My project was accidentally deleted and all I have now is those three files:
project.resx, project.designer.cs, project.cs.
is there any way I can restore my project?
If you're on windows you can try using Recuva( recovery tool )
if another OS( linux or macos) you can try using testdisk
First of all you shouldn't write anything in the drive where the project was located. Secondly, use a recovery tool such as Recover My Files. finally, like llya said, it always better to use source control.
Related
I'm trying to figure out how to publish an application I wrote. We didn't get to publishing in class, and my programming teacher is having some health issues and isn't available right now.
I found the "Publish" option, and can get it to create a folder with an install program... but I open it, and it just opens the program, and spams me infinitely, complaining that my Access database (located in the bin > debug in the build stage) can't be accessed (from some weird path I don't recognize). I tried using WiX, but it gave me an error when I tried to install, saying it doesn't have access to the install folder (running as admin). I've been googling for a few hours, poking at it, exploring, and I'm not getting too far. Can anyone ELI5?
When you use the "publish" option for desktop apps, VS creates a click-once installer that will place all the files it knows about in the appropriate locations.
Unfortunately, it can't guess which other files your application needs so you need to tell it explicitly.
If you right-click the Project->Properties, go to the Publish tab and click the "Application Files" button, you'll see all files that will be added to the installer.
Next, click "Show all files" at the bottom. Find your database, and change the Publish Status to "Data File".
Note that I've only ever used the Click Once installer to install static files (like images/documentation) that are never modified, only replaced in later releases. I'm not sure whether your (modified) db will be preserved during an update but I suspect not.
If the Click Once install process is too simple for your needs, VS2010 has "Setup Projects" which create more complex installers that support logic/code. For VS2012, the commonly suggested option is Wix. Unfortunately, it's got a steep learning curve but it can do pretty much anything you need.
I believe VS2013 and later have setup projects again through an extension but I haven't tried it myself.
Edit:
The easiest way around this is likely to set the connection string programatically based on where the application is executing from.
Note that as per this answer clickonce apps are usually executed from deep inside the user profile directory (also read the answer below about data directories). It's a side-effect of how ClickOnce works (it wants to install somewhere the user is guaranteed to have write access).
Check if there really is an .mdb in that folder. If not, you need to tweak the installer or the properties for the .mdb. Assuming it's in the same location as the executable, you can tell your application where to find it...
string dbPath = IO.Path.Combine(
AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory,
"access.mdb");
string connectionString = String.Format(
"Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; Data Source={0}",
dbPath);
I'm not sure why you think the database file added by the installer is in a directory directly under C:\. It's possible you're not looking at the file created by the installer.
To avoid confusion, try changing the name from access.mdb to something else (temp.mdb?), build the installer, rename back to access.mdb. Now, when you've installed the application, make sure the file you're looking at is now called temp.mdb. If not, you're looking at the wrong file.
This Link Has Full demonstration of Database Connectivity And Publish a C# application with database. The application is also running on another machines.
How to Publish C# Application with access database
I have a problem regarding the Visual Studio Setup Project and uninstalling an application.
This is a very basic installer, installing an ApplicationLauncher.exe C# .NET 4.0 console application and an Application.Common.dll (a dependency of the application ApplicationLauncher.exe).
The installation is a success, copying both the exe and DLL into the program files folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Company\ApplicationLauncher\.
My problem comes when uninstalling the application (through the MSI) - the uninstall seems successful, however it leaves Application.Common.dll behind, and doesn't remove it as I would expect.
I've used ProcessExplorer to make sure nothing else is using the DLL, no explorer windows are open during the uninstall.
Is this the expected functionality and do I have to create a custom action to remove this DLL? Or have I done something wrong? :S
It seems I was able to fix this issue by renaming the solution and product name of the application, I'm not sure how this fixed it, but it did.
My only thoughts here is this traversed through to the installer, where the application installed into a different folder, thus not applying the same permissions to the DLL..
