User Guide

114
Features Page
external files that can run from the source. See the description of Media Type in
Adding a Media Item on page 202.
! Advertising
Specify the default setting for how this feature supports advertising. If a feature is
advertised, it is not installed, but it appears to be installed to the end user. Example:
The end user might see shortcuts or menu options for an advertised feature, or the
system might have certain entry points to the feature, such as a registered file
extension, that can initiate installation-on-demand of an advertised feature.
•None
By default, the feature is set to be installed, not advertised.
• Favor Advertising
By default, the feature is set to be advertised.
• Disallow Advertising
The feature is set to be installed, not advertised, and the end user cannot
change the default.
Note
Advertising is only supported on certain platforms. To suppress advertising on
unsupported platforms, mark Disable advertising if not supported by OS below. See
Platform Support of Advertisement in the Windows Installer SDK Help.
! Directory
To let end users select the directory for this feature, select a directory from this list.
When the end user selects this feature in the Select Feature dialog during
installation, the Browse button becomes enabled so that they can select a new
directory. Child features of this feature inherit the new directory selected by the end
user. If you leave the directory set to <none>, then the files for this feature are
installed in the directory structure specified on the Files page.
To ensure that two features always get installed to the same directory, select the
same option in Directory for both features.
If you let end users select directories for individual features, you must code your
application in such a way that it can locate the features wherever they might be
placed by the end user. To do this, you can call Windows Installer functions, such as
MsiGetComponentPath.
Note
Only the files that are in the directory you select or in its child directories will be installed
in the new directory that the end user selects. Example: Suppose FeatureA installs File1
in the Sample\FeatureA\ directory and File2 in the Windows directory. During installation,
the end user specifies Sample\A\ for the new directory. Only File1, which was originally in
the FeatureA\ directory, is actually installed in the A\ directory. File2 is still installed in the
Windows directory.
! Required Feature
Mark this if the feature is required for installation. During installation, end users
cannot deactivate installation of a required feature. If you select Never install this
feature in Level (above), it overrides this option.
! Disable advertising if not supported by OS
Mark this to ignore any choices you’ve made in the Advertising drop-down list if the
operating system on the destination computer does not support advertising. See
Platform Support of Advertisement in the Windows Installer SDK Help.