show friendly error when running install.exe from within zip file

2 files changed, 9 insertions, 4 deletions

diff --git a/release-notes.md b/release-notes.md
index 3bf68a1e..c654e408 100644
--- a/release-notes.md
+++ b/release-notes.md
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ For mod developers:
 See [log](https://github.com/Pathoschild/SMAPI/compare/1.13.1...1.14).
 
 For players:
-* SMAPI now shows a friendly error when it can't detect the game.
-* SMAPI now shows a friendly error when you have Stardew Valley 1.11 or earlier (which aren't compatible).
-* SMAPI now shows a friendly error if a mod dependency is missing (if it's listed in the mod's manifest).
+* SMAPI now shows friendly errors when...
+  * it can't detect the game;
+  * a mod dependency is missing (if it's listed in the mod manifest);
+  * you have Stardew Valley 1.11 or earlier (which aren't compatible);
+  * you run `install.exe` from within the downloaded zip file.
 * Fixed "unknown mod" deprecation warnings by improving how SMAPI detects the mod using the event.
 
 For modders:
diff --git a/src/StardewModdingAPI.Installer/InteractiveInstaller.cs b/src/StardewModdingAPI.Installer/InteractiveInstaller.cs
index 01f7a01f..43cb7d70 100644
--- a/src/StardewModdingAPI.Installer/InteractiveInstaller.cs
+++ b/src/StardewModdingAPI.Installer/InteractiveInstaller.cs
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ namespace StardewModdingApi.Installer
             ****/
             if (!packageDir.Exists)
             {
-                this.PrintError($"The 'internal/{platform}' package folder is missing (should be at {packageDir}).");
+                this.PrintError(platform == Platform.Windows && packageDir.FullName.Contains(Path.GetTempPath()) && packageDir.FullName.Contains(".zip")
+                    ? "The installer is missing some files. It looks like you're running the installer from inside the downloaded zip; make sure you unzip the downloaded file first, then run the installer from the unzipped folder."
+                    : $"The 'internal/{platform}' package folder is missing (should be at {packageDir})."
+                );
                 Console.ReadLine();
                 return;
             }