Comprehensive Guide to Utilizing Extension Attributes in Software Development

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Registration
• Using Advanced Installer
  • GUI
  • Working with Projects
  • Installer Project
    * Product Information
    * Resources
    * Files and Folders
    * Tiles
    * Java Products
    * Registry
    * File Associations
    * Default Programs
    * Context Menu Properties
    * ProgID Properties
    * Extension Properties
    * Verb Properties
    * 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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Extension Properties

General

Command

Points the path of the program associated with the extension. You can change the program by using the [Browse… ] button to select another one from the project.

MIME type

Defines the content type of the files with the selected extension. This content type will be used by the browsers to select an application to handle a downloaded file. Leave this field empty if you do not want to register a MIME type for the files with the current extension.

Consult the IANA registry online for a list of assigned MIME Media Types.

During installation of a MIME type Windows Installer registers the MIME type under the Internet Explorer MIME Database too (“HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type” registry key). Considering the method how Internet Explorer handles MIME Types , it is not recommend to register the “application/octet-stream” MIME type with your application extension. This is because after registering the “application/octet-stream” MIME type with your application extension, Internet Explorer could associate all downloaded files of “application/octet-stream” MIME type with your application extension.

Feature

The feature which controls the extension installation. If this feature is not installed, the file associations is not made.

This combo box shows only features which contains the extension component.

Place extension in a separate feature

When enabling this option a special feature is created for the current extension. Through this feature the extension installation can be controlled.

Installation Behavior

This group allows you to specify when the extension feature is installed:

• Installed by default - installs the extension feature by default
• Not installed by default - the extension feature is not installed by default, but the user can still select it for installation through “SetupTypeDlg” dialog
• Install based on custom condition - installs the extension feature only if the specified condition is true

Show in FileAssociationsDlg dialog

Enabling this option will automatically create for the extension a checkbox on “FileAssociationsDlg” predefined dialog . It will also add the required control events so the checkbox controls the extension feature installation.

Only one extension should be associated with each ProgID.

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