Help deploying a new VB.NET 1.1 app

[meckeard]

Hi all,

I'm having trouble correctly creating a desktop shortcut in my set up & deployment project.

My app is windows based and I created a new project to get it deployed within my company. The app is in vb.net 1.1 and I'm using VS Studio .NET.

When I create a new deployment project, I right-click the "User's Desktop" folder and select "Create shortcut to user's desktop". It appears to add the option but it doens't link directly to my exe file and I don't know how to do it.

I tried looking over the properties of the shortcut and there's one called Target but it won't let me get to the app level. The closest I can come is the folder that holds the app but not the application itself.

A work around would be for my users to create the shortcut themselves and that can be done but I'd like to automate that part if possible.

Any ideas how to accomplish this?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[RiverGuy]

Under "Application Folder" in the Setup project, you have probably added "Primary Output..." (you may have renamed this--it's the .exe file for your application). Anyways, right-click that Primary Output, and select "Create Shortcut to...". This will create a shortcut to your application. After the shortcut is created, right-click it and cut and paste it to the "User's Desktop" section.

 

[meckeard]

Riverguy - that worked to an extent. The shortcut gets placed on my desktop but it goes to the folder holding the app but not the app itself.

Is there a way to drop a shortcut directly to the app instead of the folder that the app is in?

Thanks!

 

[RiverGuy]

You must have selected something incorrectly. I'll start at the beginning. You may have already done some of these steps.

In your Setup Project, under "File System on Target Machine," right-click "Application Folder." Choose "Add-->Project Output." Make sure "Primary Output" is selected and press OK. This should create "Primary Output from ...." in the right-hand pane for Application Folder. Now, right-click that "Primary Output from..." and select "Create Shortcut." You will now have a shortcut to the primary output. Cut and paste this shortcut to the User's Desktop area. You should now have a shortcut to your .exe.