Question How to make proper installer vb.net program

[jeloumc]

I am done creating the vb.net program, my problem is how to make it a proper installer that can install to the client-side PC to communicate from the SQL Server.

 

[jmcilhinney]

You have two options native to VS. You can use the Publish functionality built into your project to create a ClickOnce installer, or you can add a Setup project to your solution to create a Windows Installer package. Windows Installer is probably what you're most familiar with but ClickOnce does have some advantages as well as some limitations. You should read up on both to see which suits you better. Note that you need the appropriate extension installed in VS to create Setup projects but I believe that it is installed by default these days. You might just want to check though.

Having said all that, you don't necessarily need an installer anyway. If all you're doing is moving files into a folder, the user can do that manually, which is known as XCOPY deployment.

 

[jeloumc]

You have two options native to VS. You can use the Publish functionality built into your project to create a ClickOnce installer, or you can add a Setup project to your solution to create a Windows Installer package. Windows Installer is probably what you're most familiar with but ClickOnce does have some advantages as well as some limitations. You should read up on both to see which suits you better. Note that you need the appropriate extension installed in VS to create Setup projects but I believe that it is installed by default these days. You might just want to check though.

Having said all that, you don't necessarily need an installer anyway. If all you're doing is moving files into a folder, the user can do that manually, which is known as XCOPY deployment.

Thank you sir