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micsol
Level 3

Invalid PATH VARIABLE values compile with no errors/warnings

I am using PATH VARIABLES in conjunction with dynamic links to point to locations on the network.

I had a typo in the PATH variable value (folder name), which meant that the file the installer was supposed to use could not be found at the time the installer was built.

Unfortunately, No errors/warning were displayed.

As a result, the installer did not install the required file.

Has anyone haqd this problem?

Regards
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(4) Replies
sdnelson
Level 5

I don't think you can even create a dynamic link to an invalid path. It should give you an error right when you create the link.

Do you have any component conditions that may not evaluate to true when you build? A release flag maybe?
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micsol
Level 3

Hi,

The problem is that even if you create a dynamic link, and use a valid PATH VARIABLE (BTW there's no check on the value of the PATH variable), if you then change the value of the path variable to point to something else, then the build should pick it up, but it doesn't!

MY_PATH_VARIABLE = \..\Build\Output


Change it to something invalid and it all build fine with no errors/warnings, which means that files that rely on 'MY_PATH_VARIABLE' will not be included in the installer...
MY_PATH_VARIABLE = \..\Build\OutputXXX
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sdnelson
Level 5

When I create a dynamic link with an invalid path I get an error: "The folder name you have entered is not a valid folder name on your system."

I've never seen a dynamic link allow you to use a bad path so I am not sure what to suggest there. However, I have seen when using path variables in dynamic links and then later recreating the path variable, the link no longer contains but now contains whatever the old value was. Maybe this is why it is not complaining about the new bad path in your variable; the dynamic link could still be pointing to the old value which does exist.
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micsol
Level 3

Hi sdnelson,

I was in touch with tech support.

Apparently the path variable check doesn't happen in InstallScript projects. If you use a Basic MSI project it will error out with a wrong path variable.

Hope this help all users who may have wasted some time trying to figure out what is going on.

Regards
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