Create setup file programmatically

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I have a vb.net project and I designed a form for installing the program,
How can I install it on Windows without any add-ons or programs?

What I have tried:

I searched on the Internet between questions and articles, but all of them depend on software and plugins

Posted 31-Aug-20 12:50pm

Member 14654591

Updated 31-Aug-20 20:46pm

v2

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Solution 2

Refer:
First look at deployment - Visual Studio | Microsoft Docs[^]
Publish ClickOnce application using Publish wizard - Visual Studio | Microsoft Docs[^]

Quote:
Windows desktop You can publish a Windows desktop application to a web server or a network file share using ClickOnce deployment. Users can then install the application with a single click. For more information, see Deploy a desktop app using ClickOnce (C# and Visual Basic). For C++/CLR, see Deploy a native app using ClickOnce or, for C/C++, see Deploy a native app using a Setup project.

Another option:
Setup and Deployment Projects | Microsoft Docs[^]
How to: Add Items to a Deployment Project | Microsoft Docs[^]

Posted 31-Aug-20 20:46pm

Sandeep Mewara

Updated 31-Aug-20 20:48pm

v2

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2020-08-31T20:41:00

Basically, use a "proper" installer - there are far too many dependencies that need to be installed before your app can run for it to be a viable idea to "roll your own". FOr starters, your installer would need to run without the .NET framework - i.e. not in VB - in order to check that the right version of .NET is installed and if not, install it.

Once .NET is installed correctly, you can add any assemblies your app uses and any DLL's or assemblies that they require. That's relatively simple, once you've worked out what those dependencies are - and that's decidedly non-trivial!

Then, it's on to any database engines you need: SQL Server and MySQl servers will need to be available if you are using them, so finding them and creating valid connection strings is your next problem. For Access, SqLite, SQL Compact and so on you need the right DB engine installed (32 or 64 bit; JET or ACE for Access).

Then your data needs to be transferred: the databases themselves, any JSON, XML, CSV, or other text files and so on. Then you need to add your file types to Windows so it knows to open your app when I double click on ".myapp" files in Windows Explorer.

Seriously: use a "proper" installer - it's a whole load less work!