deploying vb.net exe - where does assembly fit in?

[Guest]

Hello,

So I develop a vb.net exe on my (win2k) workstation. I have to deploy it to
another workstation (actually several - all win2k). Each receiving
workstation will have .Net Framework 1.1 (or higher). I place the vb.net exe
on the workstation. In vb6 I used to have to run setup if there were any
fancy controls on the vb6 exe. So, in order to correctly deploy a vb.net
exe what all is involved besides having .Net Framework on each workstation
and placing the vb.net exe on the workstation? I briefly ran into something
(an article that I barely noticed) saying something about using the assembly
for deployment. Any clarification appreciated.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Joseph Bittman MCAD]

June 16, 2005

One of the great things about .Net is that you can just copy the assembly
and run it! You should just be able to copy the .exe directly and run it
from there. If there are registry keys, files that it is dependent on, or
other things that are EXTERNAL to the assembly, then those would have to
probably be created, modified, etc in an install program. As for the
assembly itself, you can just copy it!

--
Joseph Bittman
Microsoft Certified Application Developer

Web Site: http://71.35.110.42
Dynamic IP -- Check here for future changes

 

[Guest]

thanks for your reply. But now I am confused. What exactly constitutes the
assembly? I guess that is really what I should have asked? like in my
project I have an assemblyInfo.vb file, in the bin I have my .exe file. What
do I copy over to the new workstation? And --- how do I create an
install/setup program in vb.net? In vb6 you had the package utility. How to
do in vb.net?

Thanks

 

[Joseph Bittman MCAD]

June 16, 2005

What is great is the .Net compiles Everything you need directly into
the .exe! This means that you ONLY have to copy the .exe! Excluding
external files such as registry keys or things like that, you don't have to
copy any of the assemblyinfo files or codes files or such. To add an
installer, just right click your solution and click add new project... then
select the setup wizard or setup project. Basically, you will right click
the Application Directory (I think this is the name) folder in the window
that pulls up and add the Project Output (the .exe file). Then just build
this and you will have an installer! Very simple to do..... Ask more
questions if you have any! Hope this helps!

--
Joseph Bittman
Microsoft Certified Application Developer

Web Site: http://71.35.110.42
Dynamic IP -- Check here for future changes

 

[Steve]

thanks for your reply. But now I am confused. What exactly constitutes
the
assembly? I guess that is really what I should have asked? like in my
project I have an assemblyInfo.vb file, in the bin I have my .exe file.
What
do I copy over to the new workstation? And --- how do I create an
install/setup program in vb.net? In vb6 you had the package utility. How
to
do in vb.net?

Just copy the exe from your bin folder. That is the assembly.
An assembly can be an exe or a dll depending on whether you
set the output type to application or class library. (note vb.net
standard cannot make dll's by default, but can be made to)

The assemblyinfo.vb file contains version info for the assembly.
Use this to set the version no. and related info. for your program.
The info in this file is displayed on the desktop when you right-click
your program exe and select properties/version

lookup "assembly manifest" in the help for info on this file and
how version numbering works etc

hth
Steve

 

[Cor Ligthert]

Rich,

In VSNet is a deployment part.

This is a walkthrough (that is for me right behind the walkthroughs of
multithreading the most awful walkthrough that I have seen on MSDN. However
it is usable to get an idea.)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../vbtskcreatinginstallerforyourapplication.asp

Know that with deployment.
To set the project options you have to select a project in the deployment
project and than not use the right click properties, because than you get a
strange properties, however click on the property box from VSNet.

To edit things, the View Tab gets an extra tab when you are in a deployment
project.

I hope this helps,

Cor