How to deploy database files with Visual Studio Setup Project?

Question

• I have to find a suitable location to deploy my SDF (database) file.
• The file must be the same to all users
• Windows applications can't write to the ProgramFiles folder.
• One user can't access other user's AppData folder
• A good choice would be %ProgramData%
• In Visual Studio Setup Project File System view, when I right click the output folders I don't have the %ProgramData% option

How to write to that folder?

Answer 1

Check this out:

Specifying c:\ProgramData folder in Setup project?

Winforms Deployment

string path = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData);

CommonApplicationData is C:\ProgramData on Windows > Vista, and something like C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on XP.

Answer 2

Actually this question is a duplicate. Here is the real way tell VDPROJ to deploy to that location:

Writing to AppData from a Setup & Deployment Project

But that will leave another problem: Standard Users won't have write privs to that directory. You'll either have to write a custom action to open it up or you'll have to use a better MSI authoring tool such as Windows Installer XML (open source) or InstallShield 2010LE ( free ) that has proper support for defining resource permissions.