My project to be deployed (called "MIF" here) has forms and Excel files; no SQL. I’ll copy the Excel files to the CD and my app has a button for the user to copy the files from CD to C drive.
In the How Do I… Deployment page,
“Visual Basic Express Edition includes tools for deploying your program using a method known as ClickOnce publishing. It makes deployment easy.”
(italics mine)
I have a few questions.
I first published to a C:\DeployMIF. After message “Publish succeeded”, I noticed C:\DeployMIF has a folder MIF_1_0_0_1 and three files, including setup.exe.
Q1. When I burn the CD, the instructions say “You should include all of the files in the folder where you published the program.”. Does that mean I select my folder C:\DeployMIF and send it to the CD drive (instead of selecting the contents of that folder)
I want to include prerequisites on the CD. The Project, Property, Prerequisites dialog shows these four items to choose from:
>.NET Framework 2.0 (only one checked)
>Windows Installer 3.1
>SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
>Microsoft.Jsharp.2.0
Q2. I’m thinking I only need the default item. When would Windows Installer be needed
Publish Attempt #1: In this same Prerequisites dialog, I selected “Download prerequisites from the same location as my application”, as instructed in the “Closer Look: Including Prerequisites with your program”.
This resulted in four errors. The first one said “Cannot publish because a project failed to build” The other messages were lengthy, talking about files in item .NET Framework 2.0.
There was no indication how to remove the errors, or cancel the Publish. I closed the Project, Property window. I ran the program, which removed all error messages except the first one. The program ran OK even tho the error message was there.
Publish Attempt #2: In Prerequisites dialog, I selected “Download prerequisites from the component vendor’s web site”, suggested in the forum thread cited below. The Error message was deleted. After message “Publish succeeded”, I checked folder MIF_1_0_0_2 and it does Not include the file dotnetfx.exe as promised in the instructions.
Q3. How do I get that file to download
Q4. Where do I indicate other files to be included, such as Readme.txt files
Q5. I read that the app is installed in a “secret place” on user’s computer.
What’s the purpose of that
As you can see, I did not find deployment to be “easy”, as advertised.
Thanks for helping with any or all items.
George
This forum thread was helpful, but I didn’t understand everything:
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=227099&SiteID=1
How Do I Deploy with CD
Dale Shetler
There is another way to solve this. I have a guide on this forum that should help anyone trying to create a CD install using the Click Once Depolyment method included with Visual Basic 2005 Express.
The link below is to my thread which will have it there. It is the answer that is checked for that thread.
http://forums.microsoft.com/forums/ShowPost.aspx PostID=277604&SiteID=1
If you have any questions you can email me and I will be glad to assist. But I want you to know that you can download all the prerequisites from Microsoft (at least from the USA, I don't know about other countries). You can go to microsofts website and search for them under the downloads section. I have those files on my hard drive, so I know it is possible to download them manually, but I will admit, it is not always the easiest to find the files. It took me about 2 hours of searching around microsoft.com and the Knowledge Bases to find them, but they are there.
When I say "copy files: [file1] [file2]" to "[some location], it means just that. By default the Click Once does not have the prerequisite files to copy to the CD you are going to make, so you need to provide them to the Click Once folders in order for it to work properly. I have done this myself and have had no problems. Again, if you need assistance, you can email me and I will be glad to help.
Chandra.Sekhar
A5. I did another deploy with values in the two data fields mentioned in the Publish, Options dialog.
The app was still installed in folders I mentioned.
A8. Thanks. The problem was I had my (Windows XP Home) Start button properties set to Start menu, Scroll Programs unchecked. When I changed it to Scroll Programs checked, it now displays all programs in one vertical list. The newest app is at the bottom, highlighted.
I compiled a collection of things from this thread and submitted as an FAQ.
Thanks again for your help.
IGeorgeI
A1. Select deployment Folder or generated Contents
You're right, it may be simpler if you're making an Autorun file, to select the Contents.
More info in MSDN "How to create an Autorun CD-ROM for ... VS .NET"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx scid=kb;en-us;818804
Note this article does not include NET 2005; I assume it still works the same.
....
A basic Autorun command is:
open: Specifies the path and the file name of the startup application.
Step 9. "Build, Build Solution". In NET 2005, this is "Build, Publish", in which deploy contents are generated on the C drive (for a CD deploy).
