- Create Installer For Windows Application Visual Studio 2013
- Create Installer For Windows Application Download
May 05, 2018 Hi, I've loooked all over now and not finding much help. I want to create an installer for a program I have using the WPF framework. I've read that this could be possible by interoping with the msi dlls, but that is where tutorials stop. I've taken a look at the windows installer documentation. You can use WixSharp or SharpSetup. I can't provide. Windows Services normally start when the OS boots and runs an application in the background. Windows Services executes applications in its own session. How to Create a Windows Service.
You can use the MSIX Packaging Tool to create an MSIX application package from any installer types. The device or VM that you are using to convert your apps to MSIX must meet the following criteria:
- It must be configured to receive remote commands (run the Enable-PSRemoting command on the VM).
- It must be running Windows 10, version 1809, or a later version of Windows.
- When the tool is first launched, you will be prompted to provide consent to sending telemetry data. It's important to note that the diagnostic data you share only comes from the app and is never used to identify or contact you. This just helps us fix things faster for you.
Choose the installer you want to package
Under Choose the installer you want to package, find the installer on your machine. If you do not have an installer, you may skip this step. We do recommend that you sign your package.
- Check the box under Sign package, browse to and select your .pfx certificate file. If the certificate is password protected, type the password in the password box.
- Check the box under Use installer arguments and enter the desired argument in the provided field. This is optional. This field accepts any string.
Packaging method
- Select your packaging method and click Next.
Package information
After you choose to package your application on an existing virtual machine, you must provide information about to the app. The tool will try to auto-fill these fields based on the information available from the installer (if applicable). You will always have a choice to update the entries as needed. If the field as an asterisk*, it's required. Inline help is provided if the entry is not valid.
- Package name:
- Required and corresponds to package identity Name in the manifest to describe the contents of the package.
- Must match the Name subject information of the certificate used to sign a package.
- Is not shown to the end user.
- Is case-sensitive and cannot have a space.
- Can accept string between 3 and 50 characters in length that consists of alpha-numeric, period, and dash characters.
- Cannot end with a period and be one of these: 'CON', 'PRN', 'AUX', 'NUL', 'COM1', 'COM2', 'COM3', 'COM4', 'COM5', 'COM6', 'COM7', 'COM8', 'COM9', 'LPT1', 'LPT2', 'LPT3', 'LPT4', 'LPT5', 'LPT6', 'LPT7', 'LPT8', and 'LPT9.'
- Package display name:
- Required and corresponds to package in the manifest to display a friendly package name to the user, in start menu and settings pages.
- Field accepts A string between 1 and 256 characters in length and is localizable.
- Publisher name:
- Required and corresponds to package that describes the publisher information.
- The Publisher attribute must match the publisher subject information of the certificate used to sign a package.
- This field accepts a string between 1 and 8192 characters in length that fits the regular expression of a distinguished name : '(CN | L | O | OU | E | C | S | STREET | T | G | I | SN | DC | SERIALNUMBER | Description | PostalCode | POBox | Phone | X21Address | dnQualifier | (OID.(0 | [1-9][0-9])(.(0 | [1-9][0-9]))+))=(([^,+='<>#;])+ | '.')(, ((CN | L | O | OU | E | C | S | STREET | T | G | I | SN | DC | SERIALNUMBER | Description | PostalCode | POBox | Phone | X21Address | dnQualifier | (OID.(0 | [1-9][0-9])(.(0 | [1-9][0-9]))+))=(([^,+='<>#;])+ | '.')))*'.
- Publisher display name:
- Required and corresponds to package in the manifest to display a friendly publisher name to the user, in App installer and settings pages.
- Field accepts A string between 1 and 256 characters in length and is localizable.
- Version:
- Required and corresponds to the package in the manifest to describe the version number of the package.
- This field accepts a version string in quad notation: 'Major.Minor.Build.Revision'.
- Install location:
- This is the location that the installer is going to copy the application payload to (usually Programs Files folder).
- This field is optional but recommended specially when app payload is being installed outside of the Program Files folders.
