unable to run applicatoin.exe shortcut

[NikhilP007]

i have created a nuget package of my applicatoin. After making a squirrel of nuget package, i tried to run the setup.exe in the releases folder. It has created the directory in appdata folder of my pc but the applicatoin.exe file is not running. i have verified the application.exe is running fine of which i am making a squirrel.
Logs:
2017-05-11 12:36:46> Program: Starting Squirrel Updater: --install .
2017-05-11 12:36:46> Program: Starting install, writing to C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\SquirrelTemp
2017-05-11 12:36:46> Program: About to install to: C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo
2017-05-11 12:36:46> CheckForUpdateImpl: Couldn't write out staging user ID, this user probably shouldn't get beta anything: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\packages.betaId'.
at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)
at System.IO.FileStream.Init(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, Int32 rights, Boolean useRights, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES secAttrs, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy, Boolean useLongPath, Boolean checkHost)
at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy, Boolean useLongPath, Boolean checkHost)
at System.IO.StreamWriter.CreateFile(String path, Boolean append, Boolean checkHost)
at System.IO.StreamWriter..ctor(String path, Boolean append, Encoding encoding, Int32 bufferSize, Boolean checkHost)
at System.IO.File.InternalWriteAllText(String path, String contents, Encoding encoding, Boolean checkHost)
at System.IO.File.WriteAllText(String path, String contents, Encoding encoding)
at Squirrel.UpdateManager.CheckForUpdateImpl.getOrCreateStagedUserId()
2017-05-11 12:36:46> CheckForUpdateImpl: Failed to load local releases, starting from scratch: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\packages\RELEASES'.
at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)
at System.IO.FileStream.Init(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, Int32 rights, Boolean useRights, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES secAttrs, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy, Boolean useLongPath, Boolean checkHost)
at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share)
at Squirrel.Utility.LoadLocalReleases(String localReleaseFile)
at Squirrel.UpdateManager.CheckForUpdateImpl.d__2.MoveNext()
2017-05-11 12:36:46> CheckForUpdateImpl: Reading RELEASES file from C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\SquirrelTemp
2017-05-11 12:36:46> CheckForUpdateImpl: First run or local directory is corrupt, starting from scratch
2017-05-11 12:36:46> ApplyReleasesImpl: Writing files to app directory: C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\app-1.0.0
2017-05-11 12:36:47> LogHost: Rigging execution stub for lib/net45/QikCircle.Local.Server_ExecutionStub.exe to C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\QikCircle.Local.Server.exe
2017-05-11 12:36:49> LogHost: Rigging execution stub for lib/net45/app.publish/QikCircle.Local.Server_ExecutionStub.exe to C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\app-1.0.0\QikCircle.Local.Server.exe
2017-05-11 12:37:00> ApplyReleasesImpl: Squirrel Enabled Apps: []
2017-05-11 12:37:00> ApplyReleasesImpl: No apps are marked as Squirrel-aware! Going to run them all
2017-05-11 12:37:00> ApplyReleasesImpl: About to create shortcuts for QikCircle.Local.Server.exe, rootAppDir C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo
2017-05-11 12:37:01> ApplyReleasesImpl: Creating shortcut for QikCircle.Local.Server.exe => C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Dreamer\QikCircle.Local.Server.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:01> ApplyReleasesImpl: About to save shortcut: C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Dreamer\QikCircle.Local.Server.lnk (target C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\QikCircle.Local.Server.exe, workingDir C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\app-1.0.0, args , toastActivatorCSLID 49dcf775-c372-53ff-9296-ae555200c546)
2017-05-11 12:37:01> ApplyReleasesImpl: Creating shortcut for QikCircle.Local.Server.exe => C:\Users\Dreamer\Desktop\QikCircle.Local.Server.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:01> ApplyReleasesImpl: About to save shortcut: C:\Users\Dreamer\Desktop\QikCircle.Local.Server.lnk (target C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\QikCircle.Local.Server.exe, workingDir C:\Users\Dreamer\AppData\Local\QikDemo\app-1.0.0, args , toastActivatorCSLID 49dcf775-c372-53ff-9296-ae555200c546)
2017-05-11 12:37:01> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: File Explorer.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:01> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: Google Chrome.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:02> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: Microsoft Visual Studio Version Selector.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: VLC media player.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Starting fixPinnedExecutables
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: File Explorer.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: Google Chrome.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: Microsoft Visual Studio Version Selector.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Examining Pin: VLC media player.lnk
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Fixing up tray icons
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Couldn't rewrite shim RegKey, most likely no apps are shimmed: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Squirrel.UpdateManager.ApplyReleasesImpl.b__13_0(RegistryView view)
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: Couldn't rewrite shim RegKey, most likely no apps are shimmed: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Squirrel.UpdateManager.ApplyReleasesImpl.b__13_0(RegistryView view)
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: cleanDeadVersions: for version 1.0.0
2017-05-11 12:37:03> ApplyReleasesImpl: cleanDeadVersions: exclude folder app-1.0.0

[dsplaisted]

I'm getting the same null ref error when trying to install my app. If the SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers key doesn't exist, will this line cause a null reference?

[greyivy]

Did you ever end up finding a solution to this?

[Thieum]

@NikhilP007 are you still experiencing this issue with the latest version of Squirrel?