This article demonstrates how to perform a "custom action" on the target computer at the end of an installation.  Here we illustrate a sample to perform the custom action of copying the "Article.txt" file from the deployment destination directory, that is, from the ArticleSetup  directory--where the Setup files will be installed on the target machine, to the Office 2003  XLSTART directory (i.e., Program Files/Microsoft Office/OFFICE11/XLSTART).

Here's the deployment destination directory structure:

Here's the Office 2003  XLSTART directory structure, which is where the Article.txt file will be copied from the deployment destination directory:

The following steps will implement the above concept.

1. Add a Class Library project.
2. To this project, add an Installer class.  For more details, refer to the link http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfsystemconfigurationinstallinstallerclasstopic.asp.
3. Write the following code in the Install method of the Installer class.

1:     public override void Install(IDictionary savedState)

2:     {

3:         string[] stradirs;      //Used to store the Directories

4:         //Copies the file from Deployment directory to the Xlstart 
           //directory

5:         foreach (String str in Directory.GetLogicalDrives())

6:         {    

7:             try

8:             {

9:                 // Gets the XLStart Directory

10:                stradirs = Directory.GetDirectories(@str, 
                     "Program Files/Microsoft Office/OFFICE11/XLSTART");

11:                //Directory Exists

12:                if (stradirs.Length > 0)

13:                {

14:                    Assembly objAssembly = 
                         Assembly.GetAssembly(this.GetType());

15:                    string strPath  = objAssembly.CodeBase;

16:                    // Replace the Primary Output Project Dll with

17:                    // spaces  and get the path of the Deployment

18:                    // Directory

19:                    strPath = strPath.Replace("CustomDeployment.dll","");

20:                    strPath = strPath.Replace("//","");

21:                    strPath = strPath.Replace("file:/","");

22:                    // Gets the Deployment

23:                    // directory  path                     

24:                    string strSetUpPath = strPath  + "Article.txt";   

25:                    // Gets the XLStart directory path

26:                    string strXLStartPath = stradirs[0] + "/Article.txt"; 

27:                    //Ensure that File Article.txt Exists 
                         in Deploymnet Folder

28:                    if (File.Exists(strSetUpPath))    

29:                    {

30:                        // Move the file.

31:                        if (File.Exists(strXLStartPath))

32:                        {

33:                            File.Delete(strXLStartPath);

34:                            File.Move(strSetUpPath, strXLStartPath);

35:                        }

36:                        else

37:                        {

38:                            File.Move(strSetUpPath, strXLStartPath);

39:                        }

40:                    }

41:                    break;

42:                }

43:            }

44:            catch

45:            {

46:            }   

47:        }

48:    }

4. Add the SetUp project.
5. In the File System Editor (SetUp), add the Article.txt file and set the class library project as the Primary Output project in the Application Folder.

6. In the Custom Action Editor (Set Up), add the Primary Output project to the Install folder.
7. Compile the Solution.

8. Install the Deployment Project.
9. Go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\XLSTART and find the Article.txt file.

Conclusion

Here we have demonstrated the process of executing custom code when the application is installed. This helps to implement the custom action during the Setup installation.

Software Requirements

1. .NET Framework 1.0 or 1.1
2. Office 2003