How to Navigate and Utilize the Registration Tab Effectively

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Registration
• Using Advanced Installer
  • GUI
  • Working with Projects
  • Installer Project
    * Product Information
    * Resources
    * Files and Folders
    * Files
    * File Properties Dialog
    * File Properties Tab
    * File Operations Tab
    * File Version Tab
    * Registration Tab
    * App-V Options Tab - File Properties Dialog
    * Multiple Files Properties Tab
    * File Picker Dialog
    * Add Dependencies Dialog
    * Temporary Files
    * File Operations
    * Folders
    * Permissions Tab - Installer Project
    * Shortcuts
    * Shortcuts
    * INI Files
    * XML Files
    * JSON Files
    * Text File Updates
    * Windows Libraries
    * Tiles
    * Java Products
    * Registry
    * File Associations
    * Assemblies
    * Drivers
    * Services
    * Package Definition
    * Requirements
    * User Interface
    * System Changes
    * Server
    * Custom Behavior
  • Patch Project
  • Merge Module Project
  • Updates Configuration Project
  • Windows Store App Project
  • Modification Package Project
  • Optional Package Project
  • Windows Mobile CAB Projects
  • Visual Studio Extension Project
  • Software Installer Wizards - Advanced Installer
  • Visual Studio integration
  • Alternative to AdminStudio/Wise
  • Replace Wise
  • Migrating from Visual Studio Installer
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Shell Integration
  • Command Line
  • Advanced Installer PowerShell Automation Interfaces
• Features and Functionality
• Tutorials
• Samples
• How-tos
• FAQs
• Windows Installer
• Deployment Technologies
• IT Pro
• MSIX
• Video Tutorials
• Advanced Installer Blog
• Table of Contents

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Registration Tab

In this dialog, you can set registration options for different file types.

Based on the file type the registration tab appears containing different options specific to that file type or can not appear at all. If a file supports registration, the registration tab can be accessed while viewing the properties of a selected file.

The following file types can be registered:

• Dynamic-Link Library(.dll) files, Object Linking and Embedding custom control(.ocx) files, etc.

File Registration

Check the Auto register file (DLL,OCX,etc.) box to mark the file for registration.

There are three methods for registering files, two for native libraries and one for .NET assemblies. Select the desired method from the options bellow.

A self-registrable native library should export the “DllRegisterServer” function.

Self-register native library

By selecting this option the file is marked for self-registration.

The self-registration method of registering components has many drawbacks (like not being able to roll back the changes if something fails later in the install) and it is against Microsoft guidelines.

Extract registration info from the native library

By selecting this option all the necessary registry entries and keys are installed separately. You can see them in the Registry and COM pages. This is the preferred way to register a file.

If you make changes to the source file or change the file directory in Advanced Installer it is recommended to synchronize the file’s registration.

When this option is enabled for EXE COMs being already registered on the current build machine after the option is applied it is possible that the EXE COMs be unregistered from build machine. This behavior may exhibit due to a limitation of our extract registration info mechanism.

Register .NET assembly for COM interoperability

This option creates the required registry entries in order for your assembly to be operable through COM. You can see those registry entries in the Registry page. Advanced Installer attempts to find the RegAsm tool in order to extract the registry entries required for COM interoperability. You can specify the RegAsm file to be used from the External Tools page.

It is recommended to synchronize the registration if you make changes to the assembly that affects the COM interface or assembly attributes.

Synchronization

• Disable - Registration data is read from the file only once and stored if the file will change the registration data will not be updated.
• Enable - Registration data is read from the file when the project is opened and before build, and stored.
• Buildtime - Registration data will be read only as part of the build process; it will not be displayed in the Registry page or stored in the project.

The “Enable” and “Buildtime” synchronization methods will remove or replace any registry entries placed in the same component with the file.

• Font files:

Font Options

Check the “Register Font” check-box for the font to be registered during the installation process.

Enter the font’s name in the “Registration Name” text field. This will be the name under which the font will be registered.

For True-Type and True-Type Collections this field must be empty since the correct name will be read from the file. If a different name is entered the font will be registered twice.

• Merge Modules files:

Merge Module Registration

Register with Visual Studio

Registers this merge module with Visual Studio. Registered merge modules can be selected when creating “Setup and Deployment” projects.

Register with Advanced Installer

Registers this merge module with Advanced Installer. Registered merge modules can be added through the “Add Advanced Installer MSM” option in Merge Modules page.

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