Folder - Traits
The Folder - Traits dialog box is one of the tabs that appears when you click Advanced... on the Folder attributes pane. It allows you to set various characteristics of the installation folder that are used during preflight checking and project builds.
Note: These characteristics do not affect the installation of the folder as such; they are purely intended for use in InstallMate.
Unless you understand the implications of what you are doing, we recommend that you do not change folder traits. Incorrect folder traits might lead to incorrect or missed diagnostic messages during the preflight check, which in turn might cause the installation to fail because of undetected problems.
Dialog fields and options
The dialog contains some introductory text plus the following fields and options.
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Inherit from parent | Check this box to have the folder inherit its traits from its parent folder; all other fields are ignored if this box is checked. This is the default setting for most folders and reflects how the Windows security model and folder hierarchy works. |
| Root folder | Check this box if the folder is a root folder, even if it appears as a subfolder on the Files and folders page. This is used for a number of "magic" folders that are nominally subfolders of some other folder but may in reality reside somewhere else, depending on the configuration and version of the Windows target system. |
| Redirectable | Check this box if the folder can be redirected during a Current User installation. During this type of installation, the installer redirects some per-machine or All Users folders to user-specific equivalents. This allows the installation to proceed even if the installing user does not have sufficient privileges to perform a system-wide or All Users installation. |
| Personal folder | Check this box if the folder is a personal folder, i.e., private to the installing user. Typically, all folders in the Current User folder tree are marked as such. |
| All Users folder | Check this box if the folder is an All Users folder, i.e., shared among all users on the system. Typically, all folders in the All Users folder tree are marked as such. Note that this is different from Shared folder, in that an All Users folder is typically used to store shortcuts, documents, settings, and other non-executable files, whereas a Shared folder is used for executable files. |
| Shared folder | Check this box if the folder is used for shared executable files, i.e., executable files that are used by more than one application. The folder tree starting at Program Files\Common Files is a typical example. Files stored in a Shared folder should have the Shared file attribute set in the File attributes pane. |
| System folder | Check this box if the folder is a system folder, i.e., used to store Windows' own programs and configuration files. System files are treated specially by some preflight checks. |
| Available on 32-bit systems | Check this box if the folder is present on 32-bit Windows editions. Most folders are available on all Windows systems (although their physical location or name may vary), but some are specific to either Windows 32-bit or 64-bit systems. |
| Available on 64-bit systems | Check this box if the folder is present on 64-bit Windows editions. Most folders are available on all Windows systems (although their physical location or name may vary), but some are specific to either Windows 32-bit or 64-bit systems. |
| Available on Windows XP/2003 | Check this box if the folder is present on Windows XP and Server 2003 |
| Available on Windows Vista/... | Check this box if the folder is only present on Windows Vista and later |
| Intended usage 32-bit files | Check this box if the folder typically contains 32-bit executable files (i.e., x86); clear it if the folder is intended for executables targeting other CPU types. |
| Intended usage 64-bit files | Check this box if the folder typically contains 64-bit executable files (i.e., x64, arm64, or IA64); clear it if the folder is intended for executables targeting other CPU types. |
| Installation level on XP/2003 | Select the minimum user level required to create files or subfolders in the folder on Windows XP and Server 2003 systems. The options User, Power User, and Administrator correspond to the standard user levels defined on Windows NT systems. This field is used to check for accessibility during preflight checks; it does not set the folder's access rights during installation. |
| Installation level on Vista & later | Select the minimum user level required to create files or subfolders in the folder on Windows Vista and later systems. The options User, UAC, and TrustedInstaller correspond to the typical user account levels defined on Windows Vista and later systems. This field is used to check for accessibility during preflight checks; it does not set the folder's access rights during installation. |