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+# Install Static Library |
+ |
+The install_static library for Windows contains the minimum functionality to |
+determine the fundamental properties of Chrome's installation plus various |
+installation-related utility functions. It has no dependencies beyond |
+kernel32.dll and version.dll. |
robertshield
2016/10/17 05:27:23
Perhaps mention why the no dependencies bit is imp
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/24 11:17:51
Done
robertshield
2016/10/24 14:59:26
Elf has a now-release-only-because-gn-source-sets
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/24 19:36:00
Thanks. I see I forgot to do the actual + thing fo
robertshield
2016/10/28 06:56:52
The test is imho the barest minimum to prevent reg
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/28 10:59:44
I'll run off and try to make something simple for
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/28 14:20:33
Hmm. My something simple was to make a dummy dll a
robertshield
2016/10/28 14:34:21
Ah right.
s/every function/every exported functi
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/31 10:44:30
Acknowledged.
|
+ |
+[TOC] |
+ |
+## Key Concepts |
+ |
+* **Brand** (or *branding*): In the abstract, a browser's brand comprises all |
+ identifying markings that distinguish it from a browser produced by another |
+ party. Chromium has remnants of both the Chromium and Google Chrome brands. |
+ |
+* **Mode** (or *install mode*): Each brand defines a primary install mode for |
+ the browser. A brand may additionally define one or more secondary install |
+ modes (e.g., Google Chrome's SxS mode for the canary channel). Install modes |
+ are described by compile-time instantiations of the `InstallConstants` |
+ struct in a brand's `kInstallModes` array. |
+ |
+* **Google Update Integration**: Each brand indicates whether or not it |
+ integrates with Google Update via `kUseGoogleUpdateIntegration`. Google |
+ Chrome does, while Chromium does not. |
+ |
+* **Channel** (or *update channel*): Brands that integrate with Google Update |
+ have the capability of supporting multiple update channels (e.g., Google |
+ Chrome's stable, beta, dev, and canary channels). Each install mode |
+ specifies a default update channel and a strategy for dynamically |
+ determining a browser's channel. Brands that do not integrate with Google |
+ Update are unconditinally on the `"unknown"` channel. |
+ |
+## Operational Details |
robertshield
2016/10/17 05:27:23
Some of these details may be more appropriate as c
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/24 11:17:51
Good point. I've moved most of what I'd typed here
|
+ |
+Chrome calls `InitializeModuleProductDetails` early in process startup to |
robertshield
2016/10/17 05:27:23
naming bikeshedding: perhaps "InitializeProductDet
grt (UTC plus 2)
2016/10/24 11:17:51
Done.
|
+determine its install mode, update channel, and other related details. This |
+results in the creation of a process-wide `InstallDetails` instance within the |
+allocation domain of the calling module. The calling module exposes a |
+`GetInstallDetailsPayload` function by which other modules in the process may |
+obtain a pointer to a POD-struct payload containing these details and create |
+their own module-specific `InstallDetails` instance. Code in Chrome may then use |
+`InstallDetails::Get()` to access its module's view of the process's details. |
+ |
+While Chrome's installer has its own logic for determining its `InstallDetails`, |
+it also makes it available process-wide. This enables code sharing between the |
+browser and the installer -- code in each can use `InstallDetails::Get()` to |
+determine things like the active install mode, or whether the browser/installer |
+is operating at system-level. |