It's not expected, no. It will happen if you ever done any of the following with your setup and installed it:
Marked the file Permanent.
Marked the file SharedLegacyFile true.
These are project settings, but if you set either of them and do the install it will stay behind. You can unset them in the setup project but that's too late - you've marked that component permanent or sharedlegacy on the system. If you use a brand new system, like a fresh virtual machine, reset these values if they are set and rebuild the MSI and do the install/uninstall does it still happen?
I had the same problem. Then I have tried to install and unistall my app on Windows XP and that had worked.
Renaming the ProductCode is treating the symptoms not the cause. The problem occurs when the uninstaller doesn't remove the dll. The next install will use the dll again and can't remove it on an uninstall event because it's still used by the other program.
These steps hopefully solve the problem:
Install your Software
Open CMD (with admin privileges) and run:
msiexec /x {ProductCode} /L*V "C:\CustomPath\FileName.log"
The ProductCode can be found when hitting F4 on the Setup Project
Open the log file and search for the lines that look something like this:
Disallowing uninstallation of component: {6CEC09F6-9108-7062-A692-2BCBACEE3BD8} since another client exists
Disallowing uninstallation of component: {A0A0FA84-CC0D-C5C4-1F57-169788C4482D} since another client exists
Disallowing uninstallation of component: {XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX} since another client exists
All these components have to be removed from the registry by hand. To do this the GUID (e.g. {6CEC09F6-9108-7062-A692-2BCBACEE3BD8}) first has to be converted into a packed/compressed GUID (e.g. 6F90CEC6801926076A29B2BCCAEEB38D). I found a Website where one can run a script to do this. Find the following code on the website and replace the right side with the GUID from the log.
string inStrGUID = "{6CEC09F6-9108-7062-A692-2BCBACEE3BD8}";
Open the registry (as an administrater) and search (Edit -> Find...) for the compressed GUID (uasually it's somewhere in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Components\)
Delete the folder that is equal to the compressed GUID. The values inside the folder should be a path to the dll.
Once deleted select the parent folder (...\S-1-5-18\components) and hit Edit -> Find...
Repeat these steps (4-7) for all components from the log file.
It's also a good idea to delete all files still present in the original folder that weren't uninstalled.
Can one prevent this from happening?
I don't know. This really isn't that easy to reproduce. Some other post on SO have suspected the install/uninstall option in Visual Studio to be the cause of the problem but I have a different theory:
This bug might be the result of RemoveExistingProducts in InstallExecuteSequence in the Setup being executed too late and therefore not removing dlls at the right time. This bug is known for years and can be fixed by doing this. If you need help with Orca this explains how to install it.
Hi I have a c# project in visual studio 2010 and Im wondering how to do the following
I have deployed this project already to a tester.
It uses a SQL database in the backend.
When I published a new version and sent him the new installer he had to remove the old version first which in turn removed his database.
What I'm looking for is a way to publish the project such that it overwrites the old stuff that has changed while leaving his database in tact.
(This would also need to but probably would circumvent the message that you can't install because its already installed in another location)
Thanks in advance for your help
The absolute simplest solution is to not use an MSI or an installer to update the program. Since this is a .NET app, it just needs to be copied to the file system. (XCOPY deployment)
The next simplest solution is to use a true database - have the database be something that is set up separate from your application.
This might also work, but I have no time to test it personally: If this is a .dbf file or another file included with the project, you might be able to change the option on that file by selecting "Copy if newer" on the Copy to Output Directory Property in the properties pane for that DB file.
Could you use ClickOnce? It is super simple.
Here is a good tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4BTLdIMYEY
I have made an application, which keeps getting updated frequently. So every time a change occurs, i've to include it's fresh builds to the setup and deployment program again and again. Is there any way to simplify the procedure? The files to be added are static in number and exist in a folder. I've heard we can write installer classes in c#, does my requirement has any thing to do with it?
