Next we want to add the components used to deploy the feature. This is fairly simple considering you simply perform various copy processes. If you open and review the Install.cmd file, you will see it probably looks very much like many other post-build deploy processes you have probably configured in the course of ASP.NET development. In fact, if you are beginning to think that SharePoint is decidedly ASP.NET-development-like, you would be correct. Although SharePoint is a decidedly advanced development platform, after you get past various new oddities of learning, you will find that any previous ASP.NET development work you have done will probably be used more than you may have guessed.

The first part of the Install.cmd file sets various obvious parameters. Next comes some gacutil and xcopy commands where you will see that your previous work in setting up a file structure is quite helpful. Only toward the end of this command file does it begin to deviate from any other ASP.NET project by running the STSADM tool to perform the SharePoint install process.

Note, if you want to run this command file each time you compile, simply place the following two lines, on separate lines, in the Post-build event command line box in the solution settings: “cd $(ProjectDir)” and “install.cmd.” On the other hand, if you compile a lot you may not want this running each time, in which case simply opening the command prompt and typing “cd /d C:\Code\SharePoint\Features\DeployHelloWorld” followed by running the command file will do the trick.