"Shallow Folder Structure" InstallShield Option in Visual Studio 2012

Question

I am building a setup project using InstallShield Limited Edition in Visual Studio 2012. The setup build requires some merge modules that ultimately result in a long path name for the build. I am currently using ISProjectFolder as my Release Location, which resolves to the top-level folder in the setup project. Here is an example of one of the errors I am getting:

Error 1 -6307: Unable to extract one or more files to 'C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Visual Studio 2012\Projects\MyProject\MyProjectSetup\Express\Interm\MergeModules\policy_9_0_Microsoft_VC90_CRT_x86.644DE414_7746_31B5_908B_E938B4078584'. The file path is longer than the limit set by the operating system. Change the build location of the current release to a shorter path to resolve this issue. ISEXP : error : -6307: Unable to extract one or more files to 'C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Visual Studio 2012\Projects\MyProject\MyProjectSetup\Express\Interm\MergeModules\policy_9_0_Microsoft_VC90_CRT_x86.644DE414_7746_31B5_908B_E938B4078584'. The file path is longer than the limit set by the operating system. Change the build location of the current release to a shorter path to resolve this issue.

This is occurring because, as the error states, the file path for the build is too long. As I stated above, I am using the InstallShield Limited Edition that comes with Visual Studio 2012. I have read in various online forums that it helps to change the Build option to "Shallow Folder Structure," but I cannot find this option in InstallShield Limited Edition that comes with Visual Studio 2012. I believe it should be on the Build Tab of the Releases page, but I do not see it there:

I can workaround this problem by explicitly setting the build location to a shorter path, such as my Desktop, but this is not an elegant solution as I would prefer to keep the build output within my setup project folder. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

This looks old but I case someone stumbled upon this issue I have a workaround without moving the files. All you need is to map your project folder as a local drive.

So something like this

F:\Projects\Super Long Project Folder Path v2\Super Long Project Form

Can be mapped using localhost like such

\localhost\F$\Projects\Super Long Project Folder Path v2\Super Long Project Form

Will be come like this

Z:\

Now open your project in that mapped drive rather than from the long location path