Visual Studio 2012 - No Setup Projects
-
*cough* article
Why is common sense not common? Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level where they are an expert. Sometimes it takes a lot of work to be lazy Please stand in front of my pistol, smile and wait for the flash - JSOP 2012
Most of the time the WTFs are in the documentation. What, what did I say? Documentation? What is that? Is it like bacon? Is it edible? Is it tasty?
I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image. Stephen Hawking
-
I usually use WiX, and I have created some rather complex installers with it. I have used it from version 3.0, so I know most of the ins and outs of the system. It does contain some :doh: /WTF/WTFHWYT moments though.
I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image. Stephen Hawking
Have you installed a service? I'm working with their latest... 3.7 version.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
-
Rather than typing the whole thing out again, I'll link to this[^] post. BTW, the supposed reason that MS gave for abandoning the VS setup application was because they are recommending WiX - the cynic in me would suggest that the real reason is yet another assault on desktop apps (of which MS doesn't get a cut) to force people over to Metro style apps (of which they get an inordinate cut).
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
-
Could be bye, bye Microsoft in the future, the sold windows on the back of client side development and now it's going to cost you dearly.
Software Kinetics - Dependable Software news
I'm cynical ...but not that cynical.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
-
Don't upgrade to Visual Studio 2012 until you evaluate your options for installers. In 2012, MS abandoned its own Setup & Deployment projects and what you have in place is not backward compatible. In other words, you'll have code but you won't be able to install it unless you have a plan. The two options I seem to be Flexera's Install Shield or the Windows Installer Xml (WiX) project out on source forge. Note that Flexera's free "Limited" version is so limited that you won't be able to do basic things you accomplished with MS Setup. It does not replace all the functionality that the old installer had. Really, all it is is a marketing tool to make you aware that you need to buy their professional version. Their cheapest license is $650 or their professional version for $2000. Yes, you read it right. I'd love to spend that much money on something that was previously free. Please more sir... So, it seems the only "real" option for people that live in the real world is WiX. However, free $$ does not equate to free. DO NOT underestimate your learning curve with this product. I've spent 4 full working days going through their on-line tutorial, reviewing their Channel9 video (6 years old; really?), every online article and I still couldn't get success with this product. Finally, I bought their book ($25 bucks for an out-dated book) and was able to get their windows installer working. However, I still can't get their Windows Service (ServiceInstall) product to work. I may be doing something stupid... but I'm following their book's documentation. So, now I'm back to installing services using sc.exe from the command line. For some reason, installing services using DOS commands just doesn't feel like progress. For some reason, in 2012, this just doesn't seem reasonable. Don't make me turn on my CAPS LOCKS. When I accessed SourceForge to submit a bug request I was rejected as an "external"... I guess they don't pay attention to their users, just those who write code for them. I don't have time for this. MS certainly failed the average programmer on this front. I have deadlines. Does anyone out there have a free windows installer that works? Please post here.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Inno Setup[^]. It's easy to learn, supports typical installs out of the box, provides scripting if you need it, and supports calling arbitrary functionality in external DLL's if your requirements are that extreme. The only disadvantage to Inno Setup is that it does not create
.MSIfiles and it does not use the Windows Installer service. Both of these 'lacks' are positive features for me, since I find the Windows Installer to be a bug-ridden PITA. It's nearly impossible to create an.MSIfile that installs a service or a device driver correctly.Software Zen:
delete this; -
Don't upgrade to Visual Studio 2012 until you evaluate your options for installers. In 2012, MS abandoned its own Setup & Deployment projects and what you have in place is not backward compatible. In other words, you'll have code but you won't be able to install it unless you have a plan. The two options I seem to be Flexera's Install Shield or the Windows Installer Xml (WiX) project out on source forge. Note that Flexera's free "Limited" version is so limited that you won't be able to do basic things you accomplished with MS Setup. It does not replace all the functionality that the old installer had. Really, all it is is a marketing tool to make you aware that you need to buy their professional version. Their cheapest license is $650 or their professional version for $2000. Yes, you read it right. I'd love to spend that