How to distribute .NET Framework with Win App installer project: 1

[emeraldtea]

Hi, All:
We write a C# Windows Application. I am writing installer for it using Visual Studio. I read that "merge module dotnetfxredist_x86_enu.msm is by default added to the project but is excluded from the project. This module contains all files of the .NET funtime. If the .NET runtime is not already installed on the target system, it will be installed along with the application."

I change the status from exclude to not exclude because I want to include this .NET runtime setup in my installer. But when I Build the installer project, there is an error--
C:\setup.vdproj dotNETFXRedist_x86_enu.msm must not be used to redistribute the .NET Framework. Please exclude this merge module.

And after I exclude the module and Build again, a message says--
C:\setupcc.vdproj This setup does not contain the .NET Framework which must be installed on the target machine by running dotnetfx.exe before this setup will install. You can find dotnetfx.exe on the Visual Studio .NET 'Windows Components Update' media. Dotnetfx.exe can be redistributed with your setup.

Why cannot the moduled be included in the installer?
Where to find the Dotnetfx.exe and install it?

Thanks

 

[crystalruchs]

You need to Exclude dotnetfxredist_x86_enu.msm from your setup project to create installer

Following message is just to inform you that you need to install .NET Framework on the client machine to install this appliction. Also you might be required to install MDAC 2.7 if your application uses ADO.NET, or some DB connectivity.

"WARNING: This setup does not contain the .NET Framework which must be installed on the target machine by running dotnetfx.exe before this setup will install. You can find dotnetfx.exe on the Visual Studio .NET 'Windows Components Update' media. Dotnetfx.exe can be redistributed with your setup."

You can get .NET Framework from following link

http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/howtoget.asp#section2

 

[emeraldtea]

thanks.
Is it a way that I could include dotnetfx.exe as part of the installer. So that users do not need to download it themselves?

 

[crystalruchs]

No I don't think so.
.NET framework needs to be installed separately on client machine. It can't be included within the installer.
Though in the installer you can add a check, such that before performing the installation, your installer checks if .NET framework is installed on target machine or not.

check out

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...ml/vxtskaddingnetframeworklaunchcondition.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...conditionformicrosoftdataaccesscomponents.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...ntro7/html/vxtbstroubleshootingdeployment.asp

 

[emeraldtea]

thanks. that helps.
We are writing an application. Users will be several hundreds of people. The application is not that big. We only need to distribute an executable and several other files. Can we just write some scripts so that when users log in, these files will be xcopied to their hard drives, instead of writing a installer program for it?
Which is better?

 

[KevinInAtlanta]

I am starting to look into the same thing.
I think what you want to do is possible.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnnetdep/html/vsredistdeploy.asp

Let me know what you come up with if you don't mind.

 

[mbutch]

It sounds like the dotNet Framework Bootstrap would be a good choice. You dont have to distribute the dotnetfx.exe file, you could just install it over the network.

 

[mbutch]

Here is a link to the compiled Framework Bootstrap setup.exe file (1.5mb) that can be downloaded and redistributed freely.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FD-1EFC-4FC5-BA7E-6A6F21403495&displaylang=en

You could distribute this Setup.exe file and a setup.ini file and leave everything else on a network server. The setup.ini file would look something like this:

[Bootstrap]
Msi=\\myServer\myInstallerFiles\mySetup.msi
'LanguageDirectory=
ProductName= My Application
'DialogText=
CaptionText=My Application
ErrorCaptionText= My Application Error
FxInstallerPath=\\MyServer\myExecutables
The FxInstallerPath is the location of the dotnetfx.exe redistributable. The Setup.exe file will check to see if the client has the Framework installed, if not it will install it before your application setup. If it does find the Framework it goes directly to your application setup.

Mike