Windows Installation (not portable)

1

I would like to install Manager on my windows machine.
The provided installer creates a portable install, useful for those who want to circumvent their IT administrator restrictions, run multiple versions of Manager simultaneously on one computer, or circumvent the protection of UAC. As I do the IT administration these are negative not positive “features” for me.

As such for me, it is highly desirable to instal and maintain Manger only in the “c:\Program Files” or “c:\Program Files (x86)” with all of the other programs.

What have community members found is the best method of achieving a normal computer install rather than a portable install? Is manager a 32 or 64 bit application so should it be installed in “c:\Program Files” or “c:\Program Files (x86)”.

I have tried:

Using the Windows installer
Selecting “c:\Program Files” or “c:\Program Files (x86)” however this gives and installation error.

Using the Windows Source package

  1. Manually create “Manager” directory in c:\Program Files
  2. Download the current windows Source package
  3. Right click on the downloaded zip file select properties → Security unblock (otherwise the user is prompted every time Manager is run)
  4. Copy the contents of the “Source Package” zip file to the “c:\Program Files\Manager” directory
  5. Create a start menu short cut:-
  • Create a short cut to “C:\Program Files\Manager\ManagerDesktop.exe”
  • Right click on the short cut, select properties, Change Icon, navigate to C:\Program Files\Manager\ and select “Manager.ico” click OK or Apply
  • Move the short cut to an appropriate directory in “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs”
  1. Associate ManagerDesktop.exe with .manager files:-
  • Save a back up in Manager
  • Double click on the saved backup.
  • Choose Select application on this computer, other, navigate to “C:\Program Files\Manager\ManagerDesktop.exe”, ensure always use this application is selected.

Then for subsequent Manager program updates

  1. Delete the contents of C:\Program Files\Manager
  2. repeat steps 2 - 4 above

Is there a better approach?

References:
Old thread Installing in C:\Program Files
Closest Guide Install or update desktop edition on macOS

2

there is no need to download the source package unless you are rebranding Manager.
by reading what you have described, all you are doing is changing the Manager program icon.

all you need to do is just download the installation program of Manager instead of source package and start using it.
changing an icon for any program can be easily done in Windows by setting the same in program Properties.

3

OK.
So how is the installation program used to install the manager program in “c:\Program Files” rather than the portable installation normally done by the installer. I initially tried to use the installer however it appear it doesn’t support a normal windows installation.

I’m happy to do it a better way. Documenting he most efficient way of achieving a normal windows installation is the reason I asked the question.

4

Not sure I understand what you are trying to achieve. The desktop version is for a standalone PC with one user.

If you need an installation with multiple PCs or users, then the server or cloud version would seem a better fit for your requirements

5

sigh

Have a look at the directory structure of all windows computers. All (almost all) the programs that have been installed on that computer will have their program code stored in "c:\Program Files". User program settings are stored in a hidden user directory such as "C:\Users<UsersName>\AppData\Local" Programs can also access data in more visible locations such as "C:\Users<UsersName>\Documents" for an individual users documents (or other information), C:\Users\Public\Documents for documents accessible by all users on that computer, or an network or internet location for documents / information shared more widely.

An individual computer can have multiple user accounts. On all the computers I manage there is an administrator account used to configure the computer, install programs or update installed programs. There are also multiple user accounts used by individual users on a daily basis.

Now look at your windows computer, in the "c:\Program Files" you will find the programs you use such as your internet browser, word processor, music player, anti virus.

The benefit of this arrangement is when a program is installed or updated in "c:\Program Files", it is available for all users who use that computer. Window also provides some protection of those files to minimise inadvertent modification.

The optimal arrangement for data has more flexibility. Different users can also keep their information private, by storing it in a private location (such as the default data location for manager "C:\Users<UsersName>\AppData\Local\Local\Manager") or a more visible location (eg Manager backups) or a shared local location (eg for Manager files shared by all users on an individual computer) or a shared network location (eg for Manager files accessed from different computers but not simultaneously shared). I have described data storage for Manager but the considerations are identical for your word processor, spreadsheet, music player, anti virus etc.

In summary windows file system has evolved in this manner to provide efficient computer maintenance, installation protection and user flexibility. The same applies to Manager. I want to maintain one installation of Manager on each individual computer. Each computer user has the options to keep their financial data private to them or share it with other uses on that computer or other users on the computer network (depending on where each computer users chooses to store their data).

