A gentle warning on the build output folder.

[bokkie]

I've had occasion today to want to generate the compressed outputs from my six packages into one folder. For example, let's assume I have two projects A and B and I set both of their project settings output to create the installation into, say, C:\Temp\AB. If I build A and it produces an output called A.exe it will create C:\Temp\AB\Released\Single\A.exe. All fine so far. Now, when I build B it will create its output into the same folder as A.exe. That was my idea - to put both packages into the same folder. However, B's build wipes out the contents of A's. Clearly, I need to generate different folders for each in the same parent or move the files after I've done the build internally via IA or externally using miabuild. I was kind of hoping I could share the same folder for what are different files but I can appreciate that you can't do that with a compressed build as some of the filenames would be the same.

Anyway, it was not a red flag problem but I thought I'd share it anyway.

[mills]

This becomes quickly apparent when working with Group Policy MSIs and patches. You'd think renaming the patch and building a new one wouldn't affect the renamed files, but it does.

This does make sense and it can be nice to have a clean output folder, however it's not necessarily expected. Perhaps it would be sensible to display a message box that warns that a build will erase all contents of the output folder... Continue? [y/n] with option to "don't display this message again" check box...

That way, you're made clear the behavior when you first start using IA and you don't have to see the prompt every time.

I will update the help file to make a note of this.