AppSearch

Windows Installer lets you search the computer during an install for specific files, directories and settings. Collectively, these fall under the category of AppSearch, which is the name of the MSI database table where search tasks are stored.

There are five types of searches:

• DirectorySearch: Search for the existence or path of a directory

• FileSearch: Search for a specific file

• ComponentSearch: Search for a file by its component GUID

• RegistrySearch: Search the Windows Registry for a key

• IniFileSearch: Search inside INI files for configuration settings

Each of these types refers to the WiX element that you'd use to perform the search. Each is the child element of a Property element. So, you'll start off with a Property element whose value will be filled with the result of the search.

There's an attribute of the Property element, ComplianceCheck, that can be used with all of the types. When set to yes, an error dialog will be shown if the search isn't successful. It will then end the...