packaging a .net app with .net framework

deadfingers

Hi,

I want to publish a c# app that will install the .net framework if the framework is not already installed. I will bundle the .net framework with the cd that is sent out to the customers. At the moment I am using the Publish option in vs2005 but does any one know of a way that I can set it up to install from the cd. I know at the moment it will try to download the framework but most of the customers wont have access to the internet so I think this would be the best option. Any advice,help or links would be a great help.

stevenmu

Not sure if it can be done with the publish option but it can be done quite easily using an installer project. There's various guides to creating these around the net, but iirc you basically just add an installer project to your solution (or create a new solution with your existing project to add it to) and a wizard guides you through most of the rest. When the project is created, go into it's properties and press the 'Prerequisites' button, this will let you pick what your app requires, things like the .Net Framework, MDAC 2.8 etc. If you choose to download them from the same location as your application, they'll be added into folders under where your setup project builds and you can can copy these with your setup.exe and they'll be automatically installed as needed.

Smoggy

As the post above says , you deploy it with the .net exe as part of the deployment project in something that is know as bootstrapping, Maybe try :

http://www.codeproject.com/dotnet/DeployingFrameworkMdac.asp

stevenmu

That's a handy link for earlier versions of VS (2002, 2003 etc). Luckily 2005 automates most of that.