Installing a shared assembly to the GAC with COM interop

Question

Specifically, I am using Wise Installation Studio to install several shared .NET 2.0 assemblies into the GAC. These are being used by some legacy COM application files as well as other application assemblies.

I have the flag for "Generate COM interop registry keys for .NET assembly" set.

Reference counting appears to be working for removing the actual assembly from the GAC, but the COM registration information is getting removed with the first uninstall via ARP.

I am wondering if there is some work around for this, if I would be better off installing the assembly to Common Files, or if there are any other suggestions out there?

Answer 1

How I could read on the http://www.ssw.com.au/ssw/standards/wisesetup/WiseStandards.aspx page using of "Generate COM interop registry keys for .NET assembly" allow you just add a set of registry keys to MSI. As in all Windows Installer Setups it is important to define to which MSI component a registry key or a file belong. If you make these registry keys as a part of the same components as the file and the assembly, the keys will be removed always together with the assembly. If multiple setups use the same component GUID, then only if you uninstall the last setup used the component, the component will be uninstalled.