------
OK   
---------------------------

Command Prompt:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

D:\Users\Administrator>echo %programdata%
D:\ProgramData

D:\Users\Administrator>

So the problem exists in Vista too.

Like jpm pointed out, the Registry is not updated. This is not new to Windows 7. Therefore, I believe it is recommended/safe to use option 1 in the AutoIt script to determine the accurate ProgramData folder.

[Authenticity]

Try to follow this link parameters description and see if you can come up with a dll call that results in the correct path. I've never used this function but I guess that it's a simple function call, maybe you'll even find AutoIt examples specific to this function. After all, the name of the function is the same as C#'s equivalent + the SH prefix (shell32.dll).

[Bowmore]

Yashied recently posted a little function that reliably return the correct location for any of widows special folders such as as these. It might be worth having a look at it.

Yashied function

[jpm]

Try to follow this link parameters description and see if you can come up with a dll call that results in the correct path. I've never used this function but I guess that it's a simple function call, maybe you'll even find AutoIt examples specific to this function. After all, the name of the function is the same as C#'s equivalent + the SH prefix (shell32.dll).

Thanks,

I use it to fix I hope next beta

[McoreD]

Thanks,

I use it to fix I hope next beta

Thanks jpm. Shark007, I and many more will be very pleased to see this.

[Shark007]

McoreD, thank you very much for signing up to these forums and for jumping into thread.

jpm, I eagerly await the next beta release.

To all, especially Yashied,

I have replaced the @AppDataCommonDir AutoIt variable with the Yashied function which seems to work great.

I will pass a new version of my compiled script to McoreD for further verification.

Thanks Yashied.

UPDATE: McoreD has verified that using the Yashied function corrects the issue.

Edited October 11, 2009 by Shark007

[jpm]

Thanks jpm. Shark007, I and many more will be very pleased to see this.

In fact I change all registry to SHGET...() function. No more registry access

[Shark007]

In fact I change all registry to SHGET...() function. No more registry access

On Windows 7 . . .

just a word of caution, @AppDataDir resolves to: C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Roaming

@AppDataDir is resolving correctly.

but there is no SHGET equivelent.

The SHGET resolves to:

C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\local

__________________________________

from this link

FOLDERID_RoamingAppData

GUID {3EB685DB-65F9-4CF6-A03A-E3EF65729F3D}

Display Name Roaming

Folder Type PERUSER

Default Path %APPDATA% (%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming)

CSIDL Equivalent CSIDL_APPDATA

Legacy Display Name Application Data

Legacy Default Path %APPDATA% (%USERPROFILE%\Application Data)

but CSIDL_APPDATA resolves to C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\local

Edited October 14, 2009 by Shark007