much money on something that was previously free. Please more sir... So, it seems the only "real" option for people that live in the real world is WiX. However, free $$ does not equate to free. DO NOT underestimate your learning curve with this product. I've spent 4 full working days going through their on-line tutorial, reviewing their Channel9 video (6 years old; really?), every online article and I still couldn't get success with this product. Finally, I bought their book ($25 bucks for an out-dated book) and was able to get their windows installer working. However, I still can't get their Windows Service (ServiceInstall) product to work. I may be doing something stupid... but I'm following their book's documentation. So, now I'm back to installing services using sc.exe from the command line. For some reason, installing services using DOS commands just doesn't feel like progress. For some reason, in 2012, this just doesn't seem reasonable. Don't make me turn on my CAPS LOCKS. When I accessed SourceForge to submit a bug request I was rejected as an "external"... I guess they don't pay attention to their users, just those who write code for them. I don't have time for this. MS certainly failed the average programmer on this front. I have deadlines. Does anyone out there have a free windows installer that works? Please post here.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
Can I use NuGet outside of Visual Studio?[^]
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.-John Q. Adams
You must accept one of two basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not alone in the universe. And either way, the implications are staggering.-Wernher von Braun
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.-Albert Einstein -
Don't upgrade to Visual Studio 2012 until you evaluate your options for installers. In 2012, MS abandoned its own Setup & Deployment projects and what you have in place is not backward compatible. In other words, you'll have code but you won't be able to install it unless you have a plan. The two options I seem to be Flexera's Install Shield or the Windows Installer Xml (WiX) project out on source forge. Note that Flexera's free "Limited" version is so limited that you won't be able to do basic things you accomplished with MS Setup. It does not replace all the functionality that the old installer had. Really, all it is is a marketing tool to make you aware that you need to buy their professional version. Their cheapest license is $650 or their professional version for $2000. Yes, you read it right. I'd love to spend that much money on something that was previously free. Please more sir... So, it seems the only "real" option for people that live in the real world is WiX. However, free $$ does not equate to free. DO NOT underestimate your learning curve with this product. I've spent 4 full working days going through their on-line tutorial, reviewing their Channel9 video (6 years old; really?), every online article and I still couldn't get success with this product. Finally, I bought their book ($25 bucks for an out-dated book) and was able to get their windows installer working. However, I still can't get their Windows Service (ServiceInstall) product to work. I may be doing something stupid... but I'm following their book's documentation. So, now I'm back to installing services using sc.exe from the command line. For some reason, installing services using DOS commands just doesn't feel like progress. For some reason, in 2012, this just doesn't seem reasonable. Don't make me turn on my CAPS LOCKS. When I accessed SourceForge to submit a bug request I was rejected as an "external"... I guess they don't pay attention to their users, just those who write code for them. I don't have time for this. MS certainly failed the average programmer on this front. I have deadlines. Does anyone out there have a free windows installer that works? Please post here.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
I have been an installshield user for 7 years now. At my last job, we did barcode labeling software and it was a lot easier to get installshield to do what we needed in terms of installs than it was any of the free versions of stuff. At my current job, I use it for the installs of all of my tools/products. These include Windows apps, services, websites, and other stuff. It was actually pretty easy to convince my current boss to pay for it, especially since I had used it before. It makes it VERY easy to add PC settings and stuff into the installer. I am able to take a clean machine and completely configure it for our web app, which requires installing IIS, DNS, DHCP, adding DNS records, DHCP records, an FTP site (along with all the users and permissions), etc... This is REALLY important for me as well as our other employees as we do not have to remember all the steps and stuff needed to put on a box before everything works. That said, I agree that installshield is expensive. And, one thing you didn't mention is the upgrade policy.... Upgrades tend to be about 1200 bucks and they come out about once a year. Needless to say, we are on about a 2-3 year cycle here depending on if something is out that the version I have cannot support. However, it does make it really easy to do complex installs.
