ExtnAction

MAKEMSI quickly and reliably creates MSI files in a non-programmatic way

Source Code

Commands

ExtnAction

The "ExtnAction" Command

This command can can be used within a "Extn" block. It defined an action to be associated with a "ProgId".

The command takes these parameters:

Command (required)
This is the full command line to be executed.
Parts of Windows will expand environment variables (like "%comspec%") while it won't work for others (and this varies by OS), if you need to use them then its best to use the format "[%comspec]".
Description (optional)
This is the action's text that appears in the right click context menu.
Key (optional)
You can specify the name of an already existing or predefined action (such as "Open"), otherwise a value will be assigned.
Type (optional)
This value control the value in the "TYPE" parameter of the "Registry" comamnd use to specify the "Command" value.
This defaults to "EXTN_ACTION_COMMAND_TYPE (which is initially "STRING"), you would need to use "EXPSTRING" if the command includes environment variables (or they won't be expanded).
If you do use "EXPSTRING" then you will also wish to add this command:
```
<$MsiValFilter "Default types must be REG_SZ on Win95 Systems">
```
NewMenu (optional)
This defaults to "N", you should pass "Y" if this item is to be added to Windows Explorer's "New" menu.
Note that if the "ProdId" (aka "FType") is too long (whatever that is) the item will display in the "New" menu but the icon won't display.
You must also have at least one other action where "NewMenu=N" otherwise Windows will not display the item at all. The "TryMeExtnAction.MM" example demonstrates this.

Main Extn/ExtnAction Related Options

Please see the "options for commands" section of the manual.

#define? EXTN_DEFAULT_PROGID_PREFIX     ProgId4.
#define? DEFAULT_EXTN_HKEY              CLASSES_ROOT
#define? EXTN_ACTION_COMMAND_TYPE       STRING      ;;or EXPSTRING (to expand environment variables etc)?

EXAMPLE

Also see the "TryMeExtnAction.MM" example.

<$Component "TestExtnMacro" Create="Y" Directory_="INSTALLDIR">
   <$Extn ".TestExtn" KEYPATH="Y" Description="Test Extension">
       <$ExtnAction Key="Open" Description="EDIT FILE" Command=^notepad.exe "%1"^>
   <$/Extn>
<$/Component>

Microsoft awarded me an MVP (Most Valuable Professional award) in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009 for the Windows SDK (Windows Installer) area.

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