Step 11, make sample Autorun.inf file:
[autorun]
open=Setup.exe
(Since no folder is specified, the "Setup.exe" is assumed to be at the root level.)
Step 12 says: "copy the files that were generated in step 9 and the Autorun.inf file that you created in step 11 to the CD-ROM."
(This implies only the Deploy-Generated contents are burned to CD.)
However, if the Deploy folder itself were selected and burned, I assume this would work as well:
[autorun]
open=MIF904\Setup.exe
A2. Windows Installer V 3.1
Do you remember an MSDN article that states the requirement of v 3.1
Why isn't it checked as a default requirement
If it isn't checked, how do you know "it will still put it on their anyway" Put it on where
I subscribe to automatic updates; don't know when V 3.1 was installed here.
A4. The instructions for adding additional files I provided was easy. Files of type .txt in the Project are automatically included in the deploy and will reside in the same path as installed app.exe. You do NOT have to put them on the CD manually.
A5. Where are (ClickOnce) programs installed
They still are included in Control Panel, but physically they are Not in C:\Program Files. I don't see any Publish options that can change that.
A6. Requirement component directory.
Thanks, I'll test this.
It would have been much easier if Ms had included the actual files here.
A7. Testing installation (hiding Framework 2.0)
You're right, it is shown in Control Panel; I missed that.
A8. Finding installed app, to run it.
I have Windows XP Home edition. When I press Start, All Programs, a screen appears that has applications listed in groups and alphabetically. The screen is full, no way to scroll. I do not see my installed NET application. Perhaps this is a unique problem due to a full screen on my OS
A9. Express problems.
I've run into many problems following the Express "How Do I ..." series. There are no specific Express instructions for other things.
It's OK for Ms to provide free software, if they provide information about what is Not included. Why didn't they just say for example, that Express does not include support for specific features as database, instead of providing that feature that doesn't work
They say Express was provided for hobbyists. Why should a hobbyist be burdened with so many problems. Isn't their time as valuable as a business programmer Why should quality assurance be less for them In the meantime hobbyists and others get a bad introduction to .NET.
It appears to me Express is just an untested version. Whoever tries to get it to work has to search forums for good answers. I believe the Ms objective is to have people realize the futility of Express and purchase a Standard edition. With the assumption it will be better (dependable).
cnSoftware
Q1. Issue: Whether to include my deployment folder, or only the Deploy components within my folder in the CD.
Example:
C:\MIF904 (my deploy folder)
c:\MIF904\MIF_1_0_0_12 (folder)
c:\MIF904\MIF.application (file)
c:\MIF904\MIF_1_0_0_12.application (file)
c:\MIF904\setup.exe (file)
I've had success selecting / burning my deployment folder. When you click on setup.exe, I don't think it matters that it's included in a user folder. One app I have, I include a folder of data files. So I tell the users the CD has two folders; one for the program and one for their data files.
Q2. Issue: Windows Installer
I assume a computer with Windows already has this software; therefore why bother installing it again Notice it is not a default selection.
Q3. Issue: How do I get that file (Dotnetfx.exe) to download
I thought I had read that this file would be downloaded into my deployment folder, as a part of the Deployment procedure. And this implies that setup.exe would run the program to install the NET Framework on user computer.
Q4. Issue: How to include additional files such as Readme.txt
Files of type .txt are included automatically, but there is a way to have them in the project but exclude from publish. See answer post in this thread:
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=282290&SiteID=1
Q5. Issue: Where are the programs installed
In NET 2003, they were installed in C:\Program Files, but in 2005 they are located elsewhere. At least this is true of ClickOnce; I don't know of other options. Please see the answer post in this thread:
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=282821&SiteID=1
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New issues
Q6. Issue: What directory is to be utilized to hold Prerequisite components such as Dotnetfx.exe, so Deploy will find them Is this mentioned anywhere in Ms documents Have you actually tested this yourself
Q7. Issue: Testing Installation
To test what happens when NET Framework 2.0 does not exist on the install computer, what is the best way to temporarily provide that situation It's not a program that can be removed in the Control panel.
Delete the Framework folder Change the name If I do, what happens to the Registry values it sets when Dotnetfx installs it
I only have one computer, so I tested it this way. After doing the Deployment, I changed the folder name to: C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\V2.0.50727_HIDE
I had checked "Download from vendor" so when doing setup.exe, it downloaded the dotnetfx.exe (8 mins), then installed it (8 mins).
