What is a .INSTALLSTATE file?
An .INSTALLSTATE file is a type of file specifically used in the context of software that relies on Microsoft's .NET Framework. This file is generated automatically during the installation process of a .NET Framework service or application. Its primary role is to store important data that is necessary for uninstalling a component of the software known as an assembly.
### What is an Assembly? In the .NET Framework, an assembly is a compiled code library used by applications for building and running software applications in the Windows environment.
### How is an .INSTALLSTATE File Created? The creation of an .INSTALLSTATE file is handled by a utility called `installutil.exe`, which is provided by the .NET Framework. When a .NET application or service is installed, `installutil.exe` executes and performs the installation of assemblies. During this process, it generates several files: - `installutil.installlog`: This file logs the general details of the installation process. - `YourAssemblyName.installlog`: This logs details specific to the commit phase of the installation process for a particular assembly. - `YourAssemblyName.installstate`: This contains crucial data needed to uninstall the assembly later.
### What Does an .INSTALLSTATE File Contain? The .INSTALLSTATE file includes version information of the assembly and any custom settings or data specified during the installation. For instance, if during the installation, the user is prompted to enter details like a SQL server address or login credentials, these details are stored in the .INSTALLSTATE file. This information is then used to correctly remove the software when it's uninstalled, ensuring that all custom configurations are reverted.
### Opening an .INSTALLSTATE File To view or edit an .INSTALLSTATE file, you can use various text editors or development tools. Some of the common programs include: - Microsoft Visual Studio Code - Vim - Any basic text editor (like Notepad in Windows) - Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 and newer versions - Bare Bones BBEdit ### Important Note for Developers Developers who customize the installation process of their .NET Framework applications might notice that .INSTALLSTATE files are still present after the software is uninstalled. This usually happens because the custom uninstallation process does not properly call the `Uninstall()` method from the base class, which is responsible for cleaning up these files. To address this, developers need to ensure that their custom uninstall methods effectively invoke the base class's `Uninstall()` method to remove the .INSTALLSTATE files during the
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