自删除可执行文件（卸载程序）

Question

I'm trying to make an uninstaller. I basically need to be able to remove a directory in the program files that contains the uninstaller.

I was thinking to have the uninstaller create a copy of itself to the temp folder, then have the uninstaller running from the program folder open the uninstaller in temp and close itself where it continues the uninstall.

Problem is, how do I delete the uninstaller in the temp folder...

Answer 1

Check out: https://www.catch22.net/tuts/win32/self-deleting-executables

He has multiple solutions - but mostly aimed at C++ code.

I am currently trying to implement the "DELETE_ON_CLOSE" method in C#.

A comment to all the nay-sayers: MSI does not solve this problem in all cases. In my case, my application needs to install to a network folder, where any network user can run the app. It also needs to support upgrades and uninstalls from any network workstation - not necessarily the same workstation that installed the app. This means I cannot register an Uninstaller into the Add/Remove Programs list on the local machine. I must create an Uninstall.exe that is dropped into the install folder. MSI does not support that, so I have to write my own.

Answer 2

Even though I agree with everyone saying you shouldn't do that, what you can do is:

1. Have your program create an executable (and config file) in the temporary folder of the OS it's working on.
2. Have your program start it as an independent process, then exit.
3. That executable then calls back the actual setup stuff.
4. Once the setup is done, the temporary executable can delete the setup files.
5. Since the only trace of your program is now in the temp folder, it will eventually get cleared automatically.