coapp-developers team mailing list archive

[Garrett Serack <garretts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Cool!

>> How much registry access do application packages receive? Same as any MSI installer or do we restrict it in some way?
Well, I think we gotta allow unrestricted access for this. To do otherwise is just gonna make life hell for us. If this turns out to be a problem, we'll break stuff later.

>> Same thing with system variables like PATH.
Ooh. Different case. I think we'll handle that one differently, and let the engine manage any PATH changes. We may have to add some metadata for that. Um, let me get back to you.
>> - Are non-application packages allowed to modify the registry? (Drivers obviously have to but since they use DIFx, that's a little different)
I think so.

>> - What if an add-on to an app doesn't register itself via the registry, Visual Studio Extensions for example? Do we allow them to call executables from the installer? If not, how do we handle this situation (obviously not Custom Actions)?

No Custom Executables or Actions. For this we either have to provide the custom action to do that, or convince the original application developer to fix their crap.  Some things are not ready for CoApp yet (and vice versa).

G

Garrett Serack | Open Source Software Developer | Microsoft Corporation
I don't make the software you use; I make the software you use better on Windows.

From: coapp-developers-bounces+garretts=microsoft.com@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:coapp-developers-bounces+garretts=microsoft.com@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Eric Schultz
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 12:36 AM
To: coapp-developers
Subject: [Coapp-developers] Package System Modifications

Gang,

I've got mkPackage working reasonably well for non-application packages. I'm starting to think about what type of modifications each type of package should be able to perform to the system whether it be adding something to the system PATH variable or creating a variable (like Wix does), registering itself through the registry with some type of application (a Windows Explorer extension perhaps) or through some other method or any other type of modifications it should be able to perform to the system.

To the best of my knowledge the main restrictions regarding system modifications for CoApp packages are they must use the CoApp directory structure and that if they're an application, they can only add an icon in the start menu. Here are some questions though:

- How much registry access do application packages receive? Same as any MSI installer or do we restrict it in some way?
- Same thing with system variables like PATH.

- Are non-application packages allowed to modify the registry? (Drivers obviously have to but since they use DIFx, that's a little different)
- Same thing with system variables.

- What if an add-on to an app doesn't register itself via the registry, Visual Studio Extensions for example? Do we allow them to call executables from the installer? If not, how do we handle this situation (obviously not Custom Actions)?

Eric