Deploying App with Visual C++ Express 2008

[deck42]

Help!

I'm desperately trying to find a way to install an application I wrote on other PC's. I am using Visual C++ Express 2008.
Now I have read there should be some "oneclick" deployment, creating an msi file, but the funny thing is: there is no such option for me! It's said to be in the "build" menu under "publish", but there is no such "publish" option in my build menu!
Others have said there is a project type "setup project" but I have already figured out that this project type does not exist in the Express editions.

I have tried to collect and copy my dlls by hand, but it won't work either...

This is driving me nuts, I am finished but can't transfer my software... thanks microsoft!

[Alin]

google for Inno Setup. that's what i used to use and it works very well, plus it's free.

[deck42]

Thanks for your answer, but this does not solve my problem!
I need VC to do the deployment, so that it will include all the dependencies and so on. The inno isntaller is fine, but Im still missing all my dlls etc

[S_M_A]

Why this complaining on MS? After all you've got a totally free compiler/linker/debugger IDE that's kind of generous don't you think? If you're making money on your software, well buying the full package isn't that expensive.

(No I'm not a MS employee, I just find that MS get alot more **** than what is fair.)

Edit: BTW, what you can do is to download the 90 day free evalutation of the professional version. I guess that should save you this time at least.

[deck42]

Their offer would be generous if it was what it is claiming to be! But if I find out after weeks of development that I can't deploy my project it's just a waste of time to use their "generous offer". And also it was nice to find out half the way that I don't have no resource editor... (luckily there is XN editor)

And no, I don't earn near enough money to buy that stuff. And anyways we all know about the business politics of Microsoft. I remember when registered German users would get letters saying their either had to specify the software they own or police would come breaking their houses. And that is just one of so many many things..

Although I do see that they are changing their attitude partly...

[S_M_A]

Well, I really don't know what they claim to offer in the express version and if that's not fulfilled. Maybe there is some open source IDE that's better? I doubt there is but it never hurts to try a few out.

Haven't heard that German story before, what was that about and why was only Germany under attack?

[deck42]

Well thanks, but you are right, VC express is quite better than the rest.. Still I am frustrated about it.

Well that story was long ago, took place in the 90s. Back than Microsoft Germany had some idea how to raise awareness of "software piracy". They just started sending all their registered users these letters, which were basically asking for detailed information about the software they use, otherwise they would charge them of running illegal software and the police would come to search their houses.
The whole thing was ridiculous of course, since it is not possible to do such a search without prior evidence. Also, the whole action was stopped soon, so only a part of the registered users got those letters.
Still I think it's an incredible thing to come up with in the first place.
But that was long ago and I don't think Microsoft does use method's this crude nowadays.

[S_M_A]

Lol, can't even imagine how they could come up with such an idea... Thank god that they understand people better these days.

By the way, I think that MS these days have come a bit further than they really want in protecting their software. That's why there's a express version and a lot of evaluation offers. Of course the open source community also put some pressure on them but I heard/read somewhere that Steve Ballmer admitted that some piracy is good for business, kind of try before buy.

Had to install 2008 express myself just to compare it with the full version. I must agree that not even having a resource editor would be frustrating...

Edit: I did some searching and maybe this could help you
http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/msi/creator
http://www.mcsemag.info/solution/w2k04.htm
http://www.msfn.org/board/MSI-Creator-t45873.html

[deck42]

Well thanks for your efforts, but I need some way to get all dependencies..

Someone please help!

I am totally stuck. I did manage to get the app going on some other PC, BUT I did so by copying the whole WinSxS folder from the Windows folder.
I thought ok, now I will delete the copied WinSxS folder's content step by step and test when my App stops starting up.
The crazy thing: There seems to be no "logic" behind it, sometimes I delete some files and it's still starting up, then I delete more and it stops starting up, so I put the files back - but it still won't run. So I put more files back, still won't run. So I put all back. Runs again.

This is driving me nuts, it seems as if there was some delay in when my App notices that the files are gone and stops starting up.....

There has to be a way to deploy a VC++ Express App... ?!

[S_M_A]

Try Dependency walker, http://dependencywalker.com/

Do not manually fiddle with WinSxS! Do you have that many dependencies? Installing MSVC runtime (from MS download pages) and your application (in release build) should take care of everything except the non-MS things you've used.

[krmed]

Take a look at post #4 in this thread.

That was in reference to Visual Studio 2005 (VC8), so the folder has probably changed to \Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9\VC\redist\x86.

Hope that helps.

[S_M_A]

krmed, those folders only have the dll's. I guess that having those in the same folder as the application should suffice but shouldn't getting the install package from MS be a better choice since then they get properly registered and WinSxS updated with the latest version?

[krmed]

It all depends on your needs and goals.

If you use the MS Intall package for these SxS assemblies, they are installed in the WinSxS folder, and will not be uninstalled. This may be good in many cases.

However if you really want to deploy your application without going through the "pain" of creating an installer and launching the ms merge module (or ms installer), then simply copying these to your app directory will work.

Additionally, if you decide to write an application for a U3 smart Flash Drive (www.u3.com), part of the U3 certification is that your application may NOT install anything on the system that it does not uninstall. I have an app like that, and you can run it on virtually any 2000/XP/Vista machine.

I typically use InstallShield to distribute our apps, but in the case of my personal application for U3, I had to go the other way.

[deck42]

Thanks for your answers everyone!

Now I already have an installer, which I just made create some of the needed files and folders in the WinSxS directory.

The thing is this: It is not enough to just get all dlls (even the ones from WinSxS) to your app's dir, because you also need the manifests. I read on the internet at some MSVC employee's blog, that you need to get the manifest files too and rename them to the name of the manifest. (long story)

Anyways I did so and it seemed to work on one machine. So I tried it on another when but there whatever I did, it only worked when I created the needed directory in the WinSxS folder and copied the dlls there.

Now what would interest me the most: I have read several times that it would be enough to run that "vcdredist" package and since I'm using only MS dependencies I though "cool that's it". But I tested it on that machine I was just talking about: I deleted all the contents of the WinSxS directory by hand (yeah I know you shouldn't) and run the redist pack. Nothing. Not a single entry to WinSxS and logically my app would not run...
So what should that redist pack actually do?

[deck42]

Ahh finally I got it!

Thanks for all of your help, the problem was just that I was using the wrong version of the vcredist! (stoopid)
With the right version I can deploy it anywhere. Thanks!