I build a WPF solution and after compile, I got a exe file in the bin folder. I copied this exe file into a shared folder for a few users to use it. But some users will copy it to their own PC's c: drive to use.
Now I have a new version of the WPF solution. I copied the new version of exe file to replace the one in the shared folder. But I can't replace the ones in user's own PC. How can I make sure the old version exe tool doesn't work. And users have to use the new version?
How can I make sure the old version exe tool doesn't work. And users have to use the new version?
You can't unless you have written code in the application to ask some remote server for the last valid version number and shut it down if the current version doesn't matches this one.
What you really need is a better way to deploy your app. I would recommend you to look into using ClickOnce. It should be easy to learn and use and require no major changes to your source code.
Another slightly more advanced and sophisticated way technology to deploy your apps on Windows 10 would be to use MSIX.
Related
I am working on a application which is Windows Form Application and performs the CRUD operations in Microsoft Access Database (.mdb).
Old application :
The application was developed in C# with Microsoft .Net Framework 4.0.
The previous developers used Visual Studio installer projects to create the setup file.
The default installation path is "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyProduct".
This folder will have the MyProduct.exe executable and dependent dlls and also and Microsoft Access database file (.mdb). The shortcut will be created on desktop. When you run the MyProduct.exe it can access the database without any errors and can perform the CRUD operations.
New Application:
Now I have upgraded the .Net framework to 4.5.2 and used Installshield to create the installer. Installation path will be same "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyProduct".
Now the problem is, when I execute the exe and do any insert/update/delete operation it throws the error that "operation must use an updateable query". This means the database is not accessible. I tried running the exe as an administrator user and then only it is working fine.
My operating system is Window 10.
Note : I modified the database.mdb properties and provided FullControl to all the users for both new and old versions. But new version is not working without the admin user.
For the newer version I changed the installation path to "C:\My Folder\MyProduct" and it is working without any error. Only C:\Program Files is giving the error. The strange thing is older version is also installed in Program Files but it does not throw any errors.
Other difference between old and new application is, Older version uses Microsoft JET engine driver to use Microsoft Access database, while newer version uses Microsoft ACE OLEDB driver to use Microsoft Access Database.
I am not sure why this is happening. Older version is working but newer is not.
Can any one help me with this?
I would move the install to %userappdata% or some folder that does not require elevated rights. While you can place the .exe in program files, ANY data file in those locations tends to have VERY limited rights these days (they continue to lock down windows more and more).
Also, be carefull. Even if you say installed to my docuemnts? If you REQUIRE elevated rights during that install, then of then often DURING the install then the files and folder you create ALSO will have elevated rights.
So, don't place ANY data files or files that your code has to read in program files. These days such system folders tend to be restriced and have locked down rights.
%appdata% is your best bet. That will in most cases translate to:
C:\Users\AlbertKallal\AppData\Roaming
This ALSO means that your code better not have hard coded path names either. (you get/grab your path from the executing assembly. If you have a lot of code, and paths are hard coded? Then you can bite the bullet and say install to c:\MyCoolApp or some folder you create in the c:\ drive. However, with so many people doing remote work, then even c:\SomeFolder can be a bad choice, since on terminal services, all users share the same c:\ drive.
So, move the install out of program files, or at the very least move out the data file parts to a known read/write folder that all users by default will have rights to, and not require elevated rights to use such folders. So, be very aware of any data file parts you have as part of your install. As noted %appdata% is a good choice, but then keep in mind that the path names to the executable and the data file location will be dynamic (the users name will be part of the path name). And if you don't think you ever support terminal services or remote desktop? Then you can use/risk a hard coded c:\MyApp folder approach here.
At the end of the day, you REALLY need to avoid elevated rights DURING the install, and this is especially the case if data files are part of the install - since those files will ALSO inherit the elevated rights during the install. And for sure using program file which was common 10 or 15 years ago for programs AND data? Well the program part is still ok, but any data files now can't for all practical purposes be placed in program files.
Title
I am pretty new to C# (although I'm coming from java so I'm catching up quickly) and when using Visual Studio and building, I get a bunch of files as well as the executable, including dlls with the names of a few of the nuget packages I installed, a dll, pdb, etc. I also realized that I can't just give out the .exe from that folder because it references the files surrounding it. I want to put all of these files into one final executable that uses the needed files without installing them. Also, my project uses Tor and the only thing I need help with there is being able to package my project with tor as well (again, preferably in the same executable so that the user doesn't have to have tor installed to use my program.
TL;DR/summary: how do I include all the required dlls in 1 final .exe that will also be able to hold another exe (tor) inside it so that tor doesn't have to be installed for it to work?
I guess I could download the tor expert bundle when the application is launched but again it would be nice if this wasnt needed
I found an answer that I guess will work for now: How to merge multiple .NET Core assemblies into a single one (.dll / .exe)?
This still doesnt fix the problem of trying to keep tor inside the executable, but I guess I am just going to have tor download into some temp folder until I find a better fix.
use .net core 5.0 . Use with Ilmerge nuget manager.
