The Add & Replace Files by Comparison action automatically determines the files that need to be added to your update. The action accomplishes this by comparing files from a target folder with those from a baseline folder.
The process of determining files to include in the update is performed while the update package is being built. Files in the target folder that are identical to the baseline folder are skipped, and not added to the update. Information on skipped files is written to the build output.
To include subfolders, check the Include subdirectories option. When subfolders are included, the action will operate recursively to analyze each file in the branch for inclusion. Folders that are not in the baseline folder but in the target folder are created when the update is applied.
Note: Folder permissions are not analyzed. New folders will inherit permissions from their parent on the target client.
To use this action,
1. Prepare a baseline folder that represents a snapshot of the deployed application directory. This baseline should represent the lowest possible application version that this update can target.
2. Prepare a current folder that represents your application directory after this update is applied. This folder is commonly an output of an automated process.
3. Set up the action in Make Update to reference these folders.
4. Build updates.
Prepare Stage
During the prepare stage, this action verifies permissions to the target folder.
Execute Stage
Makes a copy of the files that are going to be replaced on the client computer, then adds and replaces the defined list of files on the client.
Cleanup Stage
Removes the backup copies that were made during the prepare stage.
Rollback Stage
Attempts to copy the files that were backed up in the execute stage back to their original location.