Installation woes

[Nigel V Thomas]

Can someone help here:

I've come from a VB6 background and have a desktop app which is distrubuted
through a single executable, very easilly created with a single click in the
IDE.

However with VB.NET I have to jump though loads of hoops, for example


1) Solution Explorer > My Application > Properties > Application > Assembly
Information and change the file version and click OK

2) Back to Solution Explorer > Installer > Properties change the version to
the same number as the Assembly Information, accept the invitation to change
the Product Code.

3) Back to Solution Explorer > Installer > Build

Distrubute the two files (Setup.exe and Setup.msi)

Can anyone help me with a simpler way please

 

[Phill W.]

I've come from a VB6 background and have a desktop app which is distrubuted
through a single executable, very easilly created with a single click in the
IDE.

However with VB.NET I have to jump though loads of hoops,

Now come on; be fair - those two are not exactly equivalent.

I assume by "single click in the IDE" you mean Make the program's
executable, presumably on a shared, network drive so that other people
can use it.

You're not creating an Installation Package (using the P&DW) or
otherwise distributing all the VB6 run-times and other dependent dll's
without which your application wouldn't run.
The installer bundles all of that up every time. Great for /new/ users
who haven't had the application before, but a bit overkill for existing
users.

for example

1) Solution Explorer > My Application > Properties > Application > Assembly
Information and change the file version and click OK

OK, since you version your application, you do need to do this.

2) Back to Solution Explorer > Installer > Properties change the version to
the same number as the Assembly Information, accept the invitation to change
the Product Code.

You might consider changing the code within the Installer project so
that it sucks the current version out of the application's project.

3) Back to Solution Explorer > Installer > Build

You /can't/ avoid that bit.

Distrubute the two files (Setup.exe and Setup.msi)

To whom?
After the program has been installed /once/ on each machine, all you
need to do is ship the new executable.

Can anyone help me with a simpler way please

Build, then copy to a network file share.

So long as Framework 3.5 is already installed, you don't even need to do
anything on the client (i.e. Code Access Security Policies) for it to
execute.

HTH,
Phill W.

 

[Dennis]

You might consider changing the code within the Installer project so
that it sucks the current version out of the application's project.

How does one do this in VS2005?

 

[Nigel V Thomas]

Now come on; be fair - those two are not exactly equivalent.

I assume by "single click in the IDE" you mean Make the program's
executable, presumably on a shared, network drive so that other people
can use it.

You're not creating an Installation Package (using the P&DW) or
otherwise distributing all the VB6 run-times and other dependent dll's
without which your application wouldn't run.
The installer bundles all of that up every time. Great for /new/ users
who haven't had the application before, but a bit overkill for existing
users.


OK, since you version your application, you do need to do this.


You might consider changing the code within the Installer project so
that it sucks the current version out of the application's project.


You /can't/ avoid that bit.


To whom?
After the program has been installed /once/ on each machine, all you
need to do is ship the new executable.


Build, then copy to a network file share.

So long as Framework 3.5 is already installed, you don't even need to do
anything on the client (i.e. Code Access Security Policies) for it to
execute.

HTH,
Phill W.
.

Phill, yes you are right, bit of an overreaction on my part!, However, it is
a complete pain having to change the product codes and assembly info.

Can this be automated?

 

[Johnny J.]

To whom?

After the program has been installed /once/ on each machine, all you need
to do is ship the new executable.

Interesting you say this. My experience is this:

If I install the exe using an msi installer, everything works fine, but if I
simply copy and paste a new version of the exe into the system (e.g. from a
USB drive), then Windows Vista will think it's unsafe and pop up with
warnings when you try to run it.

I don't understand why, and it's quite annoying, but the only solution I
have found so far is to always update my program using an installer.

/Johnny J.