Normally download of dotnetfx.exe takes about one minute, so I don't know why it took about 8 minutes.
It then requested a reboot; this takes about 6 minutes on my computer. I think it's important to let users know what's going to happen in installation.
Q8. Issue: Starting the app after it's installed.
System automatically starts my app upon successful install. I'd think that would be a user option; it is on other software I've installed.
But more important, I don't know how to find the app after this initial run. My Start, All Programs page is full and I cannot find the newly installed app. If I can't find it, how will a user with same situation find it I had to find it in the hidden folders described above, and made a Desktop shortcut. This is not easy!
Q9. Issue: How many of these problems are 2005 or only 2005 Express Only Express people read this forum so we don't get input from those using the Standard or Pro editions.
---
Based on the many problems reported in this forum I see little evidence that Microsoft tested their instructions on actual computers. And it's obvious that Build, Publish favors Online deployment/installation; they will give little attention to resolving "Deploy to CD" questions.
What is needed from Ms is an "errata" web page that provides correct instructions for all known problems.
Juan Foegen
hi,
first of all the prerequest depend on windows installer 3.1 v2 which you cant get i don't know away to get it except windows update and they doesn't give you teh source so leave every thing to be downloaded from microsoft site
Q4 : in your solution explorer right click you proeject and select properties >> publish tab >> application file you will find all your files include what you want
Q5 : if you found answer plz let me know
best regards
Tomas Kiss
You're right, but I just prefer doing it manually. I just recommend that. So this isn't an issue anymore.
Maybe you should start a separate thread for this because it seems you have this problem. Everytime I use the click once deployment I set the options for the Application Name and the Publisher name. Then it installs them in "C:\Program Files\Publisher Name\Application Name"
Have you changed these options before you deploy Just a question.
Possibly, but it may also be an incomplete deployment. You may want to see if you have the option set to scroll the start menu. If you have the scroll option set for the start menu (right click on Start and select properties, then click on Customize and you should see an option in the list for "scroll programs") then you should have small arrows at the top and/or bottom of your programs list to scroll through. I would see if this option is checked, and if so UNCHECK it. It will display multiple columns on your start menu instead of one long one.
Maybe it was just me, or maybe I do remember reading somewhere, but I do remember, before I ever downloaded it for the first time, that it said the express versions were for Hobbyists and were very limited. I think it was found where you could compare products between the different versions of Visual Studio 2005. I think it shows Express Editions in that comparison.
Why would a hobbyist be bothered Well, for one, what they are looking at as a hobbyist is someone who has NEVER programmed before or who has very very limited programing ability. Their idea behind the Express editions has been from the begining that people would learn on the Express Editions and say "hey, I like this, I want to do more, so I need to go buy the Professional or Standard Editions." I don't think of it so much as free (because after November of 2006 it will cost something like $50 per express version) as much as trialware or shareware. It is to get your mouth watering and then get you to buy the full editions. I think the problem is this: Too many professional programers and those who have been hobbyists for quite some time have been eating this up thinking, "now I can test drive Visual Studio 2005 before I buy it.... YES!" Only, after they get it, they find out it is not Visual Studio 2005. It doesn't even have the same IDE.
I think, maybe because I was very catious to download it and wondering what the catch was, I did a lot more reading and research before ever using it. Maybe that is why I haven't been surprised (except for the CD deployment since i couldn't find anything on it and had to solve that myself).
Hope all of this helps, and I hope I haven't offended anyone. But I understand the frustrations and I want to help. I wish I had a web server or something that I could work with other people to make a more comprehensive site concerning the Express editions, but I'm too poor for that, and don't have the time as I'm in college and work two jobs. Hopefully, these comments will help several people in the end.
Good luck, and let me know if you need anything else. If I can I will answer, if not, I may be able to help you look up the answer.
adamcalderon
A1. You can include either the entire directory or the components within. The best is to only us the components within and you can have an autorun.inf file to run the SETUP.EXE when someone inserts the CD into their computer.
A2. WRONG! This is an assumption that is not true. Windows XP (including SP2) only have Windows Installer 3.0 (NOT 3.1). You will need this. Also, even if you only tell the ClickOnce Deployment to use the DotNet (by this, I mean that you do NOT check the windows installer box) it will still put it on their anyway, because you need Windows Installer 3.1 in order to install .NET 2.0.
