Make an Installation program for C# applications and include .NET Framework installer into the setup

Question

I've finished my C# application, but I have a little problem:

When I try to run my application in another PC, I need always to Install .NET Framework 4.0.

Is there something to do to make it work without installing the framework from internet?

I tried before InnoSetup for a VB6 application, but I'm not sure if it's going to work for .NET 4.0!

Any ideas?

Solution 1

Use Visual Studio Setup project. Setup project can automatically include .NET framework setup in your installation package:

Here is my step-by-step for windows forms application:

1. Create setup project. You can use Setup Wizard.

   

2. Select project type.

   

3. Select output.

   

4. Hit Finish.

5. Open setup project properties.

   

6. Chose to include .NET framework.

   

7. Build setup project

8. Check output

   

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Note: The Visual Studio Installer projects are no longer pre-packed with Visual Studio. However, in Visual Studio 2013 you can download them by using:

Tools > Extensions and Updates > Online (search) > Visual Studio Installer Projects

Solution 2

You need to create installer, which will check if user has required .NET Framework 4.0. You can use WiX to create installer. It's very powerfull and customizable. Also you can use ClickOnce to create installer - it's very simple to use. It will allow you with one click add requirement to install .NET Framework 4.0.

Solution 3

WiX is the way to go for new installers. If WiX alone is too complicated or not flexible enough on the GUI side consider using SharpSetup - it allows you to create installer GUI in WinForms of WPF and has other nice features like translations, autoupdater, built-in prerequisites, improved autocompletion in VS and more.

(Disclaimer: I am the author of SharpSetup.)

Solution 4

Include an Setup Project (New Project > Other Project Types > Setup and Deployment > Visual Studio Installer) in your solution. It has options to include the framework installer. Check out this Deployment Guide MSDN post.

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Comments

[Wassim AZIRAR]

Hey, I can't find my project on the list when I select Project Output !

[Alex Aza]

@dotNET - what type of project is your project?

[Seth]

Is it possible to set it up such that when you click Setup.exe that it will automatically detect if the .net 4 framework is installed and install it. Or does it have to be manually done?

[tobinibot]

Visual Studio 2012 no longer supports these Setup projects. You'll be directed to download InstallShield LE (Limited Edition) instead. It is free, but be aware that you'll need to rebuild your installer if your migrate from VS 2010 to VS 2012.

[Mahmood Jenami]

InstallShield LE (Limited Edition) is such a trash. It is truly limited.

[Jeremy Thompson]

@ChristopherPainter has done some great work on same thing. blog.iswix.com but his is free!!!

[Tomasz Grobelny]

Last time I had a look at ISWIX it had a totally different concept from SharpSetup (not saying here which is better, but obviously I think SharpSetup is :-) ). His was more about editing WiX code in a separate tool, while SharpSetup heavily builds on Visual Studio and .NET which gives the installers way more flexibility especially on the GUI part. Also note that SharpSetup has a free version (with license restrictions).

[XD face me]

There is an official microsoft extension which adds this feature to vs 2015 visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/…

[djkpA]

How to create shortcut on desktop and Menu , by default its not creating those

[nurettin]

I did all this, when I build the setup project, it says 0 built, 0 succeeded. (vs2017)

[Chris]

Followed everything but got this error: ERROR: To enable 'Download prerequisites from the same location as my application' in the Prerequisites dialog box, you must download file 'DotNetFX461\NDP461-KB3102436-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU.exe' for item 'Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.1 (x86 and x64)' to your local machine. For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=616018.

[mili]

To Chris Biasbas. download .NET4.6.1 offline installer from docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/deployment/… and copy into C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\SDK\Bootstrapper\Packages\DotNetFX461. then everything should works fine

[Crowley]

@nurettin I have found the folder for VS2017 to be C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\ClickOnce Bootstrapper\Packages\DotNetFX471 for .NET 4.7.1 installer

[addohm]

@mili that doesnt work necessarily. It doesn't include a product.xml. VS won't build without it.