(many packages) Set ChocolateyPackageInstallLocation instead of printing out install location

[TheCakeIsNaOH]

Before starting, ensure that you have done the following.

• I have verified that there is no other issue or discussion covering the feature or enhancement
• I have verified there is no open pull request for the feature or enhancement
• I have verified the package to improve is located in this repository

What do you want to add?

There are quite a few packages that use Get-AppInstallLocation to find the installation location and then Write-Host the install location if found. Instead of printing out the install location, I suggest switching to setting $env:ChocolateyPackageInstallLocation, as that way, the software install location is hooked up to the Chocolatey CLI code for printing out the installation location, and for potential automatic uninstall improvements.

Here is an example of the current usage:

chocolatey-packages/automatic/git.install/tools/chocolateyInstall.ps1

Lines 29 to 31 in 7c507b8

	$installLocation = Get-AppInstallLocation $packageArgs.SoftwareName
	if (!$installLocation) { Write-Warning "Can't find $packageName install location" }
	else { Write-Host "$packageName installed to '$installLocation'" }

There appear to be about ~50 or so packages that use approximately this code.

What problem will the feature/enhancement solve?

Currently, for packages that print out the result of Get-AppInstallLocation, they generally have redundant outputs that note the install location.
For example, on my most recent git.install upgrade, the chocolateyInstall.ps1 printed out this line:
git.install installed to 'C:\Program Files\Git'
And then close below that, Chocolatey printed out this line:
Software installed to 'C:\Program Files\Git\'

If the feature or enhancement is approved:

• I am willing to create a pull request to implement the feature or enhancement

Additional Context

https://docs.chocolatey.org/en-us/faqs#the-install-location-displayed-is-incorrect-or-missing

[AdmiringWorm]

I have no problems with someone wanting to change this and set the $env:ChocolateyPackageInstallLocation.

@pauby and @gep13 what are your thoughts on this?

[pauby]

Does Chocolatey CLI allow that variable to be set and will it use it if it is?

[AdmiringWorm]

Nothing in Chocolatey CLI that prevents it, and it is the variable (at least one of the variables) used to determine the installation location outputted by Chocolatey CLI. I did have a look around, and I could not see anywhere we disallow setting this.

We even mention the possibility of setting this variable manually in the documentation here: https://docs.chocolatey.org/en-us/faqs#the-install-location-displayed-is-incorrect-or-missing

[AdmiringWorm]

One thing we should do if starting to set this variable, is to ensure that we never overwrite any existing values (unless in rare cases where it may be needed).

[TheCakeIsNaOH]

One thing we should do if starting to set this variable, is to ensure that we never overwrite any existing values (unless in rare cases where it may be needed).

Would this be worth adding as a helper, or a feature to Get-AppInstallLocation in the core extension?

[AdmiringWorm]

I think that makes sense. Perhaps another helper in the chocolatey-core.extension package.

This new helper should probably by default have the logic of not overwriting the value if it is already existed, but with a -Force option to allow it being forced (for cases when the wrong location is set).

An extension to the existing cmdlet doesn't make sense to me.

Mind opening a issue over at https://github.com/chocolatey-community/chocolatey-extensions for this?

[TheCakeIsNaOH]

Done, agreed on the -Force behavior.

[AdmiringWorm]

Thanks for doing that.

To keep any comments/discussions over in that repository, I'll be closing this discussion now.

For anyone following this discussion, feel free to leave your thoughts over at chocolatey-community/chocolatey-extensions#16