A3. You need to download it manually. Look at A6 for further info, since the two Questions (Q3 and Q6) are related.
A4. Right-click in the Solution Explorer and then choose ADD. From there you can add files that VB will let you. If you want to add any other mandatory files that you make, you need to make sure of two things. 1) You have to put them on the CD (any folder you want and you have to do this manually. 2) You have to make sure that any reference to them in your application will be based on where the application installs to. (Remember, the VB 2005 Express is geared towards hobbyist, not professional developers. The ClickOnce Deployment is not a very good way to install software. It is more or less something you can use, but not comprehensive and very, very limited in what it can do.)
A5. I believe it will be under "C:\program files\[your organization]\[your application]". These settings can be configured by going to the Project Menu and Selecting Options. There, you can select the PUBLISH tab on the left side and then select the options button on the ClickOnce Publish section of properties. You can then set what your Publisher Name or Organization name is and your Application Name.
A6. Here is what I was trying to tell you earlier and in my other post. The directory for the Dontnetfx.exe file to be in is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bootstrapper\Packages\DotNetFX
But you will also need to include the Windows Installer 3.1 File ("WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe") or else, when someone goes to install it on their system and if they don't have 3.1, they won't be able to install DotNet. Both files can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com but you will have to do a search to find them.
NO! This is not mentioned anywhere in MS documents. I wish it were, it would make it easier. That is why I wrote that info on the article found here... http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=224507&SiteID=1.
Microsoft does not give these files to you when you install VB 2005 Express. You must manually download them and manually copy them into the directories needed for the ClickOnce Deployment to find them.
YES I have tested this and have had it working flawlessly. I too had problems at first and after about 30-40 hours of research and messing around with it I found that I had to download the files myself and set up the ClickOnce myself in order for the CD deployment to work. And it does. I have also had others respond and also say that it has worked for them. Again, all of this info can be found on http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=224507&SiteID=1. If you follow what that says, you should have no problem getting it to work. Follow the section that is marked as the answer with a green checkmark.
A7. If you are using Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installed, you will have the option of uninstalling Microsoft .Net 2.0 Framework from the Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs. That I know for certain. The best way to test it is actually to have another computer to test it on. If you don't, you could buy software such as VMWare which will allow you to create a virtual computer and then install windows onto that and then your application. This can be expensive and time consuming though. But it is a good way to go if you only have one computer. The only other way is to uninstall everything (DotNet and Windows Installer) and then to install your application. It will reinstall them both.
Sorry to hear about the download times, but that could be any number of reasons. Working on networks has taught me one thing. There are so many elements that affect your speed and bandwidth. One moment you can download an entire CDs worth in 10 minutes and the next day it might be 40 minutes. Not much control over that, some, but not much. Secondly, remember what I said earlier that the ClickOnce is not a comprehensive/ALL-IN-ONE installer. It is VERY limited and one of those limitations is that you won't be able to control the installation process. You cannot make any screen come up and let them know these things. You are at it's mercy.
If you want to make that better, you would need to buy either WISE, Advanced Installer, Installshield, etc. to create the installation yourself. This is more functional, but much more time consuming and will require you to learn more about that application. This is the way to go for professional software, but VB 2005 Express is geared toward hobbyists and nothing this good is for free.
A8. Two things:
1 - The ClickOnce does not let you control most of these settings you would like. It is only made for quick install and use.
2 - The application should be on your start menu under "Start/Programs/Your Organization/Your Application Name"
A9. Express problems. These are issues with the Express only (to my understanding) as the Express editions are "limited" versions of 2005 and do not include all features. The ClickOnce Deployment that comes with the Express editions can do the CD deployment but ONLY after you manually add the prerequisite files. Again, it was designed for Hobbyists. Microsoft doesn't feel that hobbyists will be publishing CDs to corporations. So these Express editions are geared toward making programs that you will give mainly only to friends, or over the internet.
Well, they did test it. But it only does what they want, not what you or I want. Don't take this wrong, but even something that is completely free (such as the Express editions are right now) is not likely to be everything you expect it to be. I don't think Microsoft messed up as much as I think people just didn't get the idea that the express editions are not complete. They are not professional and they do not include all the goodies. But, that is what you get for FREE. As for the attention to this issue... It has come up over and over again and I have seen little response from Microsoft, so you are probably right that they won't change this. But it can be done, and I have done it along with others by following the solution I posted. I admit, it isn't "simple." But it does work and does take some general knowledge of computers. If you need help, please realize I am willing to help you with this, and would be willing to help you via email. My address is enochgenesis@gmail.com
Just realize, that the answers are already posted so it is also less likely that people will give this attention, but it is likely they will point you to the post that already has the answer.