-
I'm cynical ...but not that cynical.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
-
Don't upgrade to Visual Studio 2012 until you evaluate your options for installers. In 2012, MS abandoned its own Setup & Deployment projects and what you have in place is not backward compatible. In other words, you'll have code but you won't be able to install it unless you have a plan. The two options I seem to be Flexera's Install Shield or the Windows Installer Xml (WiX) project out on source forge. Note that Flexera's free "Limited" version is so limited that you won't be able to do basic things you accomplished with MS Setup. It does not replace all the functionality that the old installer had. Really, all it is is a marketing tool to make you aware that you need to buy their professional version. Their cheapest license is $650 or their professional version for $2000. Yes, you read it right. I'd love to spend that much money on something that was previously free. Please more sir... So, it seems the only "real" option for people that live in the real world is WiX. However, free $$ does not equate to free. DO NOT underestimate your learning curve with this product. I've spent 4 full working days going through their on-line tutorial, reviewing their Channel9 video (6 years old; really?), every online article and I still couldn't get success with this product. Finally, I bought their book ($25 bucks for an out-dated book) and was able to get their windows installer working. However, I still can't get their Windows Service (ServiceInstall) product to work. I may be doing something stupid... but I'm following their book's documentation. So, now I'm back to installing services using sc.exe from the command line. For some reason, installing services using DOS commands just doesn't feel like progress. For some reason, in 2012, this just doesn't seem reasonable. Don't make me turn on my CAPS LOCKS. When I accessed SourceForge to submit a bug request I was rejected as an "external"... I guess they don't pay attention to their users, just those who write code for them. I don't have time for this. MS certainly failed the average programmer on this front. I have deadlines. Does anyone out there have a free windows installer that works? Please post here.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
I've never built anything with it, but I've installed a lot of stuff that has used it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nullsoft_Scriptable_Install_System[^] It probably whips the llamas ass.
CPallini wrote:
You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:
-
Don't upgrade to Visual Studio 2012 until you evaluate your options for installers. In 2012, MS abandoned its own Setup & Deployment projects and what you have in place is not backward compatible. In other words, you'll have code but you won't be able to install it unless you have a plan. The two options I seem to be Flexera's Install Shield or the Windows Installer Xml (WiX) project out on source forge. Note that Flexera's free "Limited" version is so limited that you won't be able to do basic things you accomplished with MS Setup. It does not replace all the functionality that the old installer had. Really, all it is is a marketing tool to make you aware that you need to buy their professional version. Their cheapest license is $650 or their professional version for $2000. Yes, you read it right. I'd love to spend that much money on something that was previously free. Please more sir... So, it seems the only "real" option for people that live in the real world is WiX. However, free $$ does not equate to free. DO NOT underestimate your learning curve with this product. I've spent 4 full working days going through their on-line tutorial, reviewing their Channel9 video (6 years old; really?), every online article and I still couldn't get success with this product. Finally, I bought their book ($25 bucks for an out-dated book) and was able to get their windows installer working. However, I still can't get their Windows Service (ServiceInstall) product to work. I may be doing something stupid... but I'm following their book's documentation. So, now I'm back to installing services using sc.exe from the command line. For some reason, installing services using DOS commands just doesn't feel like progress. For some reason, in 2012, this just doesn't seem reasonable. Don't make me turn on my CAPS LOCKS. When I accessed SourceForge to submit a bug request I was rejected as an "external"... I guess they don't pay attention to their users, just those who write code for them. I don't have time for this. MS certainly failed the average programmer on this front. I have deadlines. Does anyone out there have a free windows installer that works? Please post here.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer
Just so everyone knows... after this rant, I got the WiX installer to work on my Windows Service. The problem came down to naming. In one part of the XML I named my service "ScaleReaderSvc" and in another I named it "ScaleReaderService". I fixed that and everything came into order and I believe I heard angels sing... or the furnace kicked in and reminded me that it needed maintenance. Why the WiX installer gave me an authorization error for this typo is beyond me. This experience is like so many and explains why why I'm jaded against people that insist that XML is easy to use. "All you have to do is edit the XML"... oh, and by the way you also need to read my mind because there is no intellisense, you need to spell everything exactly right and keep it in the right context even if I name things in a goofy way or fail to follow a naming standard.
Joel Palmer Data Integration Engineer