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Converting to Relative Source File Paths
Converting to UNC-Based Source File Paths
Windows Installer Editor Reference
All parts of the installation that reference these directories are updated.
See also:
Source Paths in an Installation
You can convert the paths of source files to relative paths. You might do this to keep all
your source files in a central version and source control system. (Example: Microsoft
Visual SourceSafe. In Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, if you copy the installation files to a
different directory each time you do a Get, you can use this feature to ensure that the
paths are always valid, even though the directory structure changes.)
A relative path uses .\ in the path to indicate the current directory, and it uses ..\ to
indicate one directory up. All paths are relative to where the .WSI or .MSI file is located.
Example: If the path to the .WSI is C:\Development\Application.wsi, and you add the
file C:\Program Files\Application.ini, the relative path of Application.ini is ..\Program
Files\Application.ini.
To convert to relative source file paths
1.
Select Tools menu > Convert Source Paths.
In Visual Studio: Project menu > Convert Source Paths.
The Convert Source Paths dialog box appears.
2.
Click Change All Paths to Relative.
The Change Source Directories to column displays the new paths.
A one-time conversion of the paths in the installation is performed. To change the
directories back to absolute paths, select high-level directories and change the
paths.
See
Changing Source Directories
Paths to files that are not on the same drive as the installation file are not
converted, because they cannot be written as relative paths. Predefined paths, such
as [ProgramFiles], cannot be changed to relative paths.
3.
To convert all directories you add to the installation later to relative paths, select
Relative Paths from Path Type.
4.
Click OK.
You can convert the mapped drive paths of source files to UNC-based (Uniform Naming
Convention) paths. This helps prevent compile errors when installation source files are
on a central file server.
Example: If you add files to an installation from your Y drive, which is mapped to a file
server, paths of files you add to the installation start with Y:\. If a co-worker opens and
compiles the installation on another computer that doesn't have its Y drive mapped to
the same file server, the compile fails because the installation cannot find the source
files on the Y drive. However, if you first convert all network paths to UNC paths, co-
workers on the same network can open and compile the installation without
on page 359
on page 360.
Working With Source Paths
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Troubleshooting
