I am currently trying to expand our installation program with an option for the user to specify the name of the program group where shortcuts are created under the start menu. (I am aware that this is a somewhat outdated concept)
I am using InstallShield 2015.
I created a localizable property named [PROGRAMGROUP_NAME]. This has automatically created an {ID_STRING46} which I've set to the desired default value. So far so good. I managed to create a custom dialog with an edit control, which is linked to the above property.
Now comes the tricky part: Under Shortcuts, under "Programs Menu" I first want to add a folder with the program group name, under which to place several shortcuts. If I enter [PROGRAMGROUP_NAME] that is literally what the name becomes. If I use {ID_STRING46}, it uses the default value, and not what I've entered in the dialog.
Incidentally, when I tried to rename ID_STRING46 to something more meaningful, other things started going wrong so I've left that as is.
What is going wrong here? How do I get the value of the property to be used for the folder name?
EDIT
I am trying to use a custom action now, but I have trouble defining it. My Dialog that sets the property is after CostFinalize, so I assume I have to use SetDirectory - but I have trouble defining it. I get an error stating "could not access network location "
EDIT
I've managed to progress a step. I have manually added a directory with key DIRECTORY_PROGRAM_GROUP (important that it's all caps to make it public) to the directory table. Then, I use a custom action to set that directory to the desired value [ProgramMenuFolder][PROGRAM_GROUP_NAME] after I've run my dialog, and I've modified the shortcut to be created in that folder.
Seems to work great, however, now the program group is no longer removed when uninstalling...
Shortcuts are installed to folders, and the name of the folders below ProgramMenuFolder become the program group as you describe it. So you will need to either build up the Directory table (either directly---note that the DefaultDir column is localizable, and there may already be a string you can update---or through the Files and Folders view) to do what you want, or use custom actions (set property, if before costing; set directory, if after costing) to adjust the location to which your shortcut is installed.
As for the problems renaming ID_STRING46, odds are you didn't update a reference after you changed the name of the string. The simplest way to track down where these are may be to examine differences in the built installer (perhaps using InstallShield's MSI Diff) and then update the relevant references using the direct editor if you can't find them in the normal views.