User Guide

How the Installation Integrates With the Solution

Scanning the Solution for New Files

" Visual Studio integrated editor only.

Wise for Windows Installer can scan projects in a solution for new output files that need

to be added to the installation, and add those files to the installation.

Scanning occurs when you:

! Load, save, or build an installation project within a solution.

! Change the installation’s project settings. Examples: output types, projects to

include.

How and when the solution is scanned is determined by the Scan Method option. The

default is set in Wise Options and can be changed for specific installations on the

Projects page in the project settings. See Setting Visual Studio Options on page 57 and

Projects Page on page 85.

! If you add an existing .WSI to a solution, the .WSI project’s original scan method

setting is preserved.

! If you add an existing .WSI project to a solution and no scan method setting is

found, the default scan method is used.

You can specify the level of scanning that should occur for each installation. See Projects

Page on page 85.

Add Project Outputs to Installation Dialog

This dialog appears during save, build, or compile when the scan method is set to

prompt. On this dialog, you can:

! Mark checkboxes for files to add them to the installation project.

! Edit the destination feature and target directory by clicking a file and editing the

appropriate cell.

! Add and edit multiple files at once by selecting them and clicking the Properties

button. On the Project Output Properties dialog that appears, you can add a new

feature and add a new directory for all of the selected files.

Note

In a Web installation, you can only change the destination feature.

Why Would You Change the Scan Method?

You can change the scan method for specific installations on the Projects page in the

project settings.

You might want to change an installation’s scan method at various stages of the

development cycle. Example:

! At the beginning of a development project when you are continually creating new

projects and files, you would want to add all new files automatically.

! As development continues and you become more discriminating about the files you

add to the installation, you might want to be prompted to add files.

! At the end of the development cycle, you can turn the scanning off altogether so you

don’t introduce any new files into the installation.

Also see How the Installation Integrates With the Solution on page 88.