The questions should not be why do I want to set up my computer this way, but rather why would the majority of Manager users not want to install Manager in a similar manner to every other program on their computer. Lubos has expressed a preference for and coded a non-standard (or at least very uncommon) installation arrangement. While I don’t think it is constructive to try to change the installers functionality I do want the functionality provided be a standard Windows program installation and I suspect other users may also.

Which gets me back to the topic of this thread:- What is the most efficient way of achieving and maintaining an installation of Manager with the program files in "c:\Program Files"?

6

A solution to this is:

Run the installer from an administrator command prompt

  1. Login as an administrator
  2. Navigate to and/or download the Manager installation file Manager.msi
  3. Right click on Manager.msi → Properties → Select path → Copy
  4. Open a command prompt run as a administrator
  • Start menu → Accessories (or search for cmd.exe)
  • Right click Command prompt → Run as administrator
  1. In command prompt window
  • Type double quote "
  • Right click-> Paste (to insert the path copied above)
  • Type back slash \
  • Type Manager.msi (or copy file name from properties window or file manger)
  • Type double Quote "
  • Press enter key to run the msi

During installation
Select the installation directory c:\Programs → changes to “C:\Program Files (x86)”
but otherwise appears to run successfully

Move the created short cuts to shared menus

  • Start menu → Programs → Right click “Manager” select open → Click on the parent directory → Select then cut the Manager directory
  • Start menu → Programs → Navigate to where you want Manager menu to be → Right click on a shared directory & select open → Paste the Manager directory
  • Move or delete the Task bar and desktop short cuts

Correct the short cut icons

  1. Login to the computer as an ordinary windows user
  2. Select the "Manager shortcut → right click → properties → Short cut tab → click change icon → Navigate c:\Programs (x86)\Manager → click OK
  3. Select the Manager uninstall short cut → right click → properties → Short cut tab → click change icon → navigate to c:\Windows\SystWOW64\msiexec.exe → click OK

In summary, not a lot easier than just copying the source files to a appropriate directory and manually creating the shortcut.

7

no windows user have ever had such issues as you have described.
i personally find Manager installation default to the Program Files directory on Windows drive.
moreover, in Windows, all program installation would default to the respective 32bit or 64bit Program Files directory. This is a Windows configuration and not Manager configuration.
maybe your Windows registry was modified by some previously installed program or by some user.
try reading this https://www.itechtics.com/change-default-installation-folder-windows-10/

8

That’s excellent.
So when you look in “c:\users<your windows username>\AppData\Roaming\Manager” nothing is there, and your Manger short cut links to
“c:\Programs (x86)\Manager\ManagerDesktop.exe” not
“c:\users<your windows username>\AppData\Roaming\Manager\ManagerDesktop.exe”

Btw what version of windows as you using because that is different to my experience with windows 7 and different to Lubos Jan 2016 post, nor could I find documentation of the change in the release log, however that doesn’t cover 01/2016 to 07/2017.

9

irrespective of the Manager version, the Manager installer asks the location to be installed to. so you can browse the desired location and install Manager. also, when updating to a newer version, the installer automatically detects the location of already installed Manager program so the user does not have to remember the location and select it manually.
even if your Windows defaults to some other location while program installations, Manager installation would require to select the location only during the initial installation on the computer. the successive update installations would automatically detect the previous Manager installation location.
checked the above on the latest version 19.2.86 and it still works fine as it used to. so if you experience things differently, it is the way your computer is configured and you need to find solutions for that yourself. there are no issues as far as the Manager installer is concerned.

1 Like
10

Webview2 writes to a folder (“ManagerDesktop.exe.WebView2") in the directory of the program using webview2.

As a result the procedure to for Windows Installation (not portable) - #6 by Patch needs to be updated to include

After installing Manager as described above

  • Create the folder “ManagerDesktop.exe.WebView2” in the Manager program directory ie “C:\Program Files (x86)\Manager\ManagerDesktop.exe.WebView2”

  • Set this folders file protection to allow user full control. In detail Right click on the folder, select properties, select the security tab, Select edit, Select users, Select “Full control”, Select OK

This procedure needs only to be done once. When Manager is later updated it will retain this folder.