4 replies to this topic

[mindwarpltd]

[FONT=Arial] My problem is that when my MSI runs it can come up with a text message saying that that the framework isn't installed, I want to have a clickable URL to allow people to download the framework at about this point.

My distribution file will be available on various sites and therefore I can’t produce a web page to either produce a link or determine if DotNet is installed.

I’ve tried the MS Bootstrap program, but you need to include the DotNet framework and you can’t specify a URL anywhere.

The only answer I can come up with is, to have a better bootstrap program, but I can’t find one. Even Inno doesn’t seem to be able to do it.

Since I’m running to a none existent budget, I can’t afford to upgrade to VS.Net 2003 or buy Installshield. So I need some sort fix or freeware solution.

Any ideas?

[Stefan Krueger]

MSi doesn't support clickable URLs on dialogs. You would have to create a DLL dialog for this, but I'd say that's overkill.
Why not have an error message with a button that launches the default browser and directs it to the download? You would have to interrupt your setup anyway and re-start it after the framewok has been installed.

[mindwarpltd]

I was using the standard VS.net Setup project.

I'm not sure how I'd do either of those things?

As its the start of the setup, you can't do any custom actions at that point!

JZ

[Stefan Krueger]

You may need to use either Orca or some full featured setup authoring tool to overcome the limitations in VS.NET. A bootstrapper might really be the better way. I'm not sure if there is one in the .NET SDK that supports downloading the framework.

[mindwarpltd]

Thanks for your help, I've been looking for a free solution to this problem for a several days.

I've looked at Orca but I don't think it's posibble.

I have got a "Plan B", which isn't brilliant but...
That is to mention a readme.htm when the setup fails.

This page will then determine where the framework is installed.

JZ