How to detect for installed components? And then install the missing ones..

[UncleRonin]

I've been trying to figure/find this out for a long time: how can you configure the .NET installer to check for the necessary components? I know about the component checklist but I don't know how to use it properly or how to check for things that are not listed.

The application I've written makes use of an Access database, the COM Excel spreadsheet component and, of course, the .NET framework. What I'm really keen on finding out is how to detect if the user has Excel, Access and .NET installed? The framework check is in the checklist so thats okay but otherwise I'm lost.

Secondly, in order to use an Access database, am I right in saying that as long as the user has MDAC installed the application can access the database without any problems? What about for Excel? Can I just package the PIA with the installer and use those or must Excel itself be installed on the user PC?

Lastly, how can I make the installer install these together with the application?

Sorry for the length and the amount of questions but they've been building up for the last year or so and I had to get em out >_< Any help regarding this is REALLY appreciated!!

 

[JohnH]

Here's Adding Custom Prerequisites

PIA is the official approved Interops, but still the same as other generated or created interops, they just wrap the types for the real object library behind that has to be present. For example if you interop Excel, then user must have Excel installed.

 

[UncleRonin]

>_< Bugger. I guess I still don't really understand the big picture. So PIA is just the best Interop available - which acts as a wrapper for the Office goodies? Is there no other way, aside from installing Excel itself, that I can use the Excel spreadsheet control?

 

[JohnH]

No, MS only distributes the Excel (or Office) libraries with the full product, the publicly exposed automation engine is just a pleasant complimentary useful for productivity.

The most common thing to do when you depend on Excel is just to state that your product requires this or that version of Excel to operate.