Packaged installations may fail for redirected profile paths

[msalvatori]

This only happens to me at work where domain policy redirects 'My Documents' to '\\server_name\users\profile_name'. This consolidates everyone's profile data for easy backups. I won't argue the pros or cons to this approach; it wasn't my idea. The bottom line is that the approach seems to work well for my organization.

As it turns out, this path is oddly represented in Windows Registry. For example, '[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2\##server_name#Users#profile_name#My Documents#Local Definition Storage]'. It's odd enough to make a difference when attempting to run an application installation package from XYplorer versus Windows Explorer.

While such applications install fine from Windows Explorer, they fail to install from XYplorer, generating an alert with the following text: Error 1324. The path My Documents contains an invalid character.

This is not always a problem. Some applications will install just fine. I am not sure why that is. Obviously there is more than one way for an installation package to derive installation paths.

[admin]

While such applications install fine from Windows Explorer, they fail to install from XYplorer, generating an alert with the following text: Error 1324. The path My Documents contains an invalid character.

This is not an XY error message.

When you say "Install from XYplorer" what do you mean exactly?

[msalvatori]

Launch 'install_package_name.exe' by double clicking it from inside either XYplorer or Windows Explorer. I would expect the same results or behavior. But instead, the application package successfully installs for Windows Explorer, and not for XYplorer.

The error message is not an XYplorer message; however, XYplorer is involved when this message is generated.

[admin]

Launch 'install_package_name.exe' by double clicking it from inside either XYplorer or Windows Explorer. I would expect the same results or behavior. But instead, the application package successfully installs for Windows Explorer, and not for XYplorer.

The error message is not an XYplorer message; however, XYplorer is involved when this message is generated.

Okay. Currently I have no idea what to do about this. Double clicking files will run ShellExecute on them, and for all I know this is the way to go, even for Explorer.

What when you choose "Open" from the context menu?

[msalvatori]

I get the same error when using "Open" from the XYplorer's context menu.

Well, there probably is nothing more you can do about this. Just like there are custom executables that run only in Internet Explorer that do not run in FireFox, there seems to be a similar case for installation packages regarding Windows Explorer and XYplorer.

At least I now know that I must install from Windows Explorer whenever I have trouble doing so from XYplorer. And, I won't go off on some wild, gut-wrenching tangent of rebuilding my Windows profile. More importantly, this is on record for those experiencing the same challenge as I.

I suspect that this is a rare occurrence, redirecting profile paths. It's not something I do at home.

[admin]

I suspect that this is a rare occurrence, redirecting profile paths. It's not something I do at home.

Is it on 64-bit Windows?

[msalvatori]

My desktop is 32-bit XP Pro SP2.

[admin]

My desktop is 32-bit XP Pro SP2.

Okay, same here. Was just an idea...