Could not find file ...[$OutputDirectory]{$TargetAssembly]

[Matt in Ohio]

I added a deployment project to my solution so I can build an installer (.msi). When I build the project I get the following error:

Could not find file c:\....\[$OutputDirectory][$TargetAssembly].licenses.  The system cannot find the path specified.

Matt

[JonathanN]

Hi Matt,

This issue was actually a Microsoft bug that was fixed in Visual Studio 2008.  We documented this issue in our Visual Studio 2005 readme under item 31084 in the .NET Class Libraries Known Issues section.  To work around this issue, do not use the primary output option for the setup project. Instead, manually add the .exe and the required .msm files to the project.

Best Regards,

[Matt in Ohio]

Thanks for the information. The measurement studio that I have is 8.1.2, which only has install disks for Visual Studio 2003 and 2005. Is it compatable with Visual Studio 2008? I looked in the .NET Class Libraries Known Issues readme file, but could not find mention of this problem..  Is manually building the deployment project difficult?

Matt

[JonathanN]

Hi Matt,

Measurement Studio 8.5 recently came out which provides full support for Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Studio .NET 2003.  To address your exact question, the Measurement Studio 8.1.2 .NET libraries should work fine in VS 2008. Refer to the Using Measurement Studio 8.1.2 with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 KB for more information.

The workaround steps I mentioned are very easy to do as you simply:

1. Right-click on the setup project and select Add File. 
2. Navigate to the directory your application's EXE and add it
3. This will add your EXE to your setup project. Visual Studio should also automatically add any dependent merge modules to your setup project.
4. Compare the merge modules listed in your project now to the ones mentioned in the Measurement Studio .NET Merge Modules help topic to make sure you have all the required merge modules. If you are missing any, then add them to your setup project.

Best Regards,