5 Shortcuts, icons and the Installed apps entry

In this chapter

5.1The source 5.2Shortcuts: [shortcut.ID]5.3The Installed apps entry: [arp]5.4A name in another script 5.5Try it 5.6What happened inside

Goal: a Start menu folder "Example Software" with Hello and its readme, a desktop shortcut with its own icon, and an icon and links for Hello in Installed apps.

You need an icon file, hello.ico, next to the source (any .ico will do; many image editors save one).

5.1 The source#

# tutorial 05: hello.toml
format = 1

[package]
name = "Hello"
manufacturer = "Example Software"
version = "$(VERSION)"
arch = "x64"
upgrade-code = "{3F2A6C1D-8B4E-4F7A-9C2D-5E6F7A8B9C0D}"

[define]
VERSION = "1.3.0"

[arp]
icon = "hello.ico"
help = "https://example.com/hello/help"
about = "https://example.com/hello"
no-repair = true

[dir.INSTALLDIR]
path = "$(ProgramFiles)/Hello"

[dir.MenuFolder]
path = "$(Programs)/Example Software"

[file.Hello]
dir = "INSTALLDIR"
source = "dist/hello.exe"

[file.Readme]
dir = "INSTALLDIR"
source = "dist/readme.txt"

[shortcut.StartMenu]
dir = "MenuFolder"
name = "Hello"
target = "file:Hello"
description = "Says hello"
working-dir = "INSTALLDIR"

[shortcut.ReadmeLink]
dir = "MenuFolder"
name = "Hello - read me"
target = "file:Readme"

[shortcut.Desktop]
dir = "Desktop"
name = "Hello"
target = "file:Hello"
args = "--greet \"[ProductName] user\""
icon = "hello.ico"

5.2 Shortcuts: `[shortcut.ID]`#

dir is where the shortcut goes: a dir of your own, or directly one of Programs (the Start menu's program list), StartMenu, Desktop, Startup (started at every sign-in). Here the dir MenuFolder is a folder "Example Software" in the Start menu's programs, so the Start menu shows "Example Software" with two entries.
name is the text under the shortcut.
target is the file it opens: file: and the ID of a [file.*] of this package.
description is the tool tip; working-dir (a dir ID) the folder the program starts in.
args are the program's arguments. They are an MSI formatted string: [ProductName] becomes "Hello" when the shortcut is made. A double quote inside a TOML string is written \".
icon gives the shortcut its own .ico; without it Windows shows the program's own icon.

The Start menu folder rubrapack makes for shortcuts is removed again with the product, as are the shortcuts.

5.3 The Installed apps entry: `[arp]`#

("ARP" is the old name of the list: Add or Remove Programs.)

Key	Effect
`icon = "hello.ico"`	the icon in the list
`help = "https://..."`	a support link Windows shows with the product
`about = "https://..."`	the product's web page
`no-repair = true`	no Repair for this product
`no-modify = true`	no Modify/Change (useful when the package has nothing to change: chapter 8 adds something)
`no-remove = true`	no Uninstall; the product is removed through Modify, with the package's own dialogs (for an input method or a shell extension: see the reference)

5.4 A name in another script#

name may be in any language (name = "안녕"). The file properties of the .msi itself (its Details tab) can only show plain ASCII text, so for such a name give an ASCII form as well: summary-name = "Annyeong" in [package]. Without it rubrapack warns (RP1203) and the properties read "rubrapack package".

5.5 Try it#

Build, install, and open the Start menu: "Example Software" holds "Hello" and "Hello - read me", and the desktop has "Hello" with the icon you gave. Installed apps shows Hello with its icon. Remove it: the shortcuts and the Start menu folder go too.

5.6 What happened inside#

C:\work\hello> rubrapack inspect hello.msi Shortcut
Shortcut	Directory_	Name	Component_	Target	Arguments	Description	Hotkey
...
Desktop	DesktopFolder	Hello	C_2ea6d5bfd9b4a9073b30	[INSTALLDIR]hello.exe	--greet "[ProductName] user"
ReadmeLink	MenuFolder	HELLO-~1|Hello - read me	C_1643d000d3751c809248	[INSTALLDIR]readme.txt
StartMenu	MenuFolder	Hello	C_a7452f86f3da3f7d2a6c	[INSTALLDIR]hello.exe		Says hello

Each shortcut has a component of its own, in its target file's feature: it is installed and removed with the file. Its key path is a value under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Example Software\Hello\Shortcuts, because Windows' rules treat the Start menu and the desktop as the user's places (Part IV, checking against Windows).
[INSTALLDIR]hello.exe is the target: the folder INSTALLDIR, wherever it was installed, and the file name.
HELLO-~1|Hello - read me holds two names: an old-style short name (8 characters, a dot, 3 characters - from the days of MS-DOS) and the long one. Windows Installer wants both for every name; rubrapack makes the short ones up.

The icons are stored inside the package (the Icon table), and the Property table carries the Installed apps settings:

ARPHELPLINK	https://example.com/hello/help
ARPNOREPAIR	1
ARPPRODUCTICON	RpIcon1.ico
ARPURLINFOABOUT	https://example.com/hello

← PrevContentsNext →