Drop down list for Module Retargetable Folder (VS2005)

Question

I created a simple merge module using VS2005 and added files to the Module Retargetable Folder.  When I add this merge module to a setup project in VS2005, the properties page for the merge module shows the Module Retargetable Folder property under the MergeModuleProperties property.  When I click on the value column of the Module Retargetable Folder property, visual studio gives me drop down list that allows me to choose a directory.

I created a simple merge module using Wise and added it to the same setup project in VS2005.  As with the VS2005 generated merge module, the Module Retargetable Folder property is listed on the properties page.  However, when I click on the value column for that property, visual studio doesn't provide the drop down list.

I compared the two merge modules using ORCA and traced the difference in behavior to the MonduleConfiguration table. For the Module Retargetable Folder configurable property in the table, both merge modules specify a custom action in the Name column and Formatted in the Type column.  But in the merge module I generated using VS2005, the ContextData column contains the string _RetargetableFolder while the Wise merge module contains nothing. If I remove the _RetargetableFolder string from the VS2005 merge module, visual studio doesn't show the drop down list.

The Windows Installer documentation defines the ContextData column as:

"This column specifies a semantic context for the requested data. The type is used to provide a context for any user-interface and is not used in the merge process. The valid values for this column depend on the values in the Format and Type columns."

I can't find any documentation on _RetargetableFolder.

My guess is that in my scenario, the "any user-interface" specified in the definition refers to visual studio, and that _RetargetableFolder is an undocumented value that visual studio uses to decide whether or not to display the combo box that allows you to select a directory.  

I have two questions:
1) Is my guess correct?
2) Are there any alternative ways to cause visual studio to display the drop down list?  I'm generating multiple merge modules using Wise and the folks including my merge modules in their setup projects may expect the drop down list.

Thanks in advance for any help in this matter.

Answer 1

Hi patluze,

Although there is no official document on this topic. However,I think the any user-interface means the project in the Visual Studio rather than Visual Studio.

Base on my understanding, the setup project defined this value and the value may only works for setup project UI only.

Have you ever use a setup project merge module in a Wise setup project? Do the drop down list appear?

Since you want to display this drop down list in Wise Installer, I think you should connect the Wise Installer.

Best Regards,

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Bob Wu [MSFT]
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