InstallShield 2012 Spring Express Edition User Guide

Chapter 8: Organizing Files for Your Installation
Including Files and Folders
• You cannot set any properties such as Shared, Permanent, or Never Overwrite for a dynamically
linked file.
• You cannot use the .NET installer class functionality for a dynamically linked file.
• You cannot specify that COM interop should be enabled for a dynamically linked file.
• You cannot change default file settings (such as Read-Only or Hidden).
• You cannot set file permissions for a dynamically linked file.
• You cannot create shortcuts to a dynamically linked file.
• You cannot perform a static or dynamic scan of a dynamically linked file.
• You cannot launch a dynamically linked file from the Setup Complete Success end-user dialog.
Any file that you add directly (not through dynamic linking) to your project has an internal name
(FileKey). When you create a custom action, a file extension, shortcut, or other type of item, it actually
points to this internal name.
When you add files to your project through dynamic links, the files are not physically added to the
project. This means that these files do not have any FileKeys that can be associated with custom actions,
file extensions, etc.
Determining the Appropriate Component Creation Method for Dynamically
Linked Files
InstallShield provides two methods for creating components for dynamically linked files: the best
practice method and the one-component-per-directory method. (A component is the smallest installable
part of a product. The Express edition of InstallShield creates components for you automatically. For
more information, see Installation Fundamentals.)
Using the Best Practice Method
When best practices for dynamic link creation are followed, InstallShield performs the following tasks at
build time for all of the files that meet the include and exclude filter criteria of your dynamic link:
• InstallShield creates a separate component for each portable executable (PE) file in the dynamically
linked folder. Each PE file is the key file of its component.
• InstallShield adds all non-PE files at the root level of the dynamic link to the component that
contains the link.
• If the dynamic link includes a subfolder, InstallShield creates a new component for all of the non-PE
files in that subfolder. If the dynamic link includes more than one subfolder, InstallShield creates a
separate component for all of the non-PE files in each subfolder.
This is the default functionality for all new dynamic links.
Tip: The File Extensions tab on the Options dialog box is where you specify which file types are PE files.
InstallShield 2012 Spring Express Edition User Guide ISE-1900-UG00 161