Apparently build location != installed location when debugging. How do you handle this?

Question

I have files in my assets directory I would like to copy to the users folder.  Using:

Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.Current.InstalledLocation

The directory it returns is  ....\bin\Debug\AppX, and I then get the assets directory relative to this: ....\bin\Debug\AppX\Assets

However, the compiler actually copies my files to .../bin/Debug/Assets, and I don't know how to access this at run time, or how to tell my app isn't installed so I know it's not in ....\bin\Debug\AppX\Assets.

Yours in confusion,

Larry Maturo

---

Larry Maturo

Answer 1

You can acces the "Assets" Folder like this:

StorageFolder assets = await Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.Current.InstalledLocation.GetFolderAsync("Assets");

It's the same for Debug and Release mode.

At first run you can then copy the files to your ApplicationData, or any other Folder.

For example:

StorageFile logo = await assets.GetFileAsync("Logo.scale-100.png");
await logo.CopyAsync(Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.LocalFolder);

cheers

---

Life is unsure - always eat the dessert first!

Answer 2

That gets me: ...\bin\Debug\AppX\Assets, but this is not where the files are. The compiler copied them to .../bin/Debug/Assets  How do I get the compiler to copy them to  ...\bin\Debug\AppX\Assets instead, which would be the better solution.

---

Larry Maturo

Answer 3

Then check the build properties of the files in the Solution Explorer - they have to be set to Content and Copy Always.

---

Life is unsure - always eat the dessert first!

Answer 4

I found the problem.  Some of the files where not in the main project, and they were not set to"Always Copy to Output".

---

Larry Maturo