Deploying a VB 'NET Application

1
Chapter 14

• Deploying a VB .NET Application

2
Objectives

• Understand deployment with Visual Studio .NET
• Create a setup project with a wizard
• Learn how to deploy to different media
• Add a Deployment project to a solution
• Deploy support files with an application
• Add file associations
• Create Custom Installer dialog boxes
• Install the .NET Framework

3
Computers used in the Deployment Process

• Two computers are used in the deployment process
• The development computer is where you create the
  deployment project and build a program called an
  installer
• The user then runs the installer on the target
  computer
• In this chapter, your computer will fulfill both
  roles
• The deployment process is essential because a
  .NET program cannot run without the .NET
  Framework installed

4
Steps to Deploy a Project

• Open an existing solution containing one or more
  projects
• Create a Deployment project within the solution
• Here you can see one purpose of the solution file
• Configure the Deployment project
• Specify the files that you want to deploy
• Specify the items that you want added to the
  Start menu on the target computer
• Build the Deployment project thus creating the
  Setup.exe file and related files
• Distribute the Setup.exe file and related files

5
Creating a Setup Project with a Wizard

• The Setup Project Wizard contains 5 dialog boxes
• The first is a Welcome dialog box
• In the second dialog box, you specify the type of
  project to deploy
• In the third dialog box, you specify the program
  outputs
• In the fourth dialog box, you select any
  additional support files
• The final dialog box displays a summary report

6
Specifying a Deployment Configuration (1)

• VB .NET supplies two default configurations for
  compiling an application
• The Debug configuration allows a project to be
  debugged from within Visual Studio .NET
• The Release configuration removes debugging code
• Use the project's Property Pages to select the
  configuration

7
Specifying a Deployment Configuration (2)
Active configuration
8
Adding a Deployment Project
Select Setup and Deployment Projects
Setup Wizard selected
9
Choosing a Project Type
Create a Deployment project for a Windows
application
10
The Difference Between Debug and Release
Configurations

• The Debug configuration builds a project such
  that the debugging tools can be used to examine
  the values of variables and perform other
  debugging tasks
• In the Release configuration, the debugging
  information is stripped out
• Use the Configuration Manager to select the
  current configuration
• Right-click the project in the Solution Explorer,
  and then select Configuration Manager

11
The Configuration Manager
Release version
Check to build projects
12
Deploying to Different Media (1)

• Projects can be deployed to different types of
  media
• Floppy disks
• CD-ROM
• The Internet
• Use the Property Pages for the Setup Project to
  select the media type

13
Deploying to Different Media (2)
Possible Package options
14
Types of Deployment Projects

• Merge Module projects are used to deploy a Class
  Library
• A Setup Project is used to deploy a typical
  Windows Application Project
• A Web Setup Project builds an installer for an
  ASP.NET application
• A Cab Project is used to add a cabinet file for
  older Web browsers that cannot install software
  directly

15
Deployment Project Properties

• Set using the Properties window just as you would
  with any other property
• Author and Manufacturer properties contain the
  name of the company that developed the
  application
• Description property contains a textual
  description
• DetectNewerInstalledVersion property will prompt
  the user if a newer version of the application is
  already installed
• RemovePreviousVersions property allows the
  installer to remove old software versions
• Version property assigns a version number to the
  installer. This is the version of the installer
  not the application

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Deployment Project Editors (Introduction)

• Use the Deployment Project Editors to manually
  configure the Deployment project
• File System Editor is used to define which files
  will be deployed and where on the target computer
  those files will be deployed
• The Registry Editor allows you to define an
  installer that will add or update entries to the
  Registry on the target computer
• The File Types Editor creates file associations
• The User Interface Editor allows you to add
  custom dialog boxes to the installer
• The Custom Actions Editor allows you to further
  customize the installation process
• The Launch Conditions Editor will check that
  specific components are installed on the target
  computer

17
The Role of the File System Editor

• The File System Editor provides three services
• You specify the files that you want to deploy to
  the target computer
• Files may include executable files and any
  additional support files
• You specify any items that will be added to the
  Start menu on the target computer
• You specify any shortcuts that will be added to
  the desktop on the target computer

18
File System Editor (Illustration)
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File System Editor (Folders)

• Three Folders appear in the File System Editor
• The Application Folder controls the destination
  folder where files will be stored
• User's Desktop defines any desktop icons that
  will appear on the target computer
• User's Programs Menu is used to define any items
  that will appear on the Start menu
• Note that new folders can be added to the Start
  menu too