Mark McCasland
Well, truth is that it only requires 3.0 not 3.1. Let me say this first, before getting technical. The ClickOnce has 2 methods of deployment, internet based which will download the files needed, and CD based which will put the files on the CD for you (or technically in the folder that you deploy to). With that being said, there is an unwritten, unspoken quirk. That quirk is this: Microsoft does not give you the prerequisite files (dotnetfx.exe, etc.) with the Visual Basic/C#/C++/Java Express editions, and when you do a CD deployment, the ClickOnce will not download them from the internet to put into the CD. The problem is, there is no MSDN article or documentation on this and I have reported this to microsoft. Most of the CD deployment issues on this forum were about getting an error when trying to do a CD build where it would say that certain files were missing and it would fail the publish.
Now, to get technical, there are already directories within the Visual (whatever) Express folder that contain configuration files for the Bootstrapper/Setup.exe program. That is to say, the folders are there, so it knows where to copy them from, but they files themselves are not there.
You need to go to the "c:\program files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bootstrapper\Packages" folder. If you go to that folder you will see directories there like "DotNetFX" and "WindowsInstaller3_1", etc. Now, if you look in the DotNetFX folder, you will see a PRODUCT.XML. This xml file is a configuration file. It tells the ClickOnce which files to include when you have the DotNet option selected in the prerequisites section of VBEE. If you were to simply put the dotnetfx.exe file into this folder, you will get errors because the xml file tells it to have both the dotnetfx.exe and the WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe file. Why I know there is an option on the prerequisites for 3.1 and I know it is unchecked by default, but not everything Microsoft does makes sense. This is one such case. The idea is that the ClickOnce will automatically put the windows installer 3.1 on the cd if it requires the dotnet framework. Reason: Because dotnetfx.exe requires at least 3.0. Since the currect version is 3.1 (as of when they released VBEE), that is the version they have it set to include. I wish the answer were simpler, but I struggled with the whole CD Deployment for countless hours overa course of two weeks, and I know have no problems doing a click once cd deployment at all. It works fine after you give it the physical files. And part of the requirement for it to work is that you have to have a copy of the windows installer 3.1 file in the same folder as the dotnetfx.exe in order for the click once to work correctly.
I hope I am making this clear. I know, and completely agree that it is not "easy" as what it sounds like it should be. But I also know that once you do this there are no problems with doing the CD deployment. And again, there are no documentation that I am aware of. The only reason I found out is because I started messing around with the configuration files and looking for how Microsoft was doing it, and I found those xml files (there is one product.xml file in each of the folders there for the prerequisites). That is how I figured out that you need the windows 3.1 installer in order for it to work. I tried it without the 3.1 installer and it gives you build errors.
gtmulg
You select all the files and folders inside of "C:\DeployMIF" and burn them to a CD.
Windows Installer 3.1 will be required to install the .NET framework. If someone tries to install your program they will need to have the .NET framework already installed. In order for them to install the .NET framework, the will have to install Windows Installer 3.1. Since VB Express can only create .NET 2.0 applications, Windows Installer 3.1 will be required no matter what.
I am assuming you are refering to Microsoft Installer 3.1 here The file can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/ kbid=893803
I believe that you include these in the project itself. There is a project browser in the upper right hand of the IDE (Integrated Development Environment] by default. In that window, if you right click, I believe you can add files of any type to the project and they you can right click on that to select whether or not it is included in deployment.
I don't know about this. I never read anything concerning this and those programs I have made will install to "C:\Program Files\YOUR APPLICATION NAME".
I think, if you look around, you will find that you are not the only one who feels this way. There are many who have problems with the click once deployment. The intent was more geared towards making applications that would be downloaded on the internet and NOT CDs. Plus, by default, the Click Once Deployment does not include the prerequisites. You have to download them, and place the packages (the files you download, not install) into the correct directories so that when you use the Click Once Deployment it will be able to find the prerequisites to put them in the Deploy (in your case, the "C:\DeployMIF") folder. Then you burn all the files and directories inside "C:\DeployMIF" to a CD (Not the "C:\DeployMIF" itself, just what is inside of it). This will work then.