WinInstaller-based Deployment of VC++.NET 2005 CLR app using Crystal

F

fastthinker

I am having a problem deploying Visual Studio.NET 2005 application
written in VC++.NET 2005 CLR and instantiating some Crystal classes
for .NET 2005 to other Win XP workstations.

I followed the following advice that Gary gave to Aleks Kleyn on 5-
May / 6-May:
"In the setup project, right click on the project/solution name in
Solution
Explorer and select Properties. Click on the Prerequisites button.
Place a checkmark against {Crystal Reports For .Net Framework 2.0}
Select {Download Prerequisites from the same location as My
Application}
Select Ok. Now, rebuild the application setup file. The Crystal
redistributable MSI
file will now be included in your setup and will be installed, if
required,
on the target machine."

Yet, on the target Win XP workstation, my application is not able to
find/load some Crystal Reports Print Engine DLLs. Here are some
details on my main project and setup project.

Main Project:
1) built in VS.NET 2.0 (2005)
2) based on managed VC++ 2.0 (2005) classes. It is a regular WinForms
desktop application
3) does not use Crystal ReportViewer but only ReportDocument object
model from Crystal Reports 11.5 class library for MS .NET 2.0
Framework.
4) the application explicitly references the following assemblies/
classes from Crystal Reports 11.5 Library for .NET 2.0:
using namespace CrystalDecisions::Windows::Forms;
using namespace CrystalDecisions::CrystalReports::Engine;
using namespace CrystalDecisions::Shared;
using CrystalDecisions::Enterprise::Desktop::Excel;
using CrystalDecisions::Enterprise::Desktop::pdf;
using CrystalDecisions::Enterprise::InfoStore;
5) The application opens predefined Crystal Report template files
(.rpt), and then generates/exports reports in pdf format to
appropriate locations on the network -- it does not need to display
the contents of any report on the screen
6) works perfectly on my XP Professional workstation where the
application is built

Setup Project:
1) Shows the following detected dependencies:
-> Microsoft .NET framework
-> crystalreports11_5_net.msm
-> Microsoft_VC80_CRT_x86.msm
-> policy_8_0_microsoft_8_0_crt_x86.msm

I am able to build both the main project and the setup project
successfully. Then I copy the new-built .msi to the target workstation
and run the transferred .msi file. Then, I launch the application on
the target workstation. It starts successfully. But when I press the
button that launches the actual loading/generation/export of reports,
the application fails because of being i9ncapable to find/load some
necessary parts of Crstal Reports Print Engine.

Could anybody help? Any clue will be appreciated.
Gary, what do you think?
 
P

Phil Wilson

The Prerequisites button doesn't arrange for the prerequisites to be
included in your MSI. It primes the setup.exe to install them, so you must
launch your install using setup.exe, which will install the prereqs then
start your MSI install.
 
F

fastthinker

The Prerequisites button doesn't arrange for the prerequisites to be
included in your MSI. It primes the setup.exe to install them, so you must
launch your install using setup.exe, which will install the prereqs then
start your MSI install.
--
Phil Wilson
Definitive Guide to Windows Installerhttp://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972












- Show quoted text -

Phil,

I discovered your response only yesterday night.
Thanks a lot. Since today I am out of office, I will try it tomorrow
morning.
Here is one extra question: as you suggest, I need to start with
launching
a small (~ 400K) setup.exe file from the target workstation.
What kind of input is this application going to request?

Thank you for your time and help a lot.

With best regards,

Alex Rafalovich
 
P

Phil Wilson

The setup.exe bootstrapper has no significant UI that I can recall - it just
installs the prerequisites and then you see the MSI install's Welcome
dialog.

--
Phil Wilson
Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
http://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972


The Prerequisites button doesn't arrange for the prerequisites to be
included in your MSI. It primes the setup.exe to install them, so you must
launch your install using setup.exe, which will install the prereqs then
start your MSI install.
--
Phil Wilson
Definitive Guide to Windows
Installerhttp://www.apress.com/book/view/1590592972












- Show quoted text -

Phil,

I discovered your response only yesterday night.
Thanks a lot. Since today I am out of office, I will try it tomorrow
morning.
Here is one extra question: as you suggest, I need to start with
launching
a small (~ 400K) setup.exe file from the target workstation.
What kind of input is this application going to request?

Thank you for your time and help a lot.

With best regards,

Alex Rafalovich
 
F

fastthinker

Phil,

Thank a lot for your help!
Everything worked like a charm!

With best regards,

Alex Rafalovich
 

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