Creating a .NET Windows Installer – Part 1

In this article, Matthew MacDonald considers how to use VS.NET to build a simple setup program for a .NET desktop application.

Author Info:

By: Wrox Team

Poor Best

Rating:

/ 98

March 06, 2003

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

· Creating a .NET Windows Installer – Part 1
· Article
· Introducing the Windows Installer Service
· The Sample Project
· Creating the Windows Installer Project
· The Setup Designers
· Adding Files, Project Outputs, and Shortcuts
· Support Files and Project Outputs
· Shortcuts
· Customizing the User Interface
· Abstract
· Article
· Introducing the Windows Installer Service
· The Sample Project

Creating a .NET Windows Installer – Part 1 - Abstract
(Page 11 of 14 )

You can add one of several pre-defined windows to the setup wizard. Each window can also only be added once, and then it disappears from the list of choices. Each window is designed for a single purpose, and provides very few configurable options. Almost all windows provide a BannerBitmap property that allows you to specify a graphic file that will be shown in the white banner area at the top of the window (the default graphic is a computer). Some of the options for other window types are shown below.

Window Type	Description/Properties
Splash	Used at the beginning of an install to display a company or product graphic. Provides a boolean Sunken property and a picture through the SplashBitmap property.
Welcome	An introductory window. Can display text information from the CopyrightWarning and WelcomeText properties.
License Agreement	Used to provide a license information window that requires the user to select " I agree " before continuing. The license information is drawn from the .rtf file specified by the LicenseFile property, and displayed in a window that can be Sunken.
Customer Information	Provides a window that requires a customer name. You can also require additional information by using the boolean ShowOrganization and ShowSerialNumber properties. You can perform simple validation of the serial number using the SerialNumberTemplate , which is described in a section below.
Progress	Displays a progress bar, provided the ShowProgressBar setting is True.
Register User	Allows a user to register through a separate program. It provides a " Register Now " button that launches an executable or navigates to a web site. You specify the application through the Executable and Arguments properties.
Read Me	Displays information from the .rtf file specified by the LicenseFile property, in a window that can be Sunken.

The User Interface designer may come as a disappointment to most developers, because it allows relatively limited customization. You can add and rearrange pre-built window types, but you cannot design an entirely new window or add in a custom block of code. In this case, Microsoft places a greater premium on consistency and enforced simplicity than on flexibility.

Next: Article >>