I am creating an installer for my C# application, and I want to put a link to the configuration file into the start menu, so that users can open it for editing in notepad from the program folder in the start menu.
I seem not to be able to put a link to it however - does anyone know how to do this? (Really, I would just love to put "[targetdir]\myapp.exe.config but VS doesn't let me edit the field, only select from a file browser).
Many thanks,
Rob
I found the solution and it's pretty easy:
Add Project Output for your project in the setup project
Select Project Output from File System in left pane and go to the properties of the project output. Then add a filter *.config to remove the .config file from your project output.
Rename the app.config from your actual project to the output name that your App exe ([ProductName]) will have along with the config extension ofcourse.
Add the [ProductName].config to your setup project as a File.
Create a Shortcut to that file and add it in any setup folder desktop or program folder.
Voila.
You're all set.
Isn't the config file added in your installer? You should be able to select it when prompted for the shortcut target (the "Select Item in Project" dialog). Please note that in this prompt dialog you first need to browse to the folder which contains it (for example double-click "Application Folder").
If the config file is not added, you need to manually add it in "Application Folder". Only then you can create a shortcut to it.
Please note that Visual Studio doesn't support shortcuts to a specific file from a project output which generates multiple files. In this case you can try using a custom action which creates the shortcut through custom code.
I remember doing it in Vs2005 using as below:
File System Editor > Users Programs Menu
Add> Folder
Add file (Say Config file) point it to the its location
Related
I have a WPF project that is now finished, and I want to publish the app into an installer that other people can use.
When I publish the project, the project compiles into setup.exe, but on install the folders that I have do not get included.
I've been reading the guides, and made sure to include the files inside the folders as Content or a Resource. I've also made sure they are always copied. When some of my files are copied, they have a .deploy extension, and I need it to be an .xml in order for some function to read them. Images that I have in the app load fine however.
What do I need to do to have my custom files be EXACTlY as they are, xml as xml, txt as txt and so on. Also I have some empty folders, like this TempCF that I use at some point. Do i need to create it via code?
If you go to Project->Properties->Publish->Install Mode and Settings->Options->Deployment in Visual Studio, there is a "Use ".deploy" file extension" option that you can untick to get rid of the .deploy extension being added to your published files:
Empty project folders are not included in the output. Either put a dummy content file in them or create the folder dynamically as needed during runtime.
# Nikola L.
You could try to use the following methods to add the files in your program to the installation package so that you can have the files you need in your installation path. If I misunderstood your question, please let me know.
The steps are as follows:
1.Right-click on the Setup project and select View -> File System
2.In the File System page, right-click the Application Folder (File System on target Machine) and select Add->Folder(named User's Application Data ) -> File…-> find the file under your project and select the file you need.
Such as:
3.Right-click the Setup project.
Install your setup package.
You can find the files you added in your installation path.
The result is like the picture below:
I'm new to c# and I only know the basics of it. I have some data in json file and I want it to be added to my visual studio without specifying the path of it (so other people don't need to change file location when they get my program). After building the project I want the file to be automatically in the project folder somehow.
Including file in the project and moving it to the output dir automatically are different actions.
To add an existing file to project, right click your project and select "Add Existing Item". Then open file properties (right click the file => properties) and set Copy to Output Directory to Copy Always
I've just made my program an exe via publish in visual studio. In that i included a usermanual.txt and a aboutus.txt file which are in bin>debug folder. After i published the program and run it. Those files are not viewing saying cannot find the file. How can i fix this
Make sure your files are included in Solution Explorer. If not, add them (Right click on project -> Add -> Existing item... then select them from disk).
This way your manuals will be part of your project.
Then, you should setup that those files are copied to same folder as your exe (bin\debug or bin\release). To to that right click on them, select Properties and notice Copy to output directory setting. It has to have "Always" or "Copy if newer" option selected.
In your code, to open file, use path like this:
string userManualPath = Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, "usermanual.txt");
that will open file in same directory as application's .exe.
When editing your manual (adding some new text), edit the one in solution, and the changes will reflect to either debug or release or published version.
I want to embed a PDF file (which is basically have Product details, Release notes) and wants to open that file from menu bar. What would be the best approach. I need to use this file in installer also. So i'm looking for an approach in which file will be moved to BIN on compilation and from there installer can access that file.
IDEAS ...
Add the file to the project the builds the EXE (use Add existing file in visual studio). Then right click on the file in visual studio, go to properties, and verify that the build action is "Content" and the copy to output directory is "Always" or "If newer" (whichever suits you).
Then this file will always be copied to the same directory where the EXE resides and your application will be able to access it because it's always in the application's directory.
If the installer just takes the BIN directory then it will also be able to access it because the file will reside in the BIN directory.
Have fun!
Finally i did it in following way:
a. We've a folder which contains notes.pdf (used by installshield).
b. Created a pre build command to copy the pdf file from installshield folder to output directory.
c. use process.start("notes.pdf"); to open the file. As it would look in bin directory first for pdf file and we've already copied it there.
It worked for both Installer version and running application from code.
I've created a windows application in c# now i added a new setup project to this application and i build it. It is executing successfully. When i try to add project output to user desktop. There are two files adding in the desktop one is exe file and another one is xml file (configuration file). Why it is happening. How can i add only exe file to my desktop while running the setup file.
Thank you,
Nagu
You have to add a shortcut to project output, not the project output itself. You can do this by selecting the "User's desktop" folder, right click and select "Create new shortcut" and in the select item dialog go to "Application folder" and select "Primary output from your project".
Is there a reason you're are trying to put the exe on the desktop? Standard practice is to place it in a folder in Program Files (or somewhere the user designates) and place a shortcut on the desktop.
Assuming that you already have the exe file added to your setup:
Right click your setup project,
click view->file system;
Right Click on User's
Desktop->Create Shortcut to user's
desktop
I think that would be it.