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Licence CPOL
First Posted 21 Aug 2005
Views 130,839
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Add an uninstall start menu item to your .NET deployment project

By mjmeans | 21 Aug 2005
The simple way to add an uninstall menu item to your .NET deployment project

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μ 4.39, σa 1.28 [?]

Introduction

It's super easy to add this to your deployment project.

  1. Select your deployment project and go to the file system editor, user programs menu.
  2. Add an additional shortcut to your primary output project and name it Uninstall Application.
  3. Set the Arguments property to /u=[ProductCode].
  4. Add the following code to your project's Main() sub or startup form's New() sub just before the call to InitializeComponent().
    Dim arguments As String() = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
    Dim argument As String
    For Each argument In arguments
        If argument.Split("=")(0).ToLower = "/u" Then
            Dim guid As String = argument.Split("=")(1)
            Dim path As String = _
               Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System)
            Dim si As New ProcessStartInfo(path & _
                      "\msiexec.exe", "/i " & guid)
            Process.Start(si)
            Close()
            Application.Exit()
            End
        End If
    Next

That's is! The Deployment project will replace [ProductCode] in the Arguments property with the actual installer project's ProductCode GUID value. Your program will see the /u={Actual ProductCode} argument and pass it to msiexec.exe before exiting.

The installer is run in repair/remove mode for your application. The user is allowed to select repair or remove, and continue. If you want the product to remove only, replace the "/i " with "/x ".

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

mjmeans

Systems Engineer
Mark J Means Consulting
United States United States

Member
I have been a software consultant since 1985 working on everything from the Commodore VIC-20 & RadioShack CoCo games to 8051 Embedded USB Microcontrollers to Windows Vista database applications. I have written over a half million lines of code since 2004. Please see my DataConnectionDialog control at http://mjmeans.com/dcd.aspx.

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Comments and Discussions

 
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QuestionWorked but getting an error in some machines PinmemberVaidehi P21:21 16 May '11  
AnswerRe: Worked but getting an error in some machines Pinmembermjmeans12:00 17 May '11  
GeneralVerifying The Link... [modified] Pinmemberjp2code13:04 15 Sep '10  
GeneralCondensed C# Code PinmemberGeo24214:01 27 May '10  
GeneralCode in C# PinmemberNitin Sawant16:53 3 Dec '09  
QuestionWhere should I put these codes? Pinmemberqiux1:51 4 Sep '09  
AnswerRe: Where should I put these codes? Pinmembermjmeans0:01 6 Sep '09  
QuestionHow to Show Product Name while confirming the Unistallation? Pinmemberoops.uvj21:45 19 Aug '09  
AnswerRe: How to Show Product Name while confirming the Unistallation? Pinmembermjmeans8:22 20 Aug '09  
AnswerRe: How to Show Product Name while confirming the Unistallation? Pinmemberstratokazik20:45 17 Aug '10  
GeneralThank you PinmemberSintre12:14 8 Jun '09  
GeneralOne Problem [modified] PinmemberthirstyDev19:43 26 Nov '08  
GeneralRe: One Problem Pinmembermjmeans8:37 27 Nov '08  
GeneralRe: One Problem PinmemberthirstyDev18:46 27 Nov '08  
GeneralEven easier solution PinmemberVyacheslav Trubarov15:28 3 Nov '07  
NewsRe: Even easier solution PinmemberBilal Haider Asi9:46 13 Mar '08  
GeneralNo Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembercode@controlbox.co.uk6:52 9 Aug '07  
GeneralRe: No Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembermjmeans8:26 9 Aug '07  
GeneralRe: No Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembercedear6:50 19 May '08  
GeneralRe: No Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembernnans1:07 29 Oct '08  
GeneralRe: No Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembermjmeans7:16 29 Oct '08  
GeneralRe: No Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembernnans18:07 29 Oct '08  
GeneralRe: No Code Solution VS2005 Pinmembermjmeans3:08 30 Oct '08  
Generala better alternative PinPopularmemberJujiswa13:51 25 Feb '07  
GeneralRe: a better alternative Pinmemberlogan13378:46 28 Jul '07  

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