Automatic Copy Files to Output During Application Building

Automatic copy files to output during application building

It depends on what version of Visual Studio you are using. Format of VC++ project file in Visual Studio 2008 is not MSBuild and so using xcopy in PostBuildStep is a good choice.

VC++ project in Visual Studio 2010 has MSBuild format. Thus, there is functionality of MSBuild Copy task.

Below is a sample:

<Copy
    SourceFiles="%(FullPath)"
    DestinationFolder="$(OutDir)"
/>

If the destination directory does not exist, it is created automatically

An MSDN Copy task reference is here

Visual Studio 2017 C++ Project Copy Text Files to Output Directory

In the *.vcxproj file, change:

<Text Include="Filename.txt" />

to:

<Content Include="Filename.txt">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
</Content>

Then in the *.vcxproj.filters file, change:

<Text Include="Filename.txt">
    <Filter>Resource Files</Filter>
</Text>

to:

<Content Include="Filename.txt">
    <Filter>Resource Files</Filter>
</Content>

Copying Visual Studio project file(s) to output directory during build

While I was searching the file’s Property Page for a build-action field, I had a thought: set the custom build step to copy the file (manually). This turned out to be easier than I thought. I had figured it would require using cmd or other external executable (xcopy, robocopy, etc.), but that is not necessary.

I set the Custom Build Step as follows:

Command Line : copy $(InputFileName) $(OutDir)
Description  : Copying foobar...
Outputs      : $(InputFileName)

Setting the outputs field (correctly) was critical in order to prevent VS from always thinking the project is out of date and requiring to be rebuilt (I’m not certain if it needs to be prefixed with $(OutDir)\).

It is reflected in the Output window as such:

Copying foobar...
        1 file(s) copied.
Compiling resources...
Linking...

VS2010 How to include files in project, to copy them to build output directory automatically during build or publish

There is and it is not dependent on post build events.

Add the file to your project, then in the file properties select under "Copy to Output Directory" either "Copy Always" or "Copy if Newer".

See MSDN.

How to automatically copy files in building project with Visual Studio

I've found the answer. The build action needs to be set to Content if you want to just directly copy the file to the output folder.

Copying files into the application folder at compile time

You could do this with a post build event. Set the files to no action on compile, then in the macro copy the files to the directory you want.

Here's a post build Macro that I think will work by copying all files in a directory called Configuration to the root build folder:

copy $(ProjectDir)Configuration\* $(ProjectDir)$(OutDir)

How can I copy files between output directories with MSBuild?

I came up with a solution that seems to solve my problems. I have added the following to the project file of MyNodeServices

<!-- Specify the files to be included in the output directory -->
<ItemGroup>
  <NodeFile Include="NodePrograms\**">
    <InProject>false</InProject>
  </NodeFile>

  <NodeModule Include="node_modules\**">
    <InProject>false</InProject>
  </NodeModule>
</ItemGroup>

<!-- Copy files from the project directory into the output directory -->
<Target Name="BeforeBuild"
        Inputs="@(NodeFile);@(NodeModules)"
        Outputs="@(NodeFile->'$(OutputPath)%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)');@(NodeModule->'$(OutputPath)NodePrograms\%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')">

  <Copy SourceFiles="@(NodeFile)"
        DestinationFiles="$(OutputPath)%(NodeFile.RelativeDir)%(NodeFile.Filename)%(NodeFile.Extension)" />

  <Copy SourceFiles="@(NodeModule)"
        DestinationFiles="$(OutputPath)NodePrograms\%(NodeModule.RelativeDir)%(NodeModule.Filename)%(NodeModule.Extension)" />

  <ItemGroup>
    <!-- Specify files that were written to the output directory so the clean task knows to remove them -->
    <FileWrites Include="@(NodeFile->'$(OutputPath)%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')"/>
    <FileWrites Include="@(NodeModule->'$(OutputPath)NodePrograms\%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')"/>
  </ItemGroup>

</Target>

<!-- Include the files from the output directory when other projects reference this -->
<Target Name="IncludeNodeFiles"
        BeforeTargets="GetCopyToOutputDirectoryItems">

  <ItemGroup>
    <OutputNodeFiles Include="@(NodeFile->'$(OutputPath)%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
      <TargetPath>%(RelativeDir)%(FileName)%(Extension)</TargetPath>
    </OutputNodeFiles>

    <OutputNodeModules Include="@(NodeModule->'$(OutputPath)NodePrograms\%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
      <TargetPath>NodePrograms\%(RelativeDir)%(FileName)%(Extension)</TargetPath>
    </OutputNodeModules>

    <AllItemsFullPathWithTargetPath Include="@(OutputNodeFiles->'%(FullPath)')"  />
    <AllItemsFullPathWithTargetPath Include="@(OutputNodeModules->'%(FullPath)')"  />
  </ItemGroup>
</Target>

Visual Studio: How to Copy to Output Directory without copying the folder structure?

instead of <Content> use <ContentWithTargetPath> and specify target path, like this:

<ItemGroup>
  <ContentWithTargetPath Include="lib\some_file.dat">
    <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    <TargetPath>some_file.dat</TargetPath>
  </ContentWithTargetPath>
  <None Include="lib\some_file.dat" />
</ItemGroup>

Note that this entry may not be visible from Visual Studio (2012, 2015, 2017), but once manually added to the csproj, it will appear in Visual Studio. The target path will not be editable through the UI though.

Adding a <None> entry for the file will ensure that it still shows up in Visual Studio's UI.

Visual Studio C++ - Copy to Output Directory missing

The CopyToOuputDirectory is not exposed in the UI of Visual Studio for C++ projects.

However, there are some workarounds. See answers given to a similar question.

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