Installing Files

One of the basic tasks of any Setup package is to install files on the customer's computer. In most cases, these files must be removed again when the customer uninstalls the application.

How to add installation files to your project

To specify files for installation and removal in InstallMate, act as follows.

1. Open or create the project that contains the information for your application. See Using InstallMate if you don't know how to do this, or if you don't know what projects are for.
2. Select the Files and folders project page in the navigation panel on the left.

3. Decide which installation folders your application requires. They are shown in the Target System tree. Do not use hard-coded paths such as C:\Program Files\MyApp, but use folders like:

   • Program Files (32-bit)\<ProductName> for the majority of your product files. This name represents the main installation folder for your application. Its default location is defined by the Target System tree; the customer may select a different location at installation time.
   • Windows for (shared) files that must be installed in the Windows folder.
   • Windows\System (32-bit) for (shared) files that must be installed in the System folder. Usually, this is where you would install ActiveX controls and other files that might be shared among applications.
   • Any of more than fifty other folders.
4. If necessary, create the required folders by right-clicking on an existing folder, then choosing New Folder or New Special Folder from the popup menu.

5. Add your application files to the appropriate installation folders using one of the following methods:

   • Right-click on the installation folder of your choice, then choose Add Files from Disk... This opens the Add Files to Project dialog box that allows you to browse for your product files and add them individually or in groups by using file name filters.
   • Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder that contains your application files, then select the desired files and folders. Next, drag them to the InstallMate Files and folders project page and drop them onto the desired installation folder.
6. Repeat step 5 until all your application files are added to the appropriate installation folders. If you accidentally add files to the wrong folder, you can use drag & drop to move them to a different one.

To specify installation and uninstallation options for your application files, select the files in the Files and folders project page, then adjust their settings in the File attributes pane. When you add files, InstallMate sets default options for each file that are suitable for that particular file, so in many cases there is little or nothing that you need to set manually.