Prerequisites??

Prerequisites??

• Seyed

  Hi David,

  
  Yes it seems to be easy. And it also would be easy if just worked. I have done alle the steps you discribed. Downloaded all the packages I need. Put them in the "Packages" directory. I editet the needed product and package XML. I've checked all my packages in the prequisites dialog. And of course I choose the "download from same location as application". And after the package is built, all my installpackages are copied to the location of the setup.exe
  
  Everything good until now. But when I start the setup.exe it  can't find any of my added files. That means that it' is not even looki in the sema location as the application is.
  
  Is there maybe a sample or solution that works. But not a sample with the Framework. Something like the VSTO runtime would be great. Thanks for any kind of help !
  
  
  
  

• Allan Kemp

  Sure, this is easy to do.

  You just need to go to Microsoft.Com and download the files and put them in the boostrapper directory. For example, for the dotnetfx.exe you'd download from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=en

  and copy it to

  [Program Files]\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bootstrapper\Packages\dotnetfx

   

  Once the file (for each package you are including) is there, you should be able to Publish using "Same Location".

   

  
  
  

• TomG72

  It's not clear what is going wrong... the files that you download, the installers, need to be in the same directory as the .xml files that list them in the PackageFile elements. I'm guessing that you didn't put them in the right folders, so when they are built, they aren't going into the right folders so our relative references are incorrect.

  You mentioned editing the .xml files... and I don't know why. You shouldn't need to edit them at all...

  For Express versions of VS, here's the story:

  We could not include the installer files. The Express products are about 30MB to download. If we included the .NET frameworks dotnetfx, the Windows Installer files needed, and SQLExpress's installer, we'd be another 50+MB. This would create unacceptable download times, which is one of the reasons we invented the option to install from the Component Vendor's Web Site. This should work just fine, right out of the box.

  The way we designed the feature, you can get the "Same Site as my Application" to work, simply by putting the installer files on the disk... but they do need to be in the exactly correct location. Basically, as I said above, needs to be in the same folder as the XML files that call for them in the PackageFile elements. Also, all the files listed need to be there.

  HTH.

  P.S., and yes, we care, but some times we get very busy at work and its difficult to get back to these sites to answer questions. I'm sure you experience the same issues at your jobs :-).

  
  
  

• Pavel Dournov - MSFT

  Hey I found this thread that fixed everything. Search for "Beta 2 publish help needed" Good luck!
  
  
  

• jvlake

  Well I just don't get the point.
  
  I want to provide my solution with all de prequisites on one CD. That means alls the files needed are on this CD and there is no downloading needed at all. There are still users out there with a dial up internet connection. I don't want them to download 50 MB of additional components with 3 Kb/s. Don't make them angry, we wouldn't like them when they're angry
  
  So it should be possible to use the use same location as application option to make this happen.
  
  
  
  

• Dougal

  On the Publish Prerequisites dialog (AKA Bootstrapper dialog) there are three options for deploying program prerequisites:
  
  * HomeSite (component vendor websites)
  * SameSite (same as application)
  * Component URL (remote location)
  
  The reason you get that error for chosing SameSite is because for Express SKUs, in order to limit download size, the prerequisite packages are not included.  As a result, you cannot upload the files with your application - because they don't exist on disk.
  
  You can of course download the required files from Microsoft download center, but your best option is to select HomeSite (component vendor's website).  When you deploy using this package deployment method, all Bootstrapper packages will be downloaded from their individual 'home' locations, which for Microsoft packages is Microsoft download center. 
  
  Using HomeSite you can deploy using MS prerequisites but not have to deal with the hosting space and bandwith required.
  
  -Chris Smith [MSFT]
  http://blogs.msdn.com
  
  

• Glynnder

  I'm just guessing here, but doesn't that mean that it's trying to find that prerequisite setup program on your local disk so it can deploy it with your application   In my application, I left the .NET 2.0 framework to install from the vendor's website.  When I try to install the application from the webpage, it checks to see if I have the .NET 2.0 framework, and if not, gives me a link to install it from Microsoft's website.  If you choose "Download prerequisites from the same location as my application", it probably wants to make the application available from your webpage, so it's looking for the application to deploy of the end user doesn't have it.  Just my guess, but that's the way I understand it.
  
  Dan
  
  

• silgenfritz

  David,

  I appreciate your responses and please forgive me for letting off steam when very frustrated. Have a great Christmas.

  Rich

  
  

• blachmann

  I had a great Christmas and New Years! Fight On! USC :-)

  No worries, I have a thick skin since I've been there myself. I don't like what I think is lazy or poor design work that makes my life harder, I can appreciate when others feel the same way!

  
  
  

• Sweety103741

  I see that you asked this question a while back. I asked the same question basically yesterday (subject line "three prerequisites, three sets of errors"). I was hoping you were eventually able to solve it and help me out. I'd appreciate whatever help you could give me.
  

• Buda56

  I have the same problem. I have been told that I don't need to download the installers and place them in the Bootstrapper/Packages folders but without them, the project won't build.

  I was told that this was due to a problem with my copy of VS and to repair it. I did this. No difference.

  If I copy the installer files and publish, it works. However, whilst WIndows Installer and .net framework get installed on the target machine, SQL Express will not install.

  I have asked this question in several places and nobody seems to know/care.

  Starting to wonder if VS/.net framework is a workable technology.

  Rich

  
  

• ngmvista

  I have a simliar problem. I also check the "Download prerequisites from the same location as my application". But when starting the setup.exe theres always an errormessage. Can't find the component in this path .... bla bla
  
  But the path shown in the message isn't the same path where the setup.exe is, and I have checkt the option "Download prerequisites from the same location as my application" there must be a problem while the setup.exe is built.
  
  I'm sure that we two have the same problem, just diffrent errormessages.
  
  
• Prerequisites??