Wix: How to set permissions for folder and all sub folders

Question

I know how to set the permissions for a folder:

<DirectoryRef Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
  <Directory Id="PHPFolder" Name="PHP">
    <Component Id="PHP_comp" DiskId="1" Guid="*">
      <CreateFolder>
        <Permission User="Everyone" GenericAll="yes" />
      </CreateFolder>

However I need the permissions to be applied to all subfolders as well. Is this possible with out listing all the folders?

Answer 1

First of all, I would recommend you using PermissionEx instead. It is a standard WiX extension and it has one really huge advantage over Permission - it doesn't overwrite, but modifies ACLs. And by default, it applies permissions to the folder and all its descendant files and folders, so you don't have to specify anything extra.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I solved: different PermissionEx are defined in Wix and Util schema (Wix PermissionEx and Util Extension PermissionEx)

I used the Util version:

• Add a reference to WixUtilExtension assembly
• Add the UtilExtension namespace to the Wix tag:

<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi"
xmlns:util="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/UtilExtension">

• Specify the Util PermissionEx version:

<CreateFolder Directory="DirectoryToManage">
    <util:PermissionEx User="Users" GenericAll="yes" />
</CreateFolder>

Answer 3

<DirectoryRef Id="INSTALLFOLDER">
        <Component Id="INSTALLFOLDER_Permission" Guid="*">
            <CreateFolder>
                <util:PermissionEx User="Users" GenericAll="yes"/>
            </CreateFolder>
        </Component>
    </DirectoryRef>

The answer above is correct, and you will set the permissions to all the folders and files in this folder.

Please note: The CreateFolder tag should be in a component, and this component must be added to a Feature.

Also, you have to add this to the command line of the compiler and the linker:

-ext WixUIExtension -ext WixUtilExtension