SmartClient Publishing Question

[smithgp]

Hello,

We have a SmartClient application built on the .NET 2.0 Framework. I
am using the publishing feature of VS2005 to publish the updates to
this program.

For example, let's say the publisher is Acme and the application is
named Foo.

The install process creates an item under the Start->Programs->Acme-

Foo which is great.

My question is about the deployment. We have 4 environments here
Development, QA, Training and Live.

I would like to have 4 links available under the start menu (one for
each environment). So, I would have a Start->Programs->Acme->Foo
(DEV), Start->Programs->Acme->Foo (QA), Start->Programs->Acme->Foo
(Training), Start->Programs->Acme->Foo (Live).

I have used MAGEUI to change the name of the items on each
environment, but it seems that if I install the QA version, it
replaces ny DEV version on the start menu. I have experimented a bit
but I was wondering if anyone else had experience with this and has a
way of managing this.

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[RobinS]

Are you using ClickOnce deployment? Is that what you mean by
"the publishing feature of VS2005" ?

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.
----------------------------------

 

[Glenn Smith]

Are you using ClickOnce deployment? Is that what you mean by
"the publishing feature of VS2005" ?

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.












- Show quoted text -

Thanks for responding...

Yes, I should have mentioned that I am using ClickOnce deployment...

Thanks

 

[RobinS]

I tried deploying an application to my local IIS, then changed the product
name and redeployed it, and found the same thing you did -- it replaces the
one that is there. Although mine wouldn't run after I replaced it -- some
problem with the appref-ms (ms-appref? whatever it is) file.

My suspicion is that the deployment is tied to the main UI project in the
solution.

You could try creating multiple projects for startup, set the one you want
to be the main project as the startup project and deploy it. Then I think it
might work.

I am responsible for deployment in my company. We deploy the QA version,
public build, and engineering build to different url's, and have people
install from the appropriate location. If we want to test the different
versions, we just deinstall and reinstall whichever one we want to use. Most
people in my company only run a specific build; it's just the QA and
engineering folks who keep switching around.

If you find a way to get this to work, I'd be interested to know how. You
might try posting it to an MSDN forum; maybe someone at Microsoft would pass
it over to the ClickOnce group.

Good luck.

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.
------------------------------------

Are you using ClickOnce deployment? Is that what you mean by
"the publishing feature of VS2005" ?

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.












- Show quoted text -

Thanks for responding...

Yes, I should have mentioned that I am using ClickOnce deployment...

Thanks

 

[Glenn Smith]

I tried deploying an application to my local IIS, then changed the product
name and redeployed it, and found the same thing you did -- it replaces the
one that is there. Although mine wouldn't run after I replaced it -- some
problem with the appref-ms (ms-appref? whatever it is) file.

My suspicion is that the deployment is tied to the main UI project in the
solution.

You could try creating multiple projects for startup, set the one you want
to be the main project as the startup project and deploy it. Then I think it
might work.

I am responsible for deployment in my company. We deploy the QA version,
public build, and engineering build to different url's, and have people
install from the appropriate location. If we want to test the different
versions, we just deinstall and reinstall whichever one we want to use. Most
people in my company only run a specific build; it's just the QA and
engineering folks who keep switching around.

If you find a way to get this to work, I'd be interested to know how. You
might try posting it to an MSDN forum; maybe someone at Microsoft would pass
it over to the ClickOnce group.

Good luck.

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.





Thanks for responding...

Yes, I should have mentioned that I am using ClickOnce deployment...

Thanks- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I did manage to get it to work.

Let's say that the application is called foo.exe. When you publish
the app, it will create a files named foo.application and publish.htm.

I copied the foo.application file to fooQA.application and the
publish.htm to publishQA.htm. Using mageUI, I opened the
fooqa.application file, changed the name to fooQA.application and
change the description to foo (QA). Then in the publishQA.htm I
changed the HREF from foo.application to fooQA.application and set
this page as the default page in IIS for the QA install URL

Now, each time that the foo.exe program is recompiled, you must use
mageui and change the reference to the application (i.e. select the
foo.exe.manifest in the correct sub-directory) and save it.

It seems to work fine.

I have repeated these steps for each environment I must deploy to. It
really isn;t that bad once you get it set up.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Glenn

 

[RobinS]

Thanks for posting your solution. It sounds like a lot of work, but like you
say, once you get used to it, it's probably not so bad. It's good to know it
can be done.

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.
----------------------------

I tried deploying an application to my local IIS, then changed the product
name and redeployed it, and found the same thing you did -- it replaces
the
one that is there. Although mine wouldn't run after I replaced it -- some
problem with the appref-ms (ms-appref? whatever it is) file.

My suspicion is that the deployment is tied to the main UI project in the
solution.

You could try creating multiple projects for startup, set the one you want
to be the main project as the startup project and deploy it. Then I think
it
might work.

I am responsible for deployment in my company. We deploy the QA version,
public build, and engineering build to different url's, and have people
install from the appropriate location. If we want to test the different
versions, we just deinstall and reinstall whichever one we want to use.
Most
people in my company only run a specific build; it's just the QA and
engineering folks who keep switching around.

If you find a way to get this to work, I'd be interested to know how. You
might try posting it to an MSDN forum; maybe someone at Microsoft would
pass
it over to the ClickOnce group.

Good luck.

RobinS.
GoldMail, Inc.
in message





Thanks for responding...

Yes, I should have mentioned that I am using ClickOnce deployment...

Thanks- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I did manage to get it to work.

Let's say that the application is called foo.exe. When you publish
the app, it will create a files named foo.application and publish.htm.

I copied the foo.application file to fooQA.application and the
publish.htm to publishQA.htm. Using mageUI, I opened the
fooqa.application file, changed the name to fooQA.application and
change the description to foo (QA). Then in the publishQA.htm I
changed the HREF from foo.application to fooQA.application and set
this page as the default page in IIS for the QA install URL

Now, each time that the foo.exe program is recompiled, you must use
mageui and change the reference to the application (i.e. select the
foo.exe.manifest in the correct sub-directory) and save it.

It seems to work fine.

I have repeated these steps for each environment I must deploy to. It
really isn;t that bad once you get it set up.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Glenn