Uninstalling files/directories created by a Symbian app

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Article Metadata

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Compatibility

Platform(s): S60 1st Edition
S60 2nd Edition

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Article

Created: User:Technical writer 2 (23 Apr 2003)

Last edited: hamishwillee (14 Jun 2012)

Overview

Uninstalling files/directories created by the application

Description

How can I uninstall files/directories that are not in the installation file (.sis) but are created by the application?

Solution

If the names of the files to be created by the application are known at installation time, they must be added to the .pkg file as 'null files'. The format of the filename (language-independent files) in the .pkg file is as follows:
...
""  -  "!:\system\apps\myapp\myapp.dat", FN
...
where myapp.dat is a data file created by the application. FN (FILENULL) parameter means that a file does not yet exist, so it is not included in the sis file. It is created by the running application and will be deleted when the application is removed. Note that the name assigned to the source file is not important and should be empty (""). Also note that such files will not be deleted when upgrading to a later version. This ensures that files, such as .ini files, which store application preferences, are not lost in an upgrade.
If the number of application-created files (or their exact names) is not known, the case is a bit more complicated. As a solution, the .sis package could include a specific uninstall application that takes care of finding and removing the right files at uninstallation. Such an application can be run automatically during uninstallation as follows:
"\epoc32\release\armi\urel\uninst.app"  -
"!:\system\apps\myapp\uninst.app", RR, RW
RR (RUNREMOVE) parameter sets the file to be run at remove (uninstall) time. RW (RUNWAITEND) indicates that the (system) remover should start the program and then wait until it has completed before resuming the installation.