You write logs to appdata because you want a standard user to be able to run a scan and store logs. Anything the application needs to modify or create at runtime should be in appdata. In addition, per user installs go to app data (because a per user install can be done without admin rights).
He may be using a per user install because he doesn't have a code signing certificate. If an unsigned bundle or MSI is ran, the UAC prompt's publisher is listed as "Unknown" and the dialog is highlighted. -----Original Message----- From: Andreas Mertens [mailto:andre...@nvisionideas.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 2:38 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Where to install to by default nowadays; App Data or Program Files? Perhaps the developer meant certification of the application (i.e. Windows 7 App Certification), rather than requiring a certificate? Andreas A. Mertens Founder, Software Consultant and Developer NVision Ideas, Inc. email: andre...@nvisionideas.com ________________________________________ From: Katherine Moss [katherine.m...@gordon.edu] Sent: November 28, 2012 12:16 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Where to install to by default nowadays; App Data or Program Files? Thanks. I'll have to look at the certificate properties then and see if I can glean any more information on why the cert needs to be there. I always found it odd, but I also know that it is unprofessional to push professional developers especially if the source code is not publically available. And in this case, it is a commercial product, and just because the dev works for my best friend doesn't really mean much; it doesn't mean that I'll use him as my go-to guy. But anyway, then can somebody tell me why certain applications choose to place some stuff in app data while some of it is in program files? Is that decision made based on the needed permissions of the application, or is it based on the type of information stored in the directory. For instance, Malwarebytes uses App Data to store logs and other things, so I'd assume that Malwarebytes corp thought it too much work to require admin priveleges just to install a log directory, right? And you know something even more interesting? I think it gets even more dicy when the person running the application chooses their own custom directory for the application installation. -----Original Message----- From: Rob Mensching [mailto:r...@robmensching.com] Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 11:37 PM To: General discussion for Windows Installer XML toolset. Subject: Re: [WiX-users] Where to install to by default nowadays; App Data or Program Files? App Data can be non-elevated writable. Program Files requires elevation to be placed there. If you go to Program Files you don't have to worry about your application being tampered with but an App Data install can happen without elevation. The certificate comment doesn't make sense to me. On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 8:12 PM, Katherine Moss <katherine.m...@gordon.edu>wrote: > Hello all, > I'm just wondering this since I have a program that installs to app > data by default rather than program files, and it's developer says > that the change of default directory has to do with special > permissions needed. I mean, what is the point of the app data folder > anyway? I'd never understood it; why not just leave everything in one > directory or the other? The developer of this application says that > the directory being app data also has something to do with a > certificate or something. Could you folks shed any light on this? Thanks. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > -------- Keep yourself connected to Go Parallel: > INSIGHTS What's next for parallel hardware, programming and related areas? > Interviews and blogs by thought leaders keep you ahead of the curve. > http://goparallel.sourceforge.net > _______________________________________________ > WiX-users mailing list > WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users > -- virtually, Rob Mensching http://RobMensching.com LLC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Keep yourself connected to Go Parallel: INSIGHTS What's next for parallel hardware, programming and related areas? Interviews and blogs by thought leaders keep you ahead of the curve. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Keep yourself connected to Go Parallel: INSIGHTS What's next for parallel hardware, programming and related areas? Interviews and blogs by thought leaders keep you ahead of the curve. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Keep yourself connected to Go Parallel: INSIGHTS What's next for parallel hardware, programming and related areas? Interviews and blogs by thought leaders keep you ahead of the curve. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Keep yourself connected to Go Parallel: INSIGHTS What's next for parallel hardware, programming and related areas? Interviews and blogs by thought leaders keep you ahead of the curve. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net _______________________________________________ WiX-users mailing list WiX-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wix-users
