How to add Directory to the Windows Path variable during installation?

Question

I developed an application like Console in C# with Visual Studio 2013 and wanted the installer to add the solution directory in the variable Path Windows, during installation. Is this possible? What is the procedure to perform this change in the system?

Obs.: I am not using third party installers, only Visual Studio 2013. I noticed that 2010 already has a Setup generator, but 2013 only has Publish.

Answer 1

For the via installer "Inno Setup", could be done that way adding to Section [Registry].

Setting Environment Variables

Environment variables are stored as string values in the Registry, so it is possible to Manipulate them using the [Registry] Section. System-wide Environment variables are Located at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM Currentcontrolset Control Session Manager Environment User-specific Environment variables are Located at: HKEY_CURRENT_USER Environment

Reference: http://www.jrsoftware.org/isfaq.php#env

Answer 2

You can write an app that does this in C#:

Using Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable:

var originalPath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH");
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "C:\\Minha\\Aplicacacao\\Console.exe;" + originalPath);

Only works if the application runs in high mode.

If it will generate a .msi using Wix Toolset, see the Environment part.

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EDIT

Apparently PATH is a special case of environment variable. Recommended is to change it through modifications in the Windows registry:

string chave = @"SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment";         
string pathAntigo = (string)Registry.LocalMachine.CreateSubKey(chave).GetValue("Path", "", RegistryValueOptions.DoNotExpandEnvironmentNames);

Registry.LocalMachine.CreateSubKey(chave).SetValue("Path", pathAntigo + ";C:\\Minha\\Aplicacacao\\Console.exe;", RegistryValueKind.ExpandString);

Answer 3

The visual-studio-2013 does not have a generator Setup (Only the Publish), as had the visual-studio-2010. That’s why I used the extension Installer Projects.

After installing the extension, I added a project to my project Setup Project located in Other Project Types > Visual Studio Installer (option created by extension).

I added a new Class to my project called InstallerActions.cs:

using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Configuration.Install;
using System.Diagnostics;

namespace GiTp
{
    [RunInstaller(true)]
    public partial class InstallerActions : System.Configuration.Install.Installer
    {

        public override void Install(IDictionary savedState)
        {
            base.Install(savedState);
        }


        public override void Rollback(IDictionary savedState)
        {
            base.Rollback(savedState);
        }

        public override void Commit(IDictionary savedState)
        {
            base.Commit(savedState);

            if (this.Context.Parameters["cpath"] == "1")
                AddPath(this.Context.Parameters["targ"]);
        }

        public override void Uninstall(IDictionary savedState)
        {
            Process application = null;
            foreach (var process in Process.GetProcesses())
            {
                if (!process.ProcessName.ToLower().Contains("gitp")) continue;
                application = process;
                break;
            }

            if (application != null && application.Responding)
                application.Kill();

            RemovePath(this.Context.Parameters["targ"]);

            base.Uninstall(savedState);
        }

        private void AddPath(String path)
        {
            var originalPath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH").TrimEnd(';');
            Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", originalPath + ';' + path.TrimEnd('\\'), EnvironmentVariableTarget.Machine);
        }

        private void RemovePath(String path)
        {
            var originalPath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PATH").TrimEnd(';');

            List<string> paths = new List<string>(originalPath.Split(';'));

            foreach (string p in paths)
            {
                if (String.Compare(p, path, true) == 0)
                {
                    paths.Remove(p);
                    break;
                }

            }

            Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", String.Join(";", paths) );
        }
    }
}

The method AddPath(String path) performs the recording of the variable PATH and is called in the method Commit, which is executed after the installation of the program.

The parameters this.Context.Parameters["cpath"] and this.Context.Parameters["targ"] are informed on the property CustomActionData of Custom Event of the extension, as illustrated:

_{Property value: /targ="[TARGETDIR]\" /cpath=[CHECKPATH].
Obs.: The estate CHECKPATH is a checkbox of a customized screen Setup.}

The method RemovePath(String path) removes the record of the variable PATH and is called in the method Uninstall, which will run on program uninstallation.

_{Obs.: The setting of the property CustomActionData is the same as Commit, except that it is not necessary to send the property CHECKPATH.}

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Sources

1. Creating an MSI/Setup Package for C# Windows Application Using a Visual Studio 2010 Setup Project ^EN
2. Reply from @Ciganomorrisonmendez