What are "Content Files" (in Visual Studio : Setup Project : File System

Question

In the context of a Visual Studio 2008 Setup Project, what are "Content Files". In other words, when creating a setup project and defining the File System settings and choosing: Add Project Output > Content Files, what files will be added?

For example, what has to be true about a file or its location for it to be considered a Content File for a given project's output?

Solution

The build action property of the file will be labeled "content". Here is a link to more information about File Properties.

Comments

[Only You]

An additional bit of information... Usually we want to include "Content Files" output group for web applications because .aspx files and graphics are all classed as Content. For other applications, we usually wouldn't include this group.

[ToolmakerSteve]

Content files are useful even in non-web apps, if wish to have some initial files in your app's content folder, that might be altered or added to by your app. These would be data files (not executables or dlls). In setup, you might specify that they be copied to a subfolder of user's app data. In .Net 4.0+, this might be a folder \YourCompany\YourApp within Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Applicat‌​ionData).