How do I install a class library using a Windows MSI file?

[Rico]

Hello,

I'm new to VB.net and I have developed a COM visible class library / dll
that I want to install on the target machine. I'm using an MSI file to
install another program that needs to use this COM visible DLL (older
version of Access) and can't seem to find a good google link to figure out
how to include this dll installation without having to be sitting in front
of the computer myself. This will be a remote installation, and all the
search hits I've found have to do with C# or using REGASM.EXE and I can't
find anything that even tells me how to create a "Set Up and Deployment"
(which I'm also new to) package for a single DLL. If all else fails, that
would even be acceptable (creating the separate setup file).

Any help or direction at all would be very helpful.

Thank You.

Rick

 

[Joe Cool]

Hello,

I'm new to VB.net and I have developed a COM visible class library / dll
that I want to install on the target machine.  I'm using an MSI file to
install another program that needs to use this COM visible DLL (older
version of Access) and can't seem to find a good google link to figure out
how to include this dll installation without having to be sitting in front
of the computer myself.  This will be a remote installation, and all the
search hits I've found have to do with C# or using REGASM.EXE and I can't
find anything that even tells me how to create a "Set Up and Deployment"
(which I'm also new to) package for a single DLL.  If all else fails, that
would even be acceptable (creating the separate setup file).

Any help or direction at all would be very helpful.

Any project can have a Setup project added to it. If it is a class
library, it is my impression that the MSI to install it will register
it. So any subsequent app that is installed that needs it can find it.

But if you build an MSI with a setup project for an app that uses the
DLL, and the main project references the DLL (not late bound), then
the MSI should include the DLL.

 

[Wilson, Phil]

What tool are you using to create the MSI file? Most of them (VS setup
projects included) have a Register property on the Dll that you set to (for
setup projects) vsdraCOM that just does the necessary.

 

[Rico]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your response. I'm using the SageKey MSI Wizard. With the old
self registering COM dlls, it would handle this fine, but I haven't had
success with the COM visible .NET class library.

Rick