how to prevent setup project from wrapping a file into .msi?

[serkan sendur]

All files or project outputs that are added to setup projects are wrapped into the final .msi file. what if i dont want it to wrap some certain files and want it to output them as they are? Is that possible?

Thanks

[ryuslash]

Um... Build your (non-installer) project and copy the contents of your {projectfolder}\bin\Release (or \Debug) folder?

Otherwise, there was a way to set .zip file as the favored distribution method. Don't remember how it works though :-/

[sknake]

What is your end goal here serkan? Windows packs all of your files in to a .cab and builds the msi. You can unpack an MSI. There are tools for it if you check google.

[serkan sendur]

My goal is to run MSI from command line using another software. To do that i need a config file for 3rd party software which i want to output right after the built of the setup project. of course i can copy files but i want to automate things as much as possible because i have hundreds of configuration items to keep in mind...

[serkan sendur]

ok the solution is to create a batch file to copy files to .msi output folder, then add a post built event to setup project to run this batch file.