Inno Setup - puts user files in admin documents

Question

I have several Windows 7 users who, when installing and logging in, independently request an administrator password. When this happens, Inno Setup installs a program for this user, but he places the sample data files in the administrator's document folder.

What can I do to make sure Inno Setup places the sample data in the Documents folder where it belongs?

[Files] Source: "C:\dev\Installer Files\Chess Openings Wizard 2016\Game Trees\*.*"; DestDir: "{code:GetDataDir}\Game Trees"; Flags: uninsneveruninstall recursesubdirs function GetDataDir(Param: String): String; begin { Return the selected DataDir } Result := DataDirPage.Values[0]; end; 

Answer 1

Your approach is wrong.

There are two correct ways:

• If the installer installs the application only for the current (unprivileged) user, do not require administrator rights.

   PrivilegesRequired=lowest 

  Then {userappdata} constant (and similar) will correctly refer to the current user folder.

• If the installer installs the application for all users, it makes no sense to put some files in the folder of one specific user. All users need files, not just one. In this case, it is recommended to install the files in the "Common" folder using {commonappdata} constant (or similar). And ask the application to copy files to the user folder on first launch.

  See also How to write the user with the installer to the My Documents folder when the user used Run as Administrator .

You can also allow the user to choose between these two approaches.
See Make Inno Setup Installer Request Privilege Changes Only If Required .

For other similar questions, see

• Inno Setup Using {localappdata} for a registered user
• Inno Setup is always installed in the AppData directory of the administrator

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Having said that, you can do what you ask by executing an external copy utility ( copy , xcopy , robocopy ) using the ExecAsOriginalUser function (or runasoriginaluser flag in [Run] ).

 ExecAsOriginalUser( 'cmd.exe', '/c xcopy.exe "sourcefile" "%APPDATA%"', '', SW_HIDE, ewWaitUntilTerminated, ResultCode); 

For more information on this approach, see the similar question Inno Setup Create a registry key for logging in (not an administrator user) .