I'm re-doing an old .NET 2.0 app in WPF4 and C#. I don't have the ability to to use an installer with this app. With the old version, all I had to do was copy a single .exe file. But with the WPF app I see I need more than that. But how much more? I can copy the DLL's over one at a time till it runs, but I don't feel safe doing it this way. So how can I know what folders (I see several language folders) and files I truly need?
My end goal is to only need to still use a single executable file. I will either add the needed DLL files as embedded resources, or use ILMerge. The smaller number of files I need to do this with the better.
PS. I can't use an installer as a condition of my employer. My app is meant as a tool to assist our techs on support calls. The fact that it uses .NET was met with resistance so I'll comply with the rules.
Thanks
Apart from dependencies on the machine itself (.net framework 4 for example) you'll only need what's in the project's output folder, by default bin/Debug.
I am a software developer and currently I am having requirement to develop such data management software for one retailer that doesn't require installation. Means client want software that should be pre installed in pen drive and while my client access that pen drive from any pc then he must be able to access whole software without any kind of cause or installation.
How could I develop such software? Is it possible to develop such software in .net (I am familiar with it)?
If the machines that you're working with already have the .NET framework installed that you required, then no problem. You can just run the .NET code from your pend drive.
However, if you can't guarantee that the .NET framework is already installed, .NET is not going to work in this scenario. A solution that comes to mind in that scenario is a bare bones Win32 C++ solution.
Yes, you just put the exe (and dll) files onto the pen drive. You don't need to build an installer.
This is not a problem at all, as long as you don't try to use the registry, or any local folders on the PC without expecting problems.
That's not an install.
An install is where you tell the operating system about the software.
.net out of the box is XCopy deploy. ie Build, open File manager click on the exe and it should just work.
So it you copy the build files to a clean machine, pen drive, cd, of just a foklder and it works, then job done.
No permanent registry, no appdata folders, no shortcuts.
Of course you can. For instance, if you develop a software that does require installation, and you want to ask a co worker to test the app for you, you could go into your debug folder (or release) and give him the .exe + eventually the DLLs. He will be able to run it without any problem.
Just remember to keep all save files, ressources and dll's in the same folder.
The only thing is, without an installer, you wont have access to all the features an installer has, such as checking for prerequisites, installing prerequisites, inserting keys into the registry etc ...
You will have to do without these "integrated" functionnalities
How can I deploy a C# Visual Studio 2005 project so that I can run the application in another system? My project has a few dependencies and files that have to be integrated while deploying the project.
What is the best way to handle this?
You need to know what dependencies you have.
you need to have .Net framework installed
you have to explicitly install all dependencies that you used from the GAC on your target machine (some 3rd party components)
and then you just need to copy files from your \bin\Release folder
install all services, etc. if you have any
In the simplest cases only copying files should be enough.
Have you looked into ClickOnce deployment?
It's far from perfect, but for projects without a huge amount of overhead, it's generally good enough.
What kind of project?
Assuming it's a regular winforms application, just copy everything from either the obj\debug or obj\release directory to the new computer. Then run your executable
You can right click on the project file in visual studio and publish to a different location. This will build the site and copy it to the specified directory.
Also, if you need to do anything extra during the build, you can specify custom build actions on the build tab of the project's properties.
EDIT: now that I see you added that it's a windows application my answer doesn't matter. I'd try adding a setup and deployment project in visual studio to handle installing/deploying your windows application.
You more or less have three options (maybe 4?) as I see it.
Windows Installer
ClickOnce
Just distribute
the exe itself
In your particular case I would suggest ClickOnce as long as the project is not massive with too many dependencies.
For other alternatives.
The right answer depends on many criteria.
The simplest way to deploy is by copying files. Just put your .exe, the dependent .dll's, and the .config file in a directory and copy it onto the target machine. It's simple, but there are many restrictions to this approach:
It assumes that the target machine has the right version of the .NET framework installed
It assumes a certain technical competence on the part of the person installing the software.
The installation won't do basic things like create start menu items.
Publishing the program for ClickOnce deployment addresses a lot of these issues, but it's got its own set of limitations. I haven't used it much, so there are probably more than these, though these alone are pretty significant:
Programs are installed into the ClickOnce cache, not the Program Files directory.
If your program does anything outside of the ClickOnce sandbox, you have to deal with security elevation and code signing.
You can create a VS Setup and Deployment project and build an .msi file to install the program. The most obvious drawback to this is that it's complicated: .msi files can do many, many things, and the Setup and Deployment object model is complex, with documentation that is, let us say, fanciful. But there are things you can do with .msi installation that you can't readily do with other approaches, including (and certainly not limited to):
Cleanly uninstall the program through Add/Remove Programs.
Provide an actual UI for installation that lets the user decide where to put the program.
Support scripted installation via MSIEXEC.
Install components besides the program, e.g. databases, COM objects, etc.
Put components in the target machine's GAC.