Copy file from setup location to another location in wix on install

Question

I have created an msi setup file which includes some files in a "Sample" folder which should be copied to a temp folder. Anybody suggest how to do this?

Answer 1

Something like this:

   <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
      <Directory Id="ProgramFilesFolder">
        <Directory Id="MyVendor" Name="MyVendor">
            <Directory Id="INSTALLDIR" Name="MyDir">
                <Component Id="MyFileId" Guid="...G1...">
                    <File Id="MyFileId" Name="MyFile" Source="...blabla...\MyFile" KeyPath="yes" >
                    </File>
                </Component>


     <DirectoryRef Id="TARGETDIR">
            <Component Id="MyFileCopyId" Guid="...G2...">
                <RemoveFile Id="MyFileRemoveId" Name="MyFile" On="install" Directory="MyCopyDir" />
                <CopyFile Id="MyFileCopyId" FileId="MyFileId" DestinationDirectory="MyCopyDir" />
            </Component>


    <Feature Id="MyFeature" ... >
            <ComponentRef Id="MyFileId" />
            <ComponentRef Id="MyFileCopyId" />

The important Xml element is CopyFile. You need to create a new component that is a copy of the first one (with different ids, guids, ... of course). Both components needs to be declared in a feature.

Answer 2

CopyFile element is your friend. You can nest it under the original File element a number of times, depending on how many times you need to copy it. Put the correct destination folder(s) and let Windows Installer do the rest.