Modifying the List of Portable Executable Files for the Standalone Build

InstallShield 2016

The File Extensions tab on the Options dialog box in InstallShield lets you modify the file extensions that you would like InstallShield to consider to be portable executable (PE) files. InstallShield uses this list to determine how it should create components for dynamically linked files that adhere to the best practice component creation method.

If you are using the Standalone Build to build a release, the Options dialog box is not available. However, you can modify one of the files that is installed in a subfolder of the InstallShield Standalone Build Program Files folder if you want to modify the list of file extensions that the Standalone Build considers to be PE files. The following instructions explain how.

Caution • The following instructions require that you modify the Settings.xml file that is installed with InstallShield. This file contains critical data; if it is edited incorrectly, it can cause InstallShield to fail to work. Use extreme care when editing this file.

To modify the list of file extensions that the Standalone Build considers to be PE files:

1. Close the Standalone Build.
2. Find the Settings.xml file that is installed with InstallShield. Settings.xml is installed in one of the following locations, depending on which language version of InstallShield you are using:
EnglishStandalone Build Program Files Folder\Support\0409
JapaneseStandalone Build Program Files Folder\Support\0411
3. Create a back-up copy of the Settings.xml file, in case you later need to revert to the original version.
4. Use a text editor or XML file editor to open the Settings.xml file.
5. Search for the PEFileExtensions element. It looks something like this:

<PEFileExtensions default="EXE|DLL|OCX|VXD|CHM|HLB|TLB|AX">

6. Modify the list of file extensions for the default attribute as needed. Note that each file extension is separated with a vertical bar (|).
7. Save the Settings.xml file.
8. Ensure that your XML code is well formed; if it is not well formed, you may have problems using InstallShield. In most cases, you can identify improperly formed XML code by opening the Settings.xml file in Internet Explorer. You should be able to expand and contract the major elements of the file; if you cannot, check the code for errors.

The next time that you use the Standalone Build, it will use the updated list of file extensions.

See Also