Problems Installing GnuPG

[John Clizbe]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Mark H. Wood wrote:
> Yes, but there's also such a thing as observing established convention.
> In the Win32 world, applications ought to default to installation into
> %programfiles%\vendor\application (where %programfiles% is the localized
> name of the Program Files directory, and should be obtained from the shell
> using the function provided for that purpose) and should note its presence
> by creating the key HKLM\Software\vendor\application in the Registry.
>
> There's another key (I can look it up if you wish) which makes a file
> "known" to Win32, so that you can just mention "gpg.exe" and Win32 will
> know where to find it whether it is on the PATH or not.  You can even use
> a value of that key to specify additions to PATH which apply only to that
> program, which occasionally comes in handy.  Much neater than plunking
> non-OS applications into %windir%.
>

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Software\CurrentVersion\App Paths\<image name>.
(default) is set to the full path and name of the executable.
Path is set to the path to said executable (for once the Windows API is
clear, if not blatantly obvious)

This technique also saves one from the multiple versions on the %PATH%
sand-trap as you can only have one key named gpg.exe. Adding the directory
to PATH is somewhat easier with a User-install of GnuPG as you have five
executables to worry about and the (possible) dependency of helper apps
such as GPGshell looking for the exe on the PATH.

I noticed the last couple Nullify releases have an installer exe that lets
you specify your choice of program and home dirs and then sets those
values in HKCU\Software\Gnu\GnuPG. Program and Keyring locations both
default to C:\GnuPG, instead of %ProgramFiles%\GnuPG and
%UserProfile%\Application Data\GnuPG, but it sure is a step in the right
direction, IMHO.

[1] http://www.nullify.org/gnupg-w32-1.2.3-nr1.exe
[2] http://www.nullify.org/gnupg-w32-1.2.2-nr2.exe (Still downloadable,
just not linked on the download page)
- --
John P. Clizbe                   Inet:   JPClizbe(a)comcast DOT nyet
Golden Bear Networks             PGP/GPG KeyID: 0x608D2A10
  "Most men take the straight and narrow. A few take the road less
traveled.  I chose to cut through the woods."
  "The purpose of life is to achieve balance, in a continual cycle of
gaining and retaining harmony. Walk in Beauty." - Navajo Proverb
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.3-nr1 (Windows 2000)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org

iD8DBQE/hvO3HQSsSmCNKhARAukkAKCjw+88OBm/JTORomn10YGjA33iBgCcCf+a
eDmV7HE6JW8OIlWg7KtZzOA=
=HLvG
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----