Detect if FM was installed for all users (on windows)

[Josef Andrysek]

Hi,

I've got the following problem on windows: I have full path to the main FileMaker executable file (e.g.: c:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Developer 7FileMaker Developer.exe) and need to automatically determine, if this FM was installed for all users or for actual user only. I know that installation for actual user stores data in HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry and installation for all users stores data in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry. But which keys should I be looking for?

The solution I'm looking for should work for all versions of FileMaker and for runtime solutions as well. For the mentioned example of path, the registry key which should I look for is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareFileMakerFileMaker Pro7.0D. But I do not have any Idea how to automatically translate the path to executable into the registry keys, unless to make a table of known paths and corresponding registry keys.

Thank you for any hints.

Josef Andrysek

[Wim Decorte]

The best way to find out is to test. Install FMP for just the current user, save the registry. Uninstall and install for all users, save the registry. Do a text diff between the two saved registry files?

I'm not sure you'd find the settings for all usrs in the HKLM hive though. It could be here:

HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftwareFileMakerFileMaker Pro

As to finding the correct registry key from the executable: that's not reliable without some scripting. The only difference in the key name is the "7.0D" ("8.0" for FMP8, "8.0A" for 8 Advanced, ...". You can sort of tell by the path to the executable but only if the software was installed to the default path. If it was installed to a custom path with no clues in the path name, you're out of luck.

You can use a VBscript to look in the exe's file properties for the version, or use FM's ActiveX objects to ask for the version.

[Josef Andrysek]

Thanks for your answer.

I already made the test for my FM 7. Installation for all users stored its data in HKLM.

>>The only difference in the key name is the "7.0D" ("8.0" for FMP8, "8.0A" for 8 Advanced, ...".

Yes, I can look in the exe's file properties for the version and the name of the executable tells me some glue about the name of the product. But still I neeed to hard-code the knowledge, about naming the registry keys. The "..." in your post exactly shows my problem. I do not know all posible combinations of FM products and their version naming and naming of registry keys.

The next problem are stand-alone applications using FM runtime. It can have arbitrary file name :-(

Josef

[Wim Decorte]

I do not know all posible combinations of FM products and their version naming and naming of registry keys.

The next problem are stand-alone applications using FM runtime. It can have arbitrary file name :-(

Josef

Yep, but you can write a VBscript that will go the the parent key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREFileMakerFileMaker Pro ?) and loop through all the children, getting a list of their names...? Should work, me thinks :)

[Josef Andrysek]

Of course I can. But still I have a list of all installed FM products and need to decide which of them belongs to the executable file in question.

The solution I'm looking for must run not only for me, but for everyone having arbitrary FM products installed.