Installer runtime flags
Complete reference for the flags of a built installer (setup-*.exe) and of
the uninstaller (uninstall.exe). For the build tool, see
Builder CLI.
Installer (setup-*.exe)
setup-myapp.exe [<install-dir>] [flags]
The optional positional <install-dir> sets the target directory for
--silent and --minimal runs.
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--silent | Headless install. Progress prints to stdout; see Install modes. |
--minimal | Compact self-update UI; see Install modes. |
--launch | Launch the installed exe after a successful silent or minimal install. |
--verify | Verify the embedded payload and signature, print a summary, and exit without installing. |
--verify-install "<dir>" | Re-hash an installed copy against its recorded manifest. Reports OK, MISSING, or CORRUPT per file. |
--lang <code> | Force the UI language, for example fr. See below. |
--ignore-desktop-shortcuts | Do not create desktop shortcuts, in any mode. See Shortcuts. |
--ignore-start-menu-shortcuts | Do not create Start Menu shortcuts, in any mode. |
--force-show-path-window | Show the Choose-location page on a first interactive install even if the build hid it with --skip-path. Honored only when the build set --allow-force-path-window-state, otherwise ignored. See Wizard pages and install location. |
The installer also accepts internal, hidden flags (--elevated-worker,
--run-plugin) that it passes to its own subprocesses for elevation and
plugin isolation. They are not meant to be called manually.
Environment variables
| Variable | Effect |
|---|---|
INSTALLWAY_PATH | Target install directory for --silent and --minimal when no positional path is given. |
INSTALLWAY_LANG | UI language code, used when --lang is absent. |
Target directory resolution
For --silent and --minimal, the target directory is resolved in this
order: the positional <install-dir> argument, then INSTALLWAY_PATH, then
the folder the product was last installed to, then the build’s default
install directory, then %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\<product>.
Language selection
The UI language is resolved in this order: --lang, then INSTALLWAY_LANG,
then the OS display language, then English. Supported languages are the
files in
common/locales/,
one <code>.toml per language, picked up at build time. Translations are
powered by Localeway. A right-to-left language
(Arabic, Hebrew…) mirrors the whole window and uses the Win32 UI, as the
WinUI one cannot be mirrored yet. An unsupported code
falls back to English. The resolved code is passed to the elevated worker and
to plugins as ctx->lang.
Uninstaller (uninstall.exe)
Normally invoked from Windows Apps. It supports:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--silent | Skip the confirmation dialog. This is what QuietUninstallString invokes. |
--lang <code> | Force the UI language, same resolution as the installer. |
Like the installer, it has internal hidden flags for its elevation worker, plugin host, and second-stage cleanup. They are not meant to be called manually.
Exit codes
See Exit codes.