I have developed a desktop application (in VS 2010 with SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5) in c# which uses NITGEN's SDK for fingerprint scanning and its prerequisit dll file.
I created a new Data source, i.e. my created .sdf file, (Microsoft SQL Server Compact 3.5) while adding a new connection.
I dont see this .sdf file in "Application Files" Window, from "publish" tab of my Project's properties window.
I want to add this DB file to be deployed with my application along with the NITGEN's SDK and other dll file.
Also, How can I make my application download the prerequisites from my application's installer folder itself?
Any suggestion would be of great help! Thanks in advance.
You may create a deployment project from within the New Project option of the File menu.
Here's how: Walkthrough: Deploying a Windows-based Application
Plus, you ought to include your SDF Compact Database file into your project, then compile/build it. You will get your SDF file output into your bin directory or wherever your output directory is located.
You may also want to read on ClickOnce: ClickOnce Deployment for Windows Forms
After you're through with these, you shall be able to properly deploy your app.
Hope this helps!
If you right click on the .sdf file in the Solution Explorer, it should be set to 'Content' and 'Copy if newer' (or 'Copy always').
As Will outlined, the best is to use ClickOnce... It will allow you to download the pre-requirements and add all the resources (DB, ...) to your application.
Related
i develop a windows service in C#. and my project has Installer, and Setup project. the setup project, installs service very well and it doesn't have any problem, but my service 'exe' needs some files beside own. for example config files or other needed files. but the installer(setup.exe) just creates service 'exe' file.
how do i define that the installer creates other needed files, too?
thanks,
Follow the steps given below,
Select the Installer project.
Select File System Editor under Solution Explorer
Select Application Folder under File System on Target Machine pane.
Right click on the UI and add whatever the file you want to pack with the installer.
Is it possible to publish a visual studio c# project with ClickOnce, in just one .exe?
I could not find a way to do it. My project has additional files it uses
like: it calls external exe, it links to dlls, etc. And all these files I want
to somehow embed in on .exe, rather than have an exe + additional files next to it.
Edit: the image explains even better what I need.
Yes, you can add external dlls, resources, exe, and so on in your ClickOnce setup. Look at these photos. Sorry for the language.
If you want to publish it on IIS, you will need a host. Those files (application files,setup.exe and so on) will be stored in IIS. You only need to provide a 'publish.htm' or 'setup.exe' to users. 'publish.htm'/'setup.exe' will connect to your IIS. And if you use ClickOnce, your application will be updated more easily.
Otherwise, you just need VSInstaller in VS2010 or InstallShield Limited Edition in VS2012/2013. It will produce one .exe file.
You can add external exe in your installation. In your Setup and Deployment wizard Select the Application Folder and choose Add File then select your exe.
For prerequisites read this article.
I'm working on a C# project for windows mobile 6.5 and as of this morning I'm getting "Reference package not found. Device Connectivity Component" whenever I try to deploy.
It builds without errors and was working up until today. I did a bit of looking around and only found dead ends online. As far as I can see there are no clues about that component or package this is a reference to. I think it may be related to Windows CE SQL Compact but that's based on nothing. I've rolled back to an earlier version of my code and cleaned a few times. I'm stumped.
I would greatly appreciate any help even diagnosing this a bit further. I'm using Visual Studio 2008 3.5 SP1
Update: When I disable "Deploy latest version of the .NET Compact Framework (including Service Packs)" it does deploy but then throws errors related to the SQL database which worked previously. assumedly because it doesn't have access to the correct SQL packages.
Update: I also get the same error with the emulator, it builds, the emulator starts but can't deploy, giving the same error.
Update: I think this might have something to do with it. Note the double slashes in the path. I keep removing them. It keeps coming back.
Update/Correction: I can now deploy to the emulator, I had a problem before but it seems to be ok now. I still can't beploy to the device, same error.
For anyone who was pulling their hair out like me. I couldn't figure out what was wrong although I still suspect it was something to do with the .NET compact package. Eventually I created a new project, set up the references and copied and pasted the code over. It's not a nice solution but it worked after days of being stuck.
HA! I found it! This may not be your solution, but this was how I did it.
See this REF: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa983326(v=vs.90).aspx
Since Microsoft is bad about deleting their old info, I'm going to post it here, too. But basically, if you select a Private Deployment, then Microsoft Updates will not influence your project or update your 3.5 databases to ...whatever the newest stuff from Microsoft is.
