A uninstaller may be added to your package: end users can run this program (through the Add/Remove Programs option in the Control Panel) to remove all files, folders, shortcuts, .ini and registry entries and any changes created by the package.
The uninstaller supports removing files (including shared files), folders, shortcuts, .ini keys, and registry keys, entries. You can moreover add custom uninstall commands with the custom actions, to execute program files, batch files (and optionally plug-ins) that can perform additional cleaning tasks not supported by the uninstaller.
You can also remove ActiveX controls, run additional "cleaning" programs, remove remaining folders & files or prevent the uninstaller from removing something using custom uninstall commands.
If you do not want a file to be automatically removed by the uninstaller, you can use the file properties.
To include the uninstaller in your package, be sure to enable the "Include the Uninstaller engine" option first. Otherwise no uninstall support will be provided.
Properties of the uninstaller
This page allows you to modify the properties of the uninstaller.
Control Panel Description
The package automatically adds an entry for the uninstaller in the Add/Remove Programs option of the Windows Control Panel. This is the default place where end users generally decide to uninstall applications set up on their computer.
Enter the text that you wish to appear in the control panel option: generally a short description like My Application 1.7.
The settings for the control panel are actually stored in the registry and a unique key name is required. You need to enter this unique name in that field, something like your company name + application name + version number.
The uninstaller is a single executable file automatically created by the package. In this field you have to specify the full path to the uninstaller file that will be created. It should generally be in the main folder (%DESTPATH%) where other package files were extracted. For example: %DESTPATH%\Uninstall.exe. Please do not put it in a common system folder.
The program automatically removes itself when the uninstall is performed.
The uninstaller uses a log file to know which changes were made by the package. This log file is stored in the same folder as the uninstaller file and it has the same filename except the extension. If the uninstaller uses plug-ins, they may also be stored in the same folder with a similar filename.
All uninstaller-related additional files are automatically removed by the uninstaller too.
| The .log and the uninstaller files are automatically created once during the transition between the "After File Extraction" and "Finalization" events. So if you want to add custom actions for the uninstaller, insert them in the "After File Extraction" event. |
If the uninstall program is unable to remove specific files (in-use program files, shared DLL files...), then it will register them to be deleted when Windows restarts the next time.
If you do not want your package to be listed in that list, enable this option. However be sure to provide users with a mean to run the uninstaller.
The uninstaller automatically saves a .log file; if this option is turned on and if a .log file created of a previous instance of the package is found, the package will not overwrite the existing log but it will append new changes to this existing .log file (actually they are merged). Consequently changes performed by a previous installation will be kept and they will be also removed in addition to the new changes when end users run the uninstall program.
This is an important feature if your users run the package several times and select different components to be installed for instance.
If this option is not enabled, the uninstaller .log will be overwritten and previous changes may not be removed.
A progress monitor is shown while the package is performing uninstall. It indicates end users that the uninstaller is working and gives them an idea about the state of the uninstall process. If you prefer that the uninstaller works in the background (i.e. silently), just turn this option on.
If you want to perform a silent uninstall, just run the uninstaller with the "1" command line parameter. Example: Uninstall.exe 1 ; in that case, no prompt nor dialog boxes are displayed and the package is removed silently.
On NT-like systems (NT4, 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Vista...), only administrators should be allowed to uninstall a package - though it actually depends on what kind of changes the package made. If you wish to allow any users to run the uninstaller, then enable this option. Otherwise leave it unchecked.
On Windows Vista, package uninstallers automatically have their requested execution level set to "Require Administrator"; this will ensure that the system will identify the uninstall program as an administrative application and will perform the necessary elevation steps. However if you enable the previous option, the requested execution level will be set to "Highest Available".
See this help topic for further information.
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