My project requires a bunch of .txt templates to be stored somewhere in the user's computer. When the application is run for the first time, I will have to transfer these files into %APPDATA%\myapp\ folder. What's the best way to include these files in the clickonce deployment? There are a lot of these .txt files in nested folders so including them in the solution/project is out of the question.

Here's some ideas.

1) Include them in the project and mark each file with build action = "content" and copy to output= "copy always". This is obviously the easiest, most effective way.

2) Zip them up and include them in the project and mark the file as noted above. (Second easiest way).

3) Create your application, then use Mage or MageUI to add the files to the deployment and re-sign it. (p.i.t.a.)

And here's an interesting idea:

4) Create an application that has the files included in the project, and a small UI that copies them from this app's ClickOnce cache to where they go on the user's computer. Depending on how many files there are, this could run so fast the user never sees the UI screen, or you can just set visible = false. You have multiple choices here:

4a) Send the user the link to run this application to load the content.

4b) Have the main application fire the link to get the content (process.start(iexplore.exe, "link to application file")) if the content is not found. You'll have to loop and see when the content is all there.

For 4b, you could also send something down to the main application telling it *when* to fire the link, like when there's an update, but this depends on if your app has communication back and forth with a server or something. For example, if your application does authentication and gets back a reuslt, you might return a flag telling whether or not there's been an update to that content. OR you could just fire it every time, but you can NOT suppress the ClickOnce upgrade dialog (just telling you before you ask).

Hope this helps.

RobinDotNet

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Click here to visit my ClickOnce blog!

Here's some ideas.

1) Include them in the project and mark each file with build action = "content" and copy to output= "copy always". This is obviously the easiest, most effective way.

2) Zip them up and include them in the project and mark the file as noted above. (Second easiest way).

3) Create your application, then use Mage or MageUI to add the files to the deployment and re-sign it. (p.i.t.a.)

And here's an interesting idea:

4) Create an application that has the files included in the project, and a small UI that copies them from this app's ClickOnce cache to where they go on the user's computer. Depending on how many files there are, this could run so fast the user never sees the UI screen, or you can just set visible = false. You have multiple choices here:

4a) Send the user the link to run this application to load the content.

4b) Have the main application fire the link to get the content (process.start(iexplore.exe, "link to application file")) if the content is not found. You'll have to loop and see when the content is all there.

For 4b, you could also send something down to the main application telling it *when* to fire the link, like when there's an update, but this depends on if your app has communication back and forth with a server or something. For example, if your application does authentication and gets back a reuslt, you might return a flag telling whether or not there's been an update to that content. OR you could just fire it every time, but you can NOT suppress the ClickOnce upgrade dialog (just telling you before you ask).

Hope this helps.

RobinDotNet

---

Click here to visit my ClickOnce blog!

Thanks. this is exactly what I was looking for.

You're welcome. :-)

RobinDotNet

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Click here to visit my ClickOnce blog!