How to: Deploy a SQL Server Compact 3.5 Database with an Application
You have two deployment options for applications that contain SQL Server Compact 3.5 databases. The method of deployment you choose depends on the servicing requirements of your application and whether your users will need administrative credentials on the computer on which the application will be installed.
Following are the deployment options for SQL Server Compact 3.5 databases:
Traditional Microsoft Windows Installer (Microsoft setup technology)
Users need administrative credentials to install the application.
SQL Server Compact 3.5 will be serviced by Microsoft Update.
Can use ClickOnce deployment.
-or-
Private file–based deployment (deploying the SQL Server Compact 3.5 DLLs as part of the project)
Users do not need administrative credentials to install the application.
SQL Server Compact 3.5 will not be serviced by Microsoft Update.
Can also use ClickOnce deployment.
Traditional Windows Installer
Traditional Windows Installer technology is used in both standard Setup and Deployment projects and in ClickOnce deployment. When you deploy a SQL Server Compact 3.5 database, ClickOnce deployment provides an option that automatically installs SQL Server Compact 3.5 if it is not detected on the target computer. For this reason, ClickOnce is the preferred method of deployment for applications that include SQL Server Compact 3.5 databases (as opposed to creating a custom action in a Setup and Deployment project).
ClickOnce deployment has been updated so that it automatically includes the SQL Server Compact 3.5 runtime as a prerequisite for applications that include SQL Server Compact 3.5 databases. It also recognizes .sdf files as data files and sets these to the correct publish status.
Creating a ClickOnce deployment for an application that contains a SQL Server Compact 3.5 database consists of configuring the proper publish information in the Project Designer.
To use Windows Installer technology for ClickOnce deployment of an application that contains a SQL Server Compact 3.5 database
To open the Project Designer, in Solution Explorer/Database Explorer, double-click My Project if you are working on a Visual Basic project (or Properties if you are working on a C# project).
Click the Publish tab.
Click Application Files and set the .sdf file to Data File (Auto). (This setting notifies the installer to treat this as a local data file and to put it in the Data Directory.)
Click Prerequisites and select SQL Server Compact 3.5. (This setting notifies the installer to check whether the SQL Server Compact 3.5 runtime exists and to install it from the Internet if it is not found.)
Creating the Installer After the publish information is configured, create the installer.
To create the installer
In the Publishing Location box, type the Web site, FTP server, or file path to publish the installer to.
Click Publish Now to create the installer.
The application is ready to be installed. Go to the location you published to, and install the application to verify.
Private File-Based Deployment
Private file–based deployment refers to the process of including the required SQL Server Compact 3.5 DLLs as files in the project (as opposed to a reference to DLLs already on the target computer). If you include the necessary DLLs with the application, the requirement to install SQL Server Compact 3.5 is removed. Therefore, the administrative credentials are no longer needed.
You can use ClickOnce deployment technology for private file–based deployment. If you do, you must remember to clear the SQL Server Compact 3.5 prerequisite so that the Setup program does not install it.
To deploy a SQL Server Compact 3.5 database by using private file–based deployment
To open the Project Designer, in Solution Explorer/Database Explorer, double-click My Project if you are working on a Visual Basic project (or Properties if you are working on a C# project).
Click the Publish tab.
Click Prerequisites and then clear the check box for SQL Server Compact 3.5.
Close the Project Designer.
Go to the directory that contains the SQL Server Compact 3.5 DLLs. These are located in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.5.
Select the seven SQL Server Compact 3.5 DLLs and copy them:
sqlceca35.dll
sqlcecompact35.dll
sqlceer35EN.dll
sqlceme35.dll
sqlceoledb35.dll
sqlceqp35.dll
sqlcese35.dll
Paste the DLLs into the project in Solution Explorer/Database Explorer.
Select all seven DLLs in Solution Explorer/Database Explorer and open the Properties window.
Set the Copy to Output Directory property to Copy if newer. (This will replace any earlier DLLs in an existing application with the newer ones if the application is updated.)
Click the Show All Files button in Solution Explorer/Database Explorer.
Expand the References node.
Select System.Data.SqlServerCe.
Set the Copy Local property to True. (Because your development computer has the SqlServerCe DLLs in the global assembly cache, you must configure the application to use the DLLs in the output directory.)
Right-click the project in Solution Explorer/Database Explorer and select Publish to open the Publish Wizard.
Complete the wizard to publish the application.
