Mastering Folder Synchronization: Step-by-Step Tips for a Harmonized Digital Experience

Table of Contents

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Synchronize Folder Tab

In this dialog you can make a folder synchronized to a source folder on disk. Basically, the folder synchronization works like this:

the synchronized folder from your project will be identical in content with the source folder from the disk.
if the files and folders in the synchronized folder on the disk change, this change is also made in the synchronized folder from your project.
if you add regular files and folders in a synchronized folder, these elements will not be affected by the synchronization.
the synchronization is refreshed when you open the project, when you use the[Refresh ] button in the “Files and Folders” page or when you built the project.

It is strongly recommended not to use the synchronization feature:

- in Patch packages because the synchronization may re-create some components when refreshed and therefore new GUIDs will be generated for them;
- in Upgrade packages when using the Install new version first and then uninstall old version option because the synchronization may create new GUIDs for components when refreshed resulting in the files being deleted when upgrading the product.

General

Synchronized content with folder from disk

Enable this option in order to activate the synchronization of a folder from the project with a folder from the disk.

Source Folder

Use the [… ] button to select the source folder from the disk. Synchronized folders will be marked visually with this icon:.

You can edit filters that will allow you to specify which files will be added to the package. Use the [Edit filters… ] button to do that.

If you want to use the same filters for multiple synchronized folders, use the[Copy ] and [Paste ] menu options from the drop-down menu that appears by clicking the black arrow from the [Filters ]… button.

To preview the changes done to the project you can use the[Test… ] button. A dialog will be displayed showing what files will be added to the project, removed of left unchanged.

Feature

Select the feature that will contain the components resulted after the synchronization process.

Click here

Options

Keep in project files deleted from disk

When this option is used, the files from the project that are not found on disk are left in the project but with a size of 0 bytes. This can help avoid eventual build failures due to missing files.

Add digital signing option

If this option is used, all EXE files are automatically marked for digital signing at build time.

Apply file import rules

If this option is used, all synchronized INI or XML files will be imported rather than added as plain files.

Do not save files in project

If this option is enabled, the files contained by the synchronized folder will not be added to the project (e.g. in Files and Folders page) but they will be included in the package at bulid time.

When this option is set for a synchronized folder, the synchronized files that were present in that folder before will be removed from the project.

Component Options

When a file is added to the project by synchronization, a component is selected or created for it. The component option selected here is applied only to new files added by synchronization, from the moment it is selected. Components for existing files are untouched when this option gets changed.

Select best suited component
- Selects the component by following Windows Installer recommendations: EXE, DLL, PDB, CHI, CHM files should be alone in component and other files from the same folder should share the same component.
  These rules are also applied when manually adding a new file to project.
Create a new component
- Every new file added by synchronization is added in its own new component. No other rules apply.
Use folder’s component. Except for these extensions:
- All files from a folder are added in the same component. This applies to any file extension unless it is specified in the exception list.
  Extensions can be added in the exception list without leading “.” and separated by a blank space “ “. The rules recommended by Windows Installer are applied for these exceptions.

Topics

Edit Filters Dialog
Edit filters for synchronized folders.

Did you find this page useful?

Please give it a rating:

Thanks!

Report a problem on this page

Information is incorrect or missing

Information is unclear or confusing

Something else

Can you tell us what’s wrong?

Send message

Fox Zaraz

Mastering Folder Synchronization: Step-by-Step Tips for a Harmonized Digital Experience