20
Defining the Files for Deployment

• Adding a Folder causes the installer to create a
  new folder on the target computer
• Multiple folders and sub folders can be added
• You typically add executable files or other
  support files to these folders
• Every solution produces one or more outputs
  (executable files)
• Select Project Output to add an executable file
• The File section allows you to select additional
  files
• The Assembly option allows you to add additional
  assemblies

21
Adding a Project Output
Select project
Select output
Select the Release configuration
22
Deployment Project (Files)

• You build the Deployment project just as you must
  build any other project. The build produces the
  following files
• Setup1.msi contains the installer
• InstMsiA.Exe and InstMsiW.exe are support files
  used in conjunction with Setup1.msi
• InstMsiA.Exe is the ASCII version
• InstMsiW.Exe is the Unicode (wide) version
• The user runs the file Setup.Exe
• Setup.ini contains initialization information

23
Testing the Installer

• You can test the installer by
• Running the Setup.Exe program from Windows
  Explorer
• Right clicking the Deployment project in the
  Solution Explorer, and then clicking Install
• This will deploy the project as if it were being
  deployed on the target computer

24
Deploying Support Files

• You may want to deploy support files in addition
  to any executable files
• Support files may be deployed to any folder that
  you specify
• Support files may include
• Database files
• Text files
• Help files
• Other data files

25
Adding Folders to a Target

• If deploying a large number of files, organizing
  those files into different folders will reduce
  clutter
• In the File System Editor, add folders to the
  Application Folder
• Note that folders may also have sub folders
• Then add files to those newly created folders

26
Adding Folders to a Target (Illustration)
Sub folders
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Adding Data Files to a Target

• Use the File System Editor again
• Steps to add a data file
• Select the desired folder in the File System
  Editor
• Right-click the folder
• Click Add, and then click File from the popup
  menu
• Select the desired file from the dialog box

28
Adding File Associations

• File associations allow the user to double-click
  a file to run the associated application
• Use the File Types Editor to add a file
  association
• Multiple file extensions may be associated with
  the same project
• Be careful not to use well-known well-defined
  file associations such as .doc, .xls, or .mdb

29
File Associations (Properties)

• The Command property specifies the executable
  file that will be launched
• The Description property contents appears in the
  File Types column of Windows Explorer
• Using the Extensions property you define the file
  extensions
• Multiple files extensions are separated by a
  semicolon
• The Icon property defines the icon that will
  appear in Windows Explorer

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Creating a File Association (Steps)

• Activate the File Types Editor for the Deployment
  project
• Right-click File Types on Target Machine, and
  then click Add File
• Rename the File type
• Set the Command property using the Properties
  window
• Set the Description property using the properties
  window
• Set the Extensions property to the desired file
  extension or file extensions
• Separate multiple files extensions with a
  semicolon

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File Types Editor (Illustration)
32
The Command Function

• Use the Command function to get command line
  arguments
• The command function belongs to the
  Microsoft.VisualBasic namespace
• When the user double-clicks a file, the file is
  passed as a command line argument
• Command line arguments are stored in a string
• Call the Split method of the System.String class
  to break up the string if necessary

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The Command Function (Example)

• Call the command function storing the arguments
  in the variable named pstrCommandArgs

Dim pstrCommandArgs As String pstrCommandArgs
Microsoft.VisualBasic.Command()
34
Default Installer Dialog Boxes

• When the user runs the installer the following
  dialog boxes appear by default
• Welcome dialog box displays a welcome message
• Installation Folder allows the user to override
  the default installation folder
• Confirm Installation dialog box allows the user
  to confirm or abort the installation
• Progress dialog box displays the relative
  progress of the installation
• Finished dialog box displays an installation
  summary
• You can customize the installer by adding
  additional dialog boxes

35
Custom Installer Dialog Boxes (Introduction)

• RadioButtons Dialog box containing two or more
  radio buttons
• Checkboxes Dialog box containing one or more
  check boxes
• Customer Information Used to supply a customer
  name and organization
• Textboxes contains one or more text boxes
• License Agreement Requires that the user accept
  a license agreement
• Read Me An introductory read me dialog box
• Register Forces the user to register your
  software
• Splash Screen An introductory screen