The application is ready to be installed. Go to the location you published to, and install the application to verify.
I had the same problem. I got it to work by closing visual studio, renaming the directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\CoreCon
Then reopening visual studio and the deploy worked.
I knew nothing about ClickOnce and I tried to find more. I have an Windows Forms Application and I want to use a web server (http) to deploy it by click once for testing by customer.
I have Apache in my system to use my system as a web server (which is in XAMPP software)
I have several questions:
When I want to publish the application, must I copy it in specific directory?
Is there any free web server that I can use?
If there is, must I copy my application on web server? How?
BTW, If you know a detailed instruction about that ,may you introduced?
PS: I read this reference completely.
You specify the location of your ClickOnce Application in Properties -> Publish. The Publishing Folder is the Location, where Visual Studio tries to save the published Location. If you are using a WebServer where you have to log in, Choose here a local path on your computer. The Installation Folder URL is the URL, where the ClickOnce Application is looking for Updates. This is the Url on the Server where you have to copy all the Files from the Publish Folder to, if its not the same.
I dont think that there is a free web server you can use. There are a few Services which are quit cheap but as you mentioned, you can use your own Server with XAMPP. I never used XAMPP so i cant help you their
Yes you have to copy your application to the Web Server. Im using WinSCP for that. Be sure to copy the files to the location you have set in the properties. If you are using XAMPP, you may copy the files locally to the XAMPP folder
There are no specific instructions i can mention. You will find everything in the Web. There are some useful articels at CodeProject
I wrote a fairly simple application with C#/.NET and can't figure out a good way to publish it. It's a sort of a "tool" that users would only run once, or run every few months. Because of this, I'm hoping that there is a way I could deploy it where it wouldn't need installing to run (it could just be run by double-clicking an EXE file straight after downloading).
However, it still needs (somehow) to include the correct version of .NET, libraries, etc. so it will run correctly. I know this is included when using ClickOnce, but that still installs the application onto the user's computer.
Is there a way this can be done?
EDIT - \bin\Debug
myAppName.application
myAppName.exe
myAppName.exe.config
myAppName.exe.manifest
myAppName.pdb
myAppName.vshost.application
myAppName.vshost.exe
myAppName.vshost.exe.config
myAppName.vshost.exe.manifest
extraLibrary.dll
as well as two folders
app.publish
Resources
It is possible and is deceptively easy:
"Publish" the application (to, say, some folder on drive C), either from menu Build or from the project's properties → Publish. This will create an installer for a ClickOnce application.
But instead of using the produced installer, find the produced files (the EXE file and the .config, .manifest, and .application files, along with any DLL files, etc.) - they are all in the same folder and typically in the bin\Debug folder below the project file (.csproj).
Zip that folder (leave out any *.vhost.* files and the app.publish folder (they are not needed), and the .pdb files unless you foresee debugging directly on your user's system (for example, by remote control)), and provide it to the users.
An added advantage is that, as a ClickOnce application, it does not require administrative privileges to run (if your application follows the normal guidelines for which folders to use for application data, etc.).
As for .NET, you can check for the minimum required version of .NET being installed (or at all) in the application (most users will already have it installed) and present a dialog with a link to the download page on the Microsoft website (or point to one of your pages that could redirect to the Microsoft page - this makes it more robust if the Microsoft URL change). As it is a small utility, you could target .NET 2.0 to reduce a user's probability to install .NET.
It works. We use this method during development and test to avoid constantly uninstalling and installing the application and still being quite close to how the final application will run.
First, you need to publish the file by:
BUILD -> PUBLISH or by right clicking project on Solution Explorer -> properties -> publish or select project in Solution Explorer and press Alt + Enter
NOTE: if you are using Visual Studio 2013 then in properties you have to go to BUILD and then you have to disable define DEBUG constant and define TRACE constant and you are ready to go.
Save your file to a particular folder.
Find the produced files (the EXE file and the .config, .manifest, and .application files, along with any DLL files, etc.) - they are all in the same folder and type in the bin\Debug folder below the project file (.csproj).
In Visual Studio they are in the Application Files folder and inside that, you just need the .exe and dll files.
(You have to delete ClickOnce and other files and then make this folder a zip file and distribute it.)
NOTE: The ClickOnce application does install the project to the system, but it has one advantage. You DO NOT require administrative privileges here to run (if your application follows the normal guidelines for which folders to use for application data, etc.).