Program Files\Common directory

Red Prince
17th December 2003 20:52 UTC

Program Files\Common directory
In Windows NT, 2000, and XP, there is a special directory for common files used by several applications (its official constant is CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON and it is typically at C:\Program Files\Common, but can be anywhere).

Now, I know there is an easy way to find C:\Program Files from within the installer. Unfortunately, the common directory is not always named Common on every system.

Is there a way to find this directory from NSIS and install files to it?

kichik
17th December 2003 22:06 UTC

Use:

ReadRegStr $varName HKLM Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion CommonFilesDir

Soon there will be an internal variable named $COMMONFILES or something alike that will do the same, but for now that'll have to do.

Red Prince
17th December 2003 22:54 UTC

Thanks, Kichik.