Symbolic variables conversion

When InstallMate 9 opens a Tarma QuickInstall 2.x project, it converts all Tarma QuickInstall 2 symbolic references to their InstallMate 9 counterparts. For example, <ProgramFiles> is converted to <ProgramFilesFolder>, <AppFolder> to <INSTALLDIR>, and <AppTitle> to <ProductName>.

For registry values, environment variables, and INI file values, the following additional rules are applied during conversion:

Examples

The following table shows some examples of symbolic conversions that may take place when InstallMate opens a Tarma QuickInstall 2 project.

Tarma QuickInstall 2 InstallMate 9 Notes
<WebSite> <WebSite> No conversion; InstallMate 9 symbol is the same as Tarma QuickInstall 2.
<AppFolder> <INSTALLDIR> Straight one-on-one replacement of obsolete symbol name.
<AppFolder>
Do not expand <variables>
`<AppFolder>` Not converted, but placed between backticks to prevent symbol expansion.
<AppFolder>
Convert to SFN (8.3)
<$sfn(<INSTALLDIR>)> The Tarma QuickInstall 2 symbol name is replaced by its InstallMate 9 equivalent, and the resulting expression is wrapped in a <$sfn(...)> call for installation-time conversion to SFN (8.3) format.
<AppFolder>
Do not expand <variables>
Convert to SFN (8.3)
<$sfn(`<AppFolder>`)> The original expression is placed between backticks to prevent symbol expansion, and the result is wrapped in a <$sfn(...)> call for installation-time conversion to SFN (8.3) format. However, because '<' and '>' characters are not allowed in path names, this conversion will fail at installation time.

List of Tarma QuickInstall 2 symbolic variables and their InstallMate 9 equivalents

Folders that are marked * in the Notes column are converted to their All Users equivalent when you open a Tarma QuickInstall 2 project in InstallMate 9. This applies to profile-dependent folders and is done because a straight conversion would result in a Current User installation, which is usually not desired.

Tarma QuickInstall 2 InstallMate 9 Notes
AppData AppDataFolder  
AppDir INSTALLDIR Alias for main installation folder
AppFolder INSTALLDIR Alias for main installation folder
AppTitle ProductName  
AppVersion ProductVersion  
BuildDate same No longer saved in Setup database by default
BuildExe (obsolete) No longer supported
BuildFolder same No longer saved in Setup database by default
BuildLog (obsolete) No longer supported
BuildTarget same No longer saved in Setup database by default
BuildTargetBase (obsolete) No longer supported
BuildTime same No longer saved in Setup database by default
Common_AppData CommonAppDataFolder  
Common_Desktop CommonDesktopFolder  
Common_Profile CommonProfileFolder  
Common_Programs CommonProgramMenuFolder  
Common_SendTo (obsolete) Common/All Users SendTo folder is not supported by Windows
Common_StartMenu CommonStartMenuFolder  
Common_Startup CommonStartupFolder  
Common_Templates CommonTemplateFolder  
CommonFiles CommonFilesFolder  
CommonSystem CommonSystemFolder Alias for <CommonFilesFolder>\System
Company Publisher  
ComputerName same  
ComSpec same  
Copyright same  
DAODir DAOFolder Alias for <CommonFilesFolder>\Microsoft Shared\DAO
Desktop DesktopFolder Converted to CommonDesktopFolder*
DevicePath same  
Drivers DriversFolder  
DriversDir DriversFolder  
Email same  
ExtraSize same  
Favorites FavoritesFolder Always Current User folder
Fonts FontsFolder  
FontsDir FontsFolder  
HelpDir HelpFolder  
HKCR same  
HKCU same  
HKLM same  
HKU same  
InfDir InfFolder  
InstallDir INSTALLDIR  
InstallLocation same  
InstallLocationPrev (obsolete) Replaced by custom action
KeyFile (obsolete) Replaced by custom action
KeyFolder (obsolete) Replaced by custom action
KeyPaths (obsolete) Replaced by custom action
LangID UserLanguageID  
MSOffice same  
MSOfficeDir10 same  
MSOfficeDir11 same  
MSOfficeDir8 same  
MSOfficeDir9 same  
MSShared MSSharedFolder  
OfficeDir OfficeFolder  
Personal PersonalFolder Always Current User folder
Profile ProfileFolder Current User profile base folder
Profiles ProfilesFolder  
ProgGroup (obsolete) Replaced by actual name
ProgGroupDir ProgramGroupFolder Converted to CommonProgramGroupFolder*
ProgramFiles ProgramFilesFolder  
Programs ProgramMenuFolder Converted to CommonProgramMenuFolder*
RegOrganization same  
RegOwner same  
SendTo SendToFolder Always Current User folder
SetupDir SourceDir Alias for folder containing installation source files (including the original Setup.exe)
ShellFoldersCU same  
ShellFoldersLM same  
SpecialBuild same No longer saved in Setup database by default
StartMenu StartMenuFolder Converted to CommonStartMenuFolder*
Startup StartupFolder Converted to CommonStartupFolder*
SystemIni same  
Telephone same  
TempDir TempFolder  
Uninstall UninstallKey  
UninstallPrev (obsolete) Replaced by custom action
UninstallRegPath same  
UninstallRegPathPrev (obsolete) Replaced by custom action
UninstallTitle same  
User_AppData AppDataFolder  
User_Cookies CookiesFolder  
User_Desktop DesktopFolder  
User_Favorites FavoritesFolder  
User_History HistoryFolder  
User_NetHood NetHoodFolder  
User_Profile ProfileFolder  
User_Programs ProgramMenuFolder  
User_Recent RecentFolder  
User_SendTo SendToFolder  
User_StartMenu StartMenuFolder  
User_Startup StartupFolder  
User_Templates TemplateFolder  
WebSite same  
WinCurVer same  
WinCurVerNT same  
WinDir WindowsFolder  
WinDrive WindowsVolume  
WinIni same  
WinSys16Dir System16Folder  
WinSysDir SystemFolder  
XCopy same