Windows Installer Deployment

.NET Framework 2.0

Windows Installer deployment allows you to create installer packages to be distributed to users; the user runs the setup file and steps through a wizard to install the application. This is done by adding a Setup project to your solution; when built, it creates a setup file that you distribute to users; the user runs the setup file and steps through a wizard to install the application.

The following topics will help you learn more about Windows Installer deployment.

In This Section

Windows Installer Deployment Overview: Discusses deployment alternatives, deployment through distributable media, setup projects, Web setup projects, CAB file projects, and so on.

Windows Installer Deployment Concepts: Discusses merge modules, deployment files and folders, and how to associate file extensions with an application.

Windows Installer Deployment Tasks: Describes how to use the Visual Studio features to create a Windows Installer package.

Windows Installer Deployment Walkthroughs: Provides walkthroughs of various deployment tasks using Windows Installer.

Windows Installer Deployment User Interface Elements: Describes the Visual Studio wizards and other user interface elements pertaining to Windows Installer.

Related Sections

.NET Framework Deployment Features: Describes the features of .NET Framework deployment.

.NET Framework Deployment Basics: Describes the packaging and distributing .NET Framework applications.

ClickOnce Deployment for Windows Forms Applications: Describes ClickOnce deployment, which allows you to publish self-updating Windows applications to a Web server or network file share for simplified installation.

Deployment Scenarios for .NET Framework Applications: Describes various deployment scenarios.

How the Runtime Locates Assemblies: Describes how the common language runtime locates and binds to the assemblies that make up your application.

Redistributing the .NET Framework: Describes how to use the redistributable installer, Dotnetfx.exe, that contains the common language runtime and .NET Framework components necessary to run .NET Framework applications.

Deploying Applications and Components: Gives an introduction to creating setup executables, packaging files, and publishing Web sites.