How to make the Installer place support files in specific folder

[George Gall]

Hi, I'm trying to use the LabVIEW2009 installer for the first time. I haven't used any earlier ones, so my understanding is limited. I have created a project and an executable and wish to direct the installer to place some groups of files in a number of directories other than the one in which the executable goes. On the Source Files page I can see a number of Folder descriptions in square brackets. I don't understand how to use these. Are they to be set up to point to specific directories? If so how? So far I have managed to create an installer which puts all the support files from the project in a single directory. My attempts to select a subset of files within the Project View window and place them in a separate directory were not allowed since they are treated as an indivisible group. Basically i don't know enough about the installer and my searches for information have only yielded very basic information. If anyone can help by supplying or pointing to more detailed information I'd be most grateful. Thanks George

[Davidek]

Hi George

You do this in the Source Files part of the Installer Creation. You simply mark the file in the project you want to move to a folder on the left and then the folder on the right and klick the arrow in the middle. The folders on the right will correspond to certain preset directories on the target system. You can also create addition folders by klicking the New Folder button at the buttom. I think were you are going wrong it that you try to move files that are included in the exe instead of moving the files from the project. Please see this picture:

 

Best Regards

David

NISW

Message Edited by Davidek on 11-26-2009 07:23 AM

[George Gall]

Thank You David,

                             I think you are right. I'd just realised that the problem might lie in the exe creation stage, so i'm revisiting that with a view to separating the files there. I seem to need to go right back to the project file layout to do this and then create the exe it seems. Then it should be possible to do what you say in your reply. At least there's a light at the end of the tunnel now!

Regards

George

[Davidek]

Hi George

Glad to help. You need to create and build an exe first if you want to have a standalone installer. If you just pick a VI in the installer instead of the exe you will just install a VI, which will not run without the development enviroment. 

The files included in the exe can be moved into seperate folders as long as they are included explicitly in the project. Files in the project will be visible under "My Computer" in the window on the left. "My Computer" is not "open" per default, you need to klick the + sign in front of it.

Best Regards

David

[George Gall]

David, Getting there... I now have a group of folders in the project which are not included in the exe. So the layout is akin to the one in the screenshot you sent. The problem is that I still don't understand the square bracketed directories on the right side in the Destination View window. I wish to put a group of files in an absolute location of, say C:\Binaries. Firstly is this possible? Secondly how is it possible? What exactly is, say [WindowsVolume]?  Is it the root directory of the volume on which windows resides? If it is would using the arrow to place my Project Binaries folder under [WindowsVolume] result in the files ending up in C:\Binaries?

Sorry to drag this out but there doesn't seem to be much other help available on this. Or is there a document describing these bracketed directory names?

George

[Davidek]

Hi George

This is from the LV help:

Destination View—Specifies the location and directory structure of the files when they are installed. Select an item from the Project View tree and click the arrow button or drag the file to the Destination View tree to include it in the installer directory structure. You can drag multiple files at the same time. Click the buttons below the Destination View tree to add, remove, and rename folders in the directory. You also can right-click the folders and select a command from the shortcut menu.

The folders in the Destination View directory that do not have an LV prefix correspond to Microsoft Installer (MSI) properties that install files in the following locations.

• [CommonAppDataFolder]—Files you include in this folder install to the Application Data folder.
• [CommonFilesFolder]—Files you include in this folder install to the Common Files folder.
• [DesktopFolder]—Files you include in this folder install to the Windows desktop of the current Windows user.
• [LVxxRTEDIR]—Where xx is the LabVIEW version currently in use. Files you include in this folder install to the folder of the Run-Time Engine for the LabVIEW version currently in use.
• [LVDIR]—Files you include in this folder install to the folder of the LabVIEW version currently in use.

You can find a full list of the MSI properties here. Scroll down to "System Folder Properties"

Best Regards

David

[George Gall · Accepted solution]

david,

         thanks once again. The problem is solved! I had read the help and tried to make it put \Binaries under C:. It helps if you run the installer not just the installer creator! It was a "can't see the wood for the trees" situation at the last step. It has been a long day!

Best Regards

George