WiX: How to register application to start when Windows launches?

Question

I'm exploring distribution of .NET desktop applications with MSI generated by WiX.

So far it works great. But I've got a few questions, googling can't help out with.

What's the advised way of registering application to start when windows launches (in WiX)?

What WixUI could I use and how?

Notes:

The application is not a Windows Service and should not be registered as such.
It would be nice to let user to disable that option in the setup process.

Thanks in advance!

score 47 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 10 '12 at 20:05

47

I found this using Google (Providing automatic program start via the Registry); it also includes adding UI. Don't forget you should also provide an option outside the setup to enable/disable autostart.

The basic Wix for it is:

  <Property Id="ASSISTANCE_START_VIA_REGISTRY">1</Property>

  <!-- Auto-start via Registry -->
  <Component Id="MerliniAssistanceAutostart" Guid="Place-your-own-GUID-here">
    <RegistryValue Id="MerAs.rst" Root="HKMU" Action="write"
                   Key="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
                   Name="Merlinia Assistance Client"
                   Value="[INSTALLDIR]Assistance.exe"
                   Type="string" />
    <Condition>ASSISTANCE_START_VIA_REGISTRY</Condition>
  </Component>

  <ComponentRef Id="MerliniaAssistanceAutostart" />

edited Dec 10 '12 at 20:05

llaforest

5
4

answered Jun 27 '09 at 14:46

Shay Erlichmen

31,691
7
68
87

Apparently there are some benefits to starting off a shortcut instead of directly off the .exe. – tofutim Apr 24 '12 at 16:35
@tofutim Care to elaborate more? – Shay Erlichmen Apr 24 '12 at 16:39
If AutoStart points to the lnk in the StartMenu, you could modify the Start Menu shortcut parameters and have AutoStart start that version. – tofutim Apr 25 '12 at 00:39
19

If you give your `` an Id, you can put `[#FileId]` as the `Value` instead of `[INSTALLDIR]Assistance.exe`. That way, if you change the name of the exe file, or its location or whatever, that field will be automatically updated and kept in sync. – Alex Jun 21 '12 at 12:10
I tried this, but the Application did not start on startup by this. Is there a known issue ? – Naveed Butt Jun 02 '16 at 07:06
2

I suppose Root="HKMU" should be Root="HKCU"… – mat007 Aug 17 '18 at 09:28

Dave Markle · Answer 2 · 2013-03-19T17:23:13.153

13

Take a look in the registry at HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. If you want it to start per-user then look in HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. If you want it to start when Windows starts, without requiring a user to log on, that's a Service.

edited Mar 19 '13 at 17:23

answered Jun 27 '09 at 12:55

Dave Markle

95,573
20
147
170

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 27 '09 at 11:47

0

I would suggest you ask the user with a custom form if the application should startup automatically and then create a link in the users startup folder.

answered Jun 27 '09 at 11:47

Oliver Friedrich

9,018
9
42
48

1

why -1? With WiX it is easy to create a link in users startup folder? – Oliver Friedrich Jun 28 '09 at 13:01
1

...and you failed to provide the example the user was looking for. – Aaron C. de Bruyn Oct 12 '15 at 04:21
1

Oh @aaron, there was a time when giving examples was bad habit here as long as the OP did not show his code first. Keyword homework! – Oliver Friedrich Oct 12 '15 at 13:12
I bow to your higher reputation. ;) – Aaron C. de Bruyn Oct 13 '15 at 02:12

WiX: How to register application to start when Windows launches?

3 Answers3

Linked