Check if application is installed in registry

Question

Right now I use this to list all the applications listed in the registry for 32bit & 64. I have seen the other examples of how to check if an application is installed wi

Answer 1

Here is my version for 64 bits

  public static string[] checkInstalled(string findByName)
    {
        string[] info = new string[3];

        string registryKey = @"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall";

        //64 bits computer
        RegistryKey key64 = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(RegistryHive.LocalMachine, RegistryView.Registry64);
        RegistryKey key = key64.OpenSubKey(registryKey);

        if (key != null)
        {
            foreach (RegistryKey subkey in key.GetSubKeyNames().Select(keyName => key.OpenSubKey(keyName)))
            {
                string displayName = subkey.GetValue("DisplayName") as string;
                if (displayName != null && displayName.Contains(findByName))
                {
                    info[0] = displayName;

                    info[1] = subkey.GetValue("InstallLocation").ToString();

                    info[2] = subkey.GetValue("Version").ToString();
                }
            }

            key.Close();
        }

        return info;
    }

you can call this method like this

string[] JavaVersion = Software.checkInstalled("Java(TM) SE Development Kit");

if the array is empty means no installation found. if it is not empty it will give you the original name, relative path, and location which in most cases that is all we are looking to get.