CreateShortcut / Working Directory Problem

[Red27]

Hi there,

I've having problems trying to amend the Working Directory to be the $INSTDIR for the Start Menu Shortcuts I create.

I'm using SetOutPath $INSTDIR successfully for the Desktop Shortcut I create ok, but for the Start Menu Short Cuts the Installer either:

a) fails to create the Shortcut (if I remove the SetOutPath command from the CREATE_SMGROUP_SHORTCUT macro, or change it to $INSTDIR), or

b) sets the working directory to be the Start Menu Group rather than the INSTDIR (if I leave the SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup alone)

Here are the relevant sections of my script:

SetOutPath $INSTDIR
CreateShortcut "$DESKTOP\Program1.lnk" $INSTDIR\Program1.exe

!insertmacro CREATE_SMGROUP_SHORTCUT "Program 1" $INSTDIR\Program 1.exe
!insertmacro CREATE_SMGROUP_SHORTCUT "Program 2" $INSTDIR\Program 2.exe
!insertmacro CREATE_SMGROUP_SHORTCUT "Program 3" $INSTDIR\Program 3.exe

...

!macro CREATE_SMGROUP_SHORTCUT NAME PATH
Push "${NAME}"
Push "${PATH}"
Call CreateSMGroupShortcut
!macroend

...

Function CreateSMGroupShortcut
Exch $R0 ;PATH
Exch
Exch $R1 ;NAME
Push $R2
StrCpy $R2 $StartMenuGroup 1
StrCmp $R2 ">" no_smgroup
#SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup *** SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM - BUT WHAT TO SET TO? ***
CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\$R1.lnk" $R0
no_smgroup:
Pop $R2
Pop $R1
Pop $R0
FunctionEnd

By the way, the macro was generated by the EclipseNSIS wizard.

I'd be grateful for suggestions.

Thanks.

[Kel Solaar]

I'm facing the same exact problem and would like to know what is the solution.

Here is my related section :

Section -post SEC0001
WriteRegStr HKLM "${REGKEY}" Path $INSTDIR
SetOutPath $INSTDIR
WriteUninstaller $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe
!insertmacro MUI_STARTMENU_WRITE_BEGIN Application
SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\$(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\$(^Name).exe
CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\Uninstall $(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe
!insertmacro MUI_STARTMENU_WRITE_END
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" DisplayName "$(^Name)"
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" DisplayVersion "${VERSION}"
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" Publisher "${COMPANY}"
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" URLInfoAbout "${URL}"
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" DisplayIcon $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" UninstallString $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe
WriteRegDWORD HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" NoModify 1
WriteRegDWORD HKLM "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\$(^Name)" NoRepair 1
SectionEnd

Edit : I found a workaround : copying the Desktop shortcut back to the Startup Menu, not really clean but it works. Hope someone will find a real solution.

SetOutPath $INSTDIR
CreateShortcut "$DESKTOP\$(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\$(^Name).exe
SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
CopyFiles "$DESKTOP\$(^Name).lnk" "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\"
CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\Uninstall $(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe

[Afrow UK]

Why not do:
SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
SetOutPath $INSTDIR
CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\$(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\$(^Name).exe
CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\Uninstall $(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe

Stu

[Kel Solaar]

It's working like a charm !

Btw I don't really understand the code tbh and why it's working

this alone :

SetOutPath $INSTDIR

don't work but this :

SetOutPath $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup
SetOutPath $INSTDIR

is working, why ?

[Afrow UK]

You need to create the directory before creating the shortcut in it. SetOutPath recursively creates the directories as well as sets the working directory to it.

Stu

[Red27]

Afrow UK - brilliant - that 100% resolved the problem - thanks very much!

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Instead of changing the OutPath two times, you could simply do:

code:
CreateDirectory $SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup

CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\$(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\$(^Name).exe

CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\$StartMenuGroup\Uninstall $(^Name).lnk" $INSTDIR\Uninstall.exe