[Windows] Create a proper installer instead of the basic one used currently.

[cheatfreak47]

Ideally rom-properties will create a proper installation directory in C:/Program Files/ and install to that, making a cemented, permanent location for the application on the system, instead of just registering the files in the subfolders to Windows, and adding an uninstall entry in the registry.

You could do this in a few ways, an easy (lazy) way would be to just

• check if the host platform is x64-86 or x86
• make a directory in Program Files or Program Files (x86) as appropriate
• copy the installer, and the dlls there
• do current install tasks but for the target install location instead
• register the "uninstall" location as the installer or maybe just make an uninstall flag that you can add to the uninstall command so that it automatically unregisters the dlls and then deletes the files and itself afterwards
• make a rom-properties folder in the user's start menu folder
• add uninstall shortcut, add rp-config shortcut

This is obviously not high priority but it's a good idea none-the-less. Might prevent people from accidentally registering "C:\Users\User\Downloads\rom-properties" as the "common location" for the dlls.

[cheatfreak47]

Worth noting this would be good infrastructure to set up if you decided to add an updater, as the updater's executable could be added to the shortcuts in windows start menu as well. (if you do it like that)

[DankRank]

• make a directory in Program Files or Program Files (x86) as appropriate

Isn't really required, it's gonna be Program Files either way. (Unless we copy 32-bit binaries into Program Files (x86) separately from 64-bit binaries, in which case we will need two directories)

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Semi-related question to @GerbilSoft: is there a reason why we can't install rom-properties without requiring admin rights? I think it would be nice if we could install it locally for a single user.

[NotaInutilis]

Forgive the necroposting! That brilliant suggestion is nearly 6 years old (in less than a week!). I wanted to ask the same thing but did a bit of search before so I'm never gonna give it up and desert this one.

I'll just be adding two more points to the list:

• auto installation of the prerequisite MSVC runtimes
• compatibility with winget for easy updating