We Keep Coding

WPF Publish - include folders

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:

Automatically add files as embedded

I have a template service that uses RazorEngine to generate HTML for email sending.
I want to make it easy to add a new template to the project, meaning that I don't want to specify the file build action.
Is there a way where I still have the .cshtml file in my project with intellisense and etc. but it automatically will set their build action to Embedded Resource?
Here is a example of my project structure

Wildcard inclusions in C# project files
However, we can use wildcards when specifying these files. Here is an example that includes all .py files from a folder (and all subfolders):
EmbeddedResource Include="Python27\Lib\**\*.py"
Once you save the project file and reload it in Visual Studio, you will see that the Solution Explorer understands the wildcard and will populate with all files that match it. You can copy new .py files into the target directory and Solution Explorer will update accordingly (you need to click the “Refresh” button for this). And while it shows the results of the wildcard inclusion, it does not alter the entries in the project file unlike the behavior of the Add Files dialog.

Compiling folders into Executable

Maybe not possible but I have an application that gets text from a bunch of text files organised in folders which are all included in my project. However I'd love to compile these text files into the exe so that I don't have to lug the folders with the application. Anyway I can do this?
The folders are in a hierarchy i.e. each folder has a txt file and image that my application uses. At the moment they are all set to build as Embedded Resources which I thought would have compiled them in but unfortunately not.
Preferably I love if there was a way I could add the folder rather than each file individually.

"Compilation" means something else.
Anyway, .NET confusingly uses the same terms to describe "embedded resources", which are exposed as resource streams from the assembly, and the more API-friendly resx resources which are then compiled into .resources files that are also stored as embedded resource streams.
If you want to use ResX resources in your project then go Add New Item > Resources (resx), then go to the Files tab and add references to your filesystem files, then build your project. You'll be able to access those files by going typing FooResources.MyFileName in your program's code, assuming you named your resx file FooResources.

C# Xml files when creating exe application

I'm planning to build my winform into a .exe file. I'm just wondering what to do with the XML files that my application needs?
I did some research and found out that I can add the XML files in the Resource folder before creating a .exe file.
Or I need to create a setup file? When the user runs the setup file, the XML files will be installed into their pc.Now I wonder which one is the best way to go for,
Note: XML files might get modified by the user.

If you want to ship the XML files as seperate to the .EXE then you can set the Copy to Output Directory to Copy if newer. (click on file and then go to properties).
OR if you want it as part of the .EXE I think you can change the Build Action to Embedded Resource.
I personally would create a Setup as per your edit and include the XML files. I usually just add everthing from the bin/release folder that is needed when I create a setup file.

You could either deploy the necessary files along with the executable in the same folder or embed them as resources (if they are read-only). If you need to modify them do not embed them as resources into the executable.

The correct way depends on how you intend to use the files. If the files always are deployed together with your application, the application never writes to them and they are never upgraded without upgrading the application, you can go with them embedded as resources.
If you need to update them separately from the application, you need to have them as physical files.
You don't necessarely need a installation package, unless you need to apply some logic during setup, such as updating the content of the setup based on user input or to check preconditions. The application can just be copied into place regardless of if you have embedded the files or not.

Embedding a PDF as a resource in WPF application

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.