Custom installer

[curlydog]

Folks, I know this will be a very basic question and for that I'm sorry, but my research is teking me in circles and not really answering my questions.

I have a Windows Forms Project which is ready for deployment. I can publish it and it installs and runs. I'd like it to install in it's own folder in the Program Files folder on the target machine.

Following what I've read so far, I have created a second project in VS 2010. This is setup project. Now I'm getting stuck. I don't know what files from my original project I need to add to the setup project. I thought I could add the "Project Output" from my initial project, but when I choose this option all of the drop downs are blank, as if no project output exists.

I've seen the option to add files, but what files do I add. I wouldn't expect to add all my .vb files.

I'd really appreciate some pointers to get me going. The so called walk throughs I've found so far haven't helped a bit.

Many thanks
Jason

 

[jmcilhinney]

Are your two projects in the same solution?

 

[curlydog]

I've tried both ways. The two projects were initially in two seperate solutions, but I have also added my setup project to my solution containing my forms project.
One of the things that really confuses me is that many of the tutorials/walk throughs I have found refer to adding the executable and .dll files to the setup project. I can't find any executable file or .dll files produced by my forms project. When I build it I don't see any kind of output, I still just have the .vb files that I have written. When publish it, I only get the installation files.

I'm sure there is some fundemantal principle I'm missing here.

Jason

 

[jmcilhinney]

The output from your application project is placed in the bin\Debug or bin\Release folder under the project folder. There should be no need for you to manually add files. You should just be adding the Primary Output of the application project.

I suggest that you start again and create a test project. Create a new WinForms project and just build it without doing anything else. Now add a Setup project to the same solution and then add the Primary Output from the application project. Does it work? If not, what EXACTLY happens.

 

[curlydog]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried adding an installation project to my current project. I now have an option to add the primary output, which I have done without adding any other files.

I have built the setup project. When I run it I get a folder in the Program Files on my target computer. Instead of getting an executable and dll files in the folder, I get all of my vb files from my project. I haven't done anything to the setup project other than adding the primary output.