I think ClickOnce doesn't suit my requirement because, for the first time i want it to run like a setup package, since it has some packages and some settings needed to be implemented on the user's machine at the time of install. Can click once help me with that? Also i want to run my application as an administrator and it references to many external dll files. So will it help my purpose?
I finally did it using clickonce deployment. I used content files to mark all the files i wanted to copy to the target computer and used clickonce deployment. Then i modified the way my program starts, so that i can lauch the installer script i wanted to run only when the app runs for the first time. Further i hosted it on IIS and had to change lot of MIME types and add new ones for the download to work over internet
Look into something called "ClickOnce" deployment. It automates a lot of what you're talking about.
EDIT: You can add custom installer actions to a ClickOnce project just like any other, to set up additional components and whatnot. As for permissions, ClickOnce will let you run as administrator if you so choose, but that sort of thing isn't recommended, and it might whine about it.
You can use ClickOnce (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t71a733d(VS.80).aspx) which simplify the deployment process.
Maybe you can also automate the build process using NANT (http://nant.sourceforge.net/).
HTH
Yes, you can do that.
I assume you want the client to update itself when ever there is a new version.
This needs a few changes in the client code. Essentially how it works is check for availablilty of new version at a predefined location. Update you new versions to this location. On the client side, show a message to the user if he/she wants to upgrade to the new version.
You can find a link to sample project out here and here.
You can add a Setup project in your solution inside Visual Studio and then add your other project(s) outputs, or static files to the Setup project as references. The Setup project will then detect your dependencies automatically and each time you do a Rebuild All (or you rebuild/build your Setup project) it will automatically include all the necessary files.
What type of project is it? In many cases, ClickOnce can do the job for you, at nominal effort.
Beyond that - you can usually hook your installer build into your build process; some tools will do this for you.
Installer classes run at the client - so I don't think they relate to your build process...
I would flag the files as Content in their respective properties and then in the deployment project right click the project, go to File System and then right click the folder, click Add and select Content Files from the dialog box. This should copy the newest files over every time you build the deployment project.
For my work I need to create a Autorun application for a CD for our client. The problem is all I'm a C# programmer by trade and .NET does not make for the best autoruns since not all computers will have .NET installed on them.
What is a good solution that will work on Win98-Vista computers?
The answer to this question is really one of preference. Technically, anything can be instructed to open as an autorun. The autorun.inf file is simply an instruction file that Windows knows how to read in order to determine what it should do when a CD is inserted. That could be an application (written in any language you choose), a powerpoint presentation, opening a link to a website, etc. As long as you follow the rules of the autorun.inf file:
http://autorun.moonvalley.com/autoruninf.htm
There are many small autorun-utils (some free) that are configurable. I would go for one of those.
http://www.ezau.com/latest/articles/083.shtml
You need two things:
Follow this steps (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324733 OR http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888469)
When your application is ready (with bootstrapper), you'll have to create a autorun.inf file on CD root path. Search 'autorun.inf create' on your favorite Search Engine.
It is possible using Mono's bundling feature:
"The resulting executable is self contained and does not need the Mono runtime installed to run."
Mono is an Open Source .Net clone and should be able to run most .Net applications. See "Bundles" section here: http://www.mono-project.com/Guide:Running_Mono_Applications
You could use .hta file on CD to launch as splash page, and from there detect if .NET is installed (using COM from HTA file) and then run your custom executable.
.hta files are what Microsoft SQL Server (and most of their others) installation cd uses from memory, easy to make them look very professional (its just html in the background basically)
You can include the runtime with the CD, but you'll have to install it before running your app. You might look into just popping open an html file from the CD.
Otherwise, you can look at writing a small native program that can prompt to install the runtime if it's not there, or run your .NET app if it is.
Try Delphi; it's by far the best way to create native win32 application nowadays.
It creates slick stand-alone .exe files with rich GUI's that don't need any runtime libraries or other annoying dependencies. Works on any windows machine.
There was a program from Macrovision called "Demoshield" that worked well back in the day. I'm not sure if its available anymore, but it was an alright program for creating the auto-run programs.