Windows – Where to Store writable data to be shared by all users in a vista installer

aclinstallationnsiswindows-vista

My app is installed via NSIS.

I want the installer to install the program for all users.

I can do this, by installing to the 'program files' directory.

There is a database file (firebird), that all user accounts on the system should share.

If I store this database file in the 'program files' directory it will be read only.

If I store it in the users APPDATA directory they will each have a different copy, when one user adds data the others wont see it.

Option 1 – In my app directory under 'program files' create a 'Data' directory, in my installer make this dir read-writeable by all, that way the user 'program files' virtualisation won't kick in and all users can update the file and see each others changes.

Any other options ?

Best Answer

Data for all users should be stored in %ALLUSERSPROFILE%, or call SHGetFolderPath() with the parameter CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA to get the all users storage area.

See http://www.deez.info/sengelha/2006/02/28/windows-vista-changes/ for more details.

Related Solutions

VS2008 Setup Project: Shared (By All Users) Application Data Files

I have learned the answer to my question through other sources, yes, yes! Sadly, it didn't fix my problem! What's that make me -- a fixer-upper? Yes, yes!

To put stuff in a sub-directory of the Common Application Data folder from a VS2008 Setup project, here's what you do:

Right-click your setup project in the Solution Explorer and pick "View -> File System".
Right-click "File system on target machine" and pick "Add Special Folder -> Custom Folder".
Rename the custom folder to "Common Application Data Folder." (This isn't the name that will be used for the resulting folder, it's just to help you keep it straight.)
Change the folder's DefaultLocation property to "[CommonAppDataFolder][Manufacturer]\[ProductName]". Note the similarity with the DefaultLocation property of the Application Folder, including the odd use of a single backslash.
Marvel for a moment at the ridiculous (yet undeniable) fact that there is a folder property named "Property."
Change the folder's Property property to "COMMONAPPDATAFOLDER".

Data files placed in the "Common Application Data" folder will be copied to "\ProgramData\Manufacturer\ProductName" (on Vista) or "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Manufacturer\ProductName" (on XP) when the installer is run.

Now it turns out that under Vista, non-Administrators don't get modify/write access to the files in here. So all users get to read the files, but they get that in "\Program Files" as well. So what, I wonder, is the point of the Common Application Data folder?

Windows – How to set directory permissions in NSIS

Use the AccessControl plugin and then add this to the script, where the "logs" directory is in the install directory.

AccessControl::GrantOnFile "$INSTDIR\logs" "(BU)" "FullAccess"

That gives full access to the folder for all users.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

VS2008 Setup Project: Shared (By All Users) Application Data Files

Windows – How to set directory permissions in NSIS

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