Including Files and Folders

InstallShield 2024

Your files, the core of your product, are also the core of your installation. Files are added to a project only at the component level. In installation projects, components are associated with features, which are what end users see when they run your installation. If the component’s feature is selected for installation, the component’s files are installed to the target system.

When you are adding files to components in Windows Installer–based projects, you should be aware of Setup Best Practices. By default, the Setup Best Practices Wizard monitors your setup design and alerts you if you have violated Best Practices.

You can add files to your project in the Setup Design view (for installation projects) or the Components view, and in the Files and Folders view.

This section includes the following topics:

• Adding to Your Project Files to Be Installed on Target Systems
• Dragging and Dropping Files Using the Context Menu
• Adding Files from Your 64-Bit Source Machine’s 64-Bit System32 Folder
• Creating New Destination Folders
• Creating Empty Folders
• Specifying Hard-Coded Destination Directories
• Removing Files and Folders from Target Systems
• Tips for Managing Files and Folders in Your Project
• Finding Files and Folders in Your Project
• Displaying Components in the Files and Folders View
• Modifying Components through the Files and Folders View
• Configuring Settings for a File
• File Associations
• Dynamic File Linking
• Overwriting Files and Components on the Target System
• Displaying Predefined Folders in the Files View
• Companion Files
• Configuring Permissions for Files and Folders
• Extracting COM Data When Files Are Added
• Installing Self-Registering Files
• Identifying Properties and Dependencies of .NET Assemblies
• Installing Fonts Through InstallScript and InstallScript Object Projects

See Also

Files and Folders View

Setting Component Key Files

Adding Files to Components