Distribute with options

Question

Hello I need a setup program that has an option to install the .net framework on the target machine if it isn't installed and then to install my main program. I have looked at the MS bootstapper app but it doesn't give you many options to cofigure (i.e. it looks like a message box and I want a window where I can put a logo etc.). Is anyone aware of such a program? Thank you in advance. (as an incentive to give a good answer to this question I'll thank you again if you post an answer ;).

mohammed.rezania · Answer

hi ! I found link this very intresting http://www.codeproject.com/dotnet/dotNetInstaller.asp

biffman60 · Answer

I found one on the web somewhere. I cannot remember from where i got it but its only a 22k email away. You run THIS setup at the top it'll check for the version of .NET Framework (version that you specify in an ini file) then run the install if its not installed or you'll never see it if it is installed.

linan999 · Answer

if it's not need to install .net framework but a .mdb filehow can i reach it? i mean that i should add a form to provide a function for user to choose a path to install the file not the program.how ?

james · Answer

shoot me an email at james@4divine.com I'd be interested in this...

Ben · Answer

Is anyone interested in this project? Basically I need an app to act as a front-end for the .net framework and my setup program: It would be a form with a place for a logo (the path of which would be set in a .ini .xml or some other file). There would also be three buttons on the form 1. A button to install the .net framework (grayed out if already installed). 2. A button linking to my main setup program (grayed out if framework not installed). 3. A button linking to a readme or something. It would be great to have the program read all the settings from an external file (e.g button text app to link to from button logo path) That way I could also reuse the program. I know this program can't be hard to write (Gosh I'd write it myself if I had VB6). All that said I hope I didn't just post this in the wrong forum?!

james · Answer

I'm sure you could hire out someone to write that for you that would be faster and cheaper than buying VB6. There are enough consultants around this forum that I'm sure you'd find someone willing to do it for ya :) -James

Ben · Answer

Well as promised Thanks all for your help. I guess I need to go out and buy VB6. sigh sometimes life is hard.

james · Answer

You could do this in VB6 in about 10 minutes Just write a little app that checks the registry for the framework if its found launch your install app otherwise launch the .Net Redist package then launch your install app... -James

Ben · Answer

James (or anyone else) Do you have any suggestions (writing my own or using a prewritten one)? Anything to keep me from learning C++ (yes that's right I don't know C++).

Mahesh Chand · Answer

That's correct. You simply write an application that will check registry if .NET is already installed on that machine. If yes then don't run the .NET Framework distributable setup.

james · Answer

The catch-22 is that if you build your deployment package in C# then it won't run unless the framework is already installed. So you need some other install package to check for and install the framework. -James