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Adding a Custom Dialog Box (Steps)

• Activate the User Interface Editor
• On the VB .NET menu bar, click Action, and then
  click Add Dialog to activate the Add Dialog box
• Select the dialog that you want to add
• Move the dialog box to the desired position
• Typically a splash screen appears first

37
Add Dialog Box (Illustration)
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User Interface Editor (Illustration)
Installation dialogs
39
Introduction to Conditional Deployment

• You can configure the installer so that the user
  can elect to deploy or not deploy specific files
• Use a Checkboxes dialog so that the user can make
  the selection
• Radiobutton dialogs will work too
• There are two ways to perform a conditional
  deployment
• Use the Condition property
• Build a launch condition

40
Creating a Checkboxes Dialog

• A Checkboxes dialog contains one or more check
  boxes
• Create by adding a custom dialog just as you
  added a splash screen
• Configure the dialog using the Properties window

41
Custom Checkboxes Dialog (Properties)

• BannerBitmap property defines the picture that
  appears in the banner area
• BannerText property defines any text that appears
  in the banner area
• For the following properties, n indicates which
  check box. Value ranges between 1 and 4 (4
  checkboxes)
• CheckBoxnLabel defines the text that appears
• CheckBoxnProperty works like the Name property of
  a control instance
• CheckBoxnValue property defines whether the check
  box is checked or not
• CheckBoxnVisible controls whether the check box
  is visible or not

42
Using the Condition Property

• Use the File System Editor to define the
  condition for a file, executable, or Start menu
  item
• Steps
• In the File System Editor, select the desired
  file, and then activate the Properties window
• Set the Condition property using the name of the
  Check box
• For example
• CHKTUTORIALS1

43
Launch Conditions

• Launch conditions allow you to require that a
  particular piece of software is already installed
  or that the software version is at some minimum
  level
• For example
• The Version9X property is used to determine
  whether Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME is
  running
• VersionNT is used for Windows NT, Windows 2000,
  or Windows XP
• The PhysicalMemory property returns the amount of
  ram on the target computer

44
Operating System Version Numbers

• Version9X
• 400 for Windows 95
• 410 for Windows 98
• 490 for Windows ME
• VersionNT
• 400 for Windows NT
• 500 for Windows 2000
• 501 for Windows XP

45
Creating a Launch Condition (Steps)

• Activate the Launch Conditions Editor
• Using the popup menu, add a launch condition
• Set the Name and Message properties as desired
• Set the Condition property to set for Windows
  2000 or Windows XP as in
• VersionNT501 OR VersionNT500

46
Launch Condition Editor (Illustration)
47
Launch Condition Properties

• FileName contains the name of the file for which
  you are searching
• For example Internet Explorer is IExplore.exe
• MaxDate and MinDate contains maximum and minimum
  file dates respectively
• Folder property contains folder where the
  installer will search for the FileName
• Depth property contains number of sub directories
  that will be searched
• MinVersion and MaxVersion properties contain
  minimum and maximum version numbers

48
Defining a Launch Condition (Steps)

• Activate the Launch Condition Editor
• Right-click Requirements on Target Machine and
  then click Add File Launch Condition
• Set the Name property to a descriptive name
• Set the Filename property to the desired file
• Set the Folder property to ProgramFilesFolder,
  and then set the Condition property

49
Installing the .NET Framework (Introduction)

• To run any .NET application, the .NET Framework
  must be installed
• The file name is DotNetfx.exe
• File size is about 20 megabytes
• Run the executable file as you would run any
  installer
• This file can be downloaded from Microsoft and
  installed by the user
• This is not the best alternative as many users
  will not know what the .NET Framework is

50
Installing the .NET Framework from a Deployment
project

• Create an installer called a bootstrapper
• The bootstrapper installs the .NET Framework and
  then runs your installer
• Download a version of the bootstrapper from
  Microsoft
• Note that the bootstrapper must be configured

51
Configuring the Bootstrapper

• Edit the settings.ini file and set the MSI key to
  the name of your installer
• Msi.\DataFileSetup.msi
• Set the FsInstallerPath key to the name of the
  Framework file (DotNetfx.exe)
• FsInstallerPath.\dotnetfx.exe

52
Data Access Requirements

• Applications that access data require that the
  Microsoft Data Access Components version 2.6 or
  later are installed