Deploying program to run on other computers

[teknoh20G]

I'm trying to get this project demo to work on other computers, do I have to publish it to a web server to get it to work? I'm pretty much using the code they use to make a desktop shortcut, and I know it requires additional .DLL files to work, when I build the solution & try to use to the .exe that's in the bin/release folder it doesn't work & kicks me back an error.

PLATFORM VERSION INFO    Windows             : 10.0.10240.0 (Win32NT)
    Common Language Runtime     : 4.0.30319.42000
    System.Deployment.dll         : 4.6.114.0 built by: NETFXREL3STAGE
    clr.dll             : 4.6.127.1 built by: NETFXREL3STAGE
    dfdll.dll             : 4.6.114.0 built by: NETFXREL3STAGE
    dfshim.dll             : 10.0.10240.16384 (th1.150709-1700)


SOURCES
    Deployment url            : file:///C:/Create%20Shortcuts.application


IDENTITIES
    Deployment Identity        : Create Shortcuts.application, Version=1.0.0.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=0000000000000000, processorArchitecture=msil


APPLICATION SUMMARY
    * Installable application.


ERROR SUMMARY
    Below is a summary of the errors, details of these errors are listed later in the log.
    * Activation of C:\Create Shortcuts.application resulted in exception. Following failure messages were detected:
        + Downloading file:///C:/Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest did not succeed.
        + Could not find file 'C:\Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest'.
        + Could not find file 'C:\Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest'.
        + Could not find file 'C:\Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest'.


COMPONENT STORE TRANSACTION FAILURE SUMMARY
    No transaction error was detected.


WARNINGS
    * The manifest for this application does not have a signature. Signature validation will be ignored.


OPERATION PROGRESS STATUS
    * [11/25/2015 11:31:20 AM] : Activation of C:\Create Shortcuts.application has started.
    * [11/25/2015 11:31:20 AM] : Processing of deployment manifest has successfully completed.
    * [11/25/2015 11:31:20 AM] : Installation of the application has started.


ERROR DETAILS
    Following errors were detected during this operation.
    * [11/25/2015 11:31:20 AM] System.Deployment.Application.DeploymentDownloadException (Unknown subtype)
        - Downloading file:///C:/Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest did not succeed.
        - Source: System.Deployment
        - Stack trace:
            at System.Deployment.Application.SystemNetDownloader.DownloadSingleFile(DownloadQueueItem next)
            at System.Deployment.Application.SystemNetDownloader.DownloadAllFiles()
            at System.Deployment.Application.FileDownloader.Download(SubscriptionState subState)
            at System.Deployment.Application.DownloadManager.DownloadManifestAsRawFile(Uri& sourceUri, String targetPath, IDownloadNotification notification, DownloadOptions options, ServerInformation& serverInformation)
            at System.Deployment.Application.DownloadManager.DownloadApplicationManifest(AssemblyManifest deploymentManifest, String targetDir, Uri deploymentUri, IDownloadNotification notification, DownloadOptions options, Uri& appSourceUri, String& appManifestPath)
            at System.Deployment.Application.DownloadManager.DownloadApplicationManifest(AssemblyManifest deploymentManifest, String targetDir, Uri deploymentUri, Uri& appSourceUri, String& appManifestPath)
            at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.DownloadApplication(SubscriptionState subState, ActivationDescription actDesc, Int64 transactionId, TempDirectory& downloadTemp)
            at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.InstallApplication(SubscriptionState& subState, ActivationDescription actDesc)
            at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.PerformDeploymentActivation(Uri activationUri, Boolean isShortcut, String textualSubId, String deploymentProviderUrlFromExtension, BrowserSettings browserSettings, String& errorPageUrl)
            at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.ActivateDeploymentWorker(Object state)
        --- Inner Exception ---
        System.Net.WebException
        - Could not find file 'C:\Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest'.
        - Source: System
        - Stack trace:
            at System.Net.FileWebRequest.EndGetResponse(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
            at System.Net.FileWebRequest.GetResponse()
            at System.Deployment.Application.SystemNetDownloader.DownloadSingleFile(DownloadQueueItem next)
        --- Inner Exception ---
        System.Net.WebException
        - Could not find file 'C:\Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest'.
        - Source: System
        - Stack trace:
            at System.Net.FileWebResponse..ctor(FileWebRequest request, Uri uri, FileAccess access, Boolean asyncHint)
            at System.Net.FileWebRequest.GetResponseCallback(Object state)
        --- Inner Exception ---
        System.IO.FileNotFoundException
        - Could not find file 'C:\Create Shortcuts.exe.manifest'.
        - Source: mscorlib
        - Stack trace:
            at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)
            at System.IO.FileStream.Init(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, Int32 rights, Boolean useRights, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES secAttrs, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy, Boolean useLongPath, Boolean checkHost)
            at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy)
            at System.Net.FileWebStream..ctor(FileWebRequest request, String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare sharing, Int32 length, Boolean async)
            at System.Net.FileWebResponse..ctor(FileWebRequest request, Uri uri, FileAccess access, Boolean asyncHint)


COMPONENT STORE TRANSACTION DETAILS
    No transaction information is available.

Create Shortcut VB .NET Library - CodeProject


I'm very new at this any help I would greatly appreciate.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

Let's take a step back and first determine what type of program is it? Console, Web, WinForms, WPF?
You asked about deploying to a web server then at the end linked to creating a desktop shortcut, seeing as those two things don't have anything in common we need to know what it is you have.

 

[teknoh20G]

It's a WinForms, and I just need it to run on other computers, The only way I've ever bee able to do this was to build the solution, and then just grab the .exe out of the bin/release folder. This program has DLL's this is the program I'm using http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/824816/Create-Shortcut-VB-NET-Library & for some reason when I do (build) and grab the .exe it won't run on any other computer, but my own. I think it's because it has to be deployed with the dependencies or something. Again I'm very new to this so any insight on this would help I just wanted to know if I had to compile it in a different way other the just building the solution, and getting the .exe from the bin/release because that seems to not be working.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

It's a WinForms, and I just need it to run on other computers, The only way I've ever bee able to do this was to build the solution, and then just grab the .exe out of the bin/release folder. This program has DLL's this is the program I'm using http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/824816/Create-Shortcut-VB-NET-Library & for some reason when I do (build) and grab the .exe it won't run on any other computer, but my own. I think it's because it has to be deployed with the dependencies or something. Again I'm very new to this so any insight on this would help I just wanted to know if I had to compile it in a different way other the just building the solution, and getting the .exe from the bin/release because that seems to not be working.

You say your program also uses dll's, which means you'll need to grab those with the exe file too.

This is a classic deployment scenario which usually people create an installer to deploy their program (both the main exe & any dll's) along with having the installer create the desktop shortcut (and start menu shortcuts too). Luckily there's a couple free programs out there that will allow you to do this, I prefer Inno Setup which is fairly easy to learn and since you don't have anything complex with deploying your program you should be able to get something made pretty quickly.