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Installinging a C++ .NET Project


1 reply to this topic

clodagho

clodagho
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  • 1 posts

Posted 06 September 2005 - 12:13

Hi All,

I have a VC++ project that I want to be able to burn to CD and install on any PC woth Windows Installer & Win XP regardless of whether they have the .NET Framework or not.

I have created a deployment .vdproj project and downloaded the bootstrapping sample & edited the settings.ini file as per Microsoft

Code:

[Bootstrap]
Msi=App.NET.msi
'LanguageDirectory=
ProductName= AppNet
'DialogText=
CaptionText=AppNet
ErrorCaptionText= Error
FxInstallerPath=AppFolder\


On a memory stick I put - settings.ini, setup.exe, AppNet.msi and a folder called AppFolder with DotNetFx.exe in it.

I installed AppNet.msi on a second machine which does not have .NET Framework. The App installed but uder Add/Remove programs I do not see that .NET Framework has been installed. Also the installation was very quick. I presume the .NET Framework is not installed as it is not listed.

Also when I double-click the AppNet.exe I get an error about MFC71U.dll is missing. This exists and has been created by the installer but it is in a different folder. Why is this? I *think* this is because the app.exe goes into the folder specified in the .vdproj?

Finally there are other files I want to ship with my exe - eg an access database of logon users/passwords etc. Can I do this with Microsoft Installer or do I need to buy InstallShield or something?

Sorry there are a lot of questions here - if you can answer any I will be very grateful. As you might have guessed I'm a novice to distributing .NET apps (just ported from VC++ 6.0) and Microsoft Installer.

Thanks!

GrantCermak

GrantCermak
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  • 4 posts

Posted 06 September 2005 - 20:22

Installshield acts as a wrapper around Windows Installer. You do not need Installshield to create an installer as long as you have Visual Studio.NET and a program called Orca.

Here are some good instructions for getting Orca:

http://support.insta...ticleid=Q107066

And here is where you can download from MS:

http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

Since you're a novice I recommend you get the book - The Definitive Guide to Windows Installer by Phil Wilson published by Apress

http://www.apress.co...ay.html?bID=280

You can get the samples for the book without purchasing the book by visiting the http://www.apress.co...592972-1896.zip

Essentially what you'll want to do is create a component, then link your file (the access database) to that component. Make sure that you include a dummy .ldb file with that component. Otherwise when you try to uninstall the locking database file (.ldb) file that is created when you open an Access database will hang around (since it is a file that is created by the software as a side-effect of opening the file).

Grant

Edited by GrantCermak, 06 September 2005 - 20:25.