Windows Forms Application: Add file on app Install

Question

My WF application requires of an excel file to work properly. Is there any way to add that file to the project and, when the user install my application, it automatically places itself in a default path?

Thanks

Is the Excel file going to be changed by the application at runtime (thus needing to be installed in a directory with write permissions for a non-admin user), or is it just a resource that could be loaded from wherever you decide to put it? If the latter, I recommend including it as an embedded resource and reading it directly from the assembly at runtime. — adv12
– adv12, Commented Jan 9, 2015 at 15:23

Frank · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-09 15:27:31Z

1

You can embed the file in your executable assembly:

Add the file to the project.
Select the file in the Solution Explorer and open Properties (F4).
Set the "Build Action" to "Embedded Resource".

In your code, load the resource stream and copy it to the target file stream:

var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
using (var resourceStream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("YourNamespace.ExcelFile.xlsx"))
using (var targetStream = File.OpenWrite("targetFile.xlsx"))
{
    resourceStream.CopyTo(targetStream);
}

Make sure that YourNamespace matches the namespace of the directory structure where you have put the Excel file in your project.

This Knowledge Base article has a detailed explanation of the procedure.

answered Jan 9, 2015 at 15:27

Frank

4,50117 silver badges29 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Frank Over a year ago

System.Reflection.Assembly

Aldridge1991 Over a year ago

Awesome! Works perfect!

RogerN · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-09 15:33:54Z

Add the file to your project and set its build action to "Copy if newer." After that, it ought to be deployed along with your binaries when the application is installed. However, note that this copy should be considered as read-only.

If you need to save changes to the file after installation then you copy it into the application data folder within the user's profile:

var appDataFolder = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData);
var writableFilePath = Path.Combine(appDataFolder, "MyApplication\\MyExcelFile.xlsx");
// ensure directory exists before copying to it:
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(writableFilePath));

... and use this file instead of the read-only version whenever it already exists.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Windows Forms Application: Add file on app Install

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related