installer moves files around

[James_G1]

Okay I am a bit confused.  There are two build specifications for this project.  One is for the exe and the other is for the installer.  When you say check my destination settings do you mean for the exe or the installer?  For the exe they are full paths.  A directory for the exe and a support directory which has the same path as exe but with a data folder added.

Also the "CDK.EnableLog=TRUE" is not really going to help with the installer because I do not even need to run the installer to get the file to move.  I set them up the way I want then close the window without building, go back in and they are rearranged in the destination view as shown in the picture.

James

[Beutlich]

The folders in the project are stored as virtual folders, and do not necessarily correspond to real folders on the file system. When you are setting up the installer, you should create the directories you want in the Destinations category, and then populate those folders in the Source Files. Don't try making folders in the Source Files category.

Other than that, once you have said exactly where the files should be written, those files should be written at those locations on the new system. If you have a case where this is false, then could you post pictures of where the setting were directing the file write (which you've done), and where it actually wrote the file when applying those settings.

[James_G1]

"exe files preview.JPG" is the preview window is get from the exe build specification.  I get exactly what the exe preview says I will get.  Its the installer that is behaving strangely to me.

"installer files setup.JPG" is how I configured the destination for the files.  After this all I did was click okay (which accepts and closes the build specification window) then reopen the installer build specification.

"installer files moved.JPG" is what I see when it opens.

Note I did not actually run the installer build.  Just closed and reopened the build specification and stuff has moved.

When I do run the installer I get exactly what "installer files moved.JPG" shows I will get, which is a problem because my program then no longer knows where to find the dlls.

[Beutlich]

This is a strange problem. Have you tried deleting and recreating the installer? If the project is not too big, could you try creating a new project with the same source files and building a new installer? I'm curious about what conditions reproduce this bug.

[Beutlich]

I have heard of older versions having behavior similar to this, and since you are converting from an older version of LabVIEW, I was wondering if your projects and VIs were saved as the latest version you are using (LV8.5) or if maybe they were saved as a much earlier version. Try saving as a different version. Let us know if you try anything from this or my previous post.

[James_G1]

I'm not converting from an older labview.  These files were all made with 2009

[Beutlich]

Ooops, sorry. I got mixed up with the original poster.

So, it turns out this is expected behavior, as described here. If the DLL is a .NET assembly, than there are only certain locations where it can be loaded from an application, so LabVIEW prevents them from being moved to locations that they can't be loaded from. You can adjust this so that it will load from some arbitrary folder, but you have to manage extra steps because they are NET assemblies. Read the linked LabVIEW Help file for more details about how to set this up.

[BLang]

I know that I'm coming into this conversation a little late, but I too just experienced this same problem in LV2009 SP1.   My 'data' folder jumps up a directory level, which causing the program to misbehave as it is missing some libraires.  I haven't used any .NET modules or anything strange.  

The only way to fix this problem was to delete the Installer Build from the Project Explorer and start again.  This is a massive bug and shouldn't happen.  But nonetheless, it fixed the problem.

[BenDAE]

BLang,

Thanks for saving me a few questions. I do have to ask if you changed any settings or physical folders between the first installer build and the second? Any chance you have seen this problem on more than one occasion