- Browse to and select a folder path.
- Make sure this file matches the installer's install location while you go through the application install operation.
Prepare computer
Next, the Prepare computer page provides options to prepare the computer for packaging.
The MSIX Packaging Tool Driver is required and the tool will automatically try to enable it if it is not enabled. The tool will first check with DISM to see if the driver is installed.
Note
The MSIX Packaging Tool Driver monitors the system to capture the changes that an installer is making on the system which allows MSIX Packaging Tool to create a package based on those changes.
- [Optional] Check the box for Windows Search is Active and select Disable selected if you choose to disable the search service.
- This is not required, only recommended.
- Once disabled, the tool will update the status field to “disabled”
- [Optional] Check the box for Windows Update is Active and select Disable selected if you choose to disable the Update service.
- This is not required, only recommended.
- Once disabled, the tool will update the status field to Disabled.
- The Pending reboot checkbox is disabled by default. You'll need to manually restart the machine and then launch the tool again if you are prompted that pending operations need a reboot. This not required, only recommended.
When you're done preparing the machine, click Next.
Installation
At this time, if you did not provide us with an installer, go ahead and run any and all required installers at this time. Download left for dead 2. This includes custom scripts and programs. The tool is monitoring changes on the device, including things that are being installed on the device.
Note
During conversion, installers may run services. Services are not captured during conversion. As a result your app may install but it may run with issues.
Manage first launch tasks
This page shows application executables that the tool captured. If there are multiple applications, check the box that corresponds to the main entry point. If you don't see the application .exe here, manually browse to and run it.
Click Next You'll be prompted with a pop up asking for confirmation that you're finished with application installation and managing first launch tasks.
- If you're done, click Yes, move on.
- If you're not done, click No, I'm not done. You'll be taken back to the last page to where you can launch applications, install or copy other files, and dlls/executables.
Create package
![Create Installer For Windows Application Create Installer For Windows Application](/uploads/1/2/4/8/124802060/415273687.jpg)
- Provide a location to save the MSIX package.
- The default save location is the desktop.
- You can define the default save location in Settings menu.
- If you'd like to continue to edit the content and properties of the package before saving the MSIX package, you can select Package editor and be taken to package editor
- Click Create to create the MSIX package.
After the package is created, the tool will display a pop-up window that displays the name, publisher, the save location of logs, and the save location of the newly created package. You can close this pop-up window to be redirected to the welcome page. You can also select Package editor to see and modify the package content and properties.
Active2 years, 2 months ago
I want to create an installer EXE with some specific properties:
- it should be a single exe file
- it should be robust (i.e. the technique should be known to work well on any Windows system)
- it should create only a single file (a .scn screensaver file) in %systemroot%
- it should add the option to uninstall that particular file in 'Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs' but without creating any new entry
C:Program Files
or copying an uninstaller.exe somewhere.
I've seen installers that work like that - so how to do this?
Peter Mortensen14.5k1919 gold badges8989 silver badges118118 bronze badges
MatMat3,79399 gold badges3737 silver badges4646 bronze badges
13 Answers
As you've said it can be an MSI, I'd suggest going down that route.
You could play around with installer projects in Visual Studio (if you have it; I'm not sure if the Express editions support making installers), as they'll quite happily produce an MSI that will do what you're asking. It's worth noting they'll produce an EXE and an MSI, you only need to distribute the MSI though.
Failing that, take a look at Windows Installer XML (WiX) as that will let you hand sculpt an MSI that does exactly what you want it to do and will cater for all five of your points above.
Note: Using an MSI will mean that you'll need to have Windows Installer on the machine you're installing to - It's in-box from Windows 2000/ME upwards.
RobRob38.6k2222 gold badges105105 silver badges134134 bronze badges
Take a look at NSIS it is quite simple and it is used to create installers for Windows.
Otávio DécioOtávio Décio64k1414 gold badges147147 silver badges215215 bronze badges
I've heard good things about the free installer Innosetup, and the website says it can create single EXE installs.
MarkJMarkJ28k44 gold badges5656 