How to add key in registry during setup that points to location of installed EXE

Question

I'm working with Wix 3.7 and as part of the installation of an app I'm working on I need to add a custom shell action to invoke the application for certain file extensions.

Basically, I need to add a key under the shell sub-key of certain extensions under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT root tree in the Registry.

I've figured out how to add the key but I haven't been able to modify the value of the key dynamically to point to the exe being installed.

This is what I have:

<DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
    <Component Id="RegistryEntries" Guid="PUT-GUID-HERE">
        <RegistryKey Root="HKCR"
                     Key="txt\shell\MyApplicationName"
              Action="createAndRemoveOnUninstall">
            <RegistryValue Type="string" Value="SOME_VALUE" KeyPath="yes"/>
        </RegistryKey>
    </Component>
</DirectoryRef>

Essentially, instead of SOME_VALUE I would like it to reference the install folder and the name of the application's EXE, followed by some switches and a parameter. Something like this:

"C:\Program Files\MyAppFolder\MyAppExe.EXE" /a /b "%1"

Answer 1

Use "[#IdentifierOfExeFile]". That's a formatted string and will be replaced with the full path to the target file with specified id. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa368609%28v=vs.85%29.aspx for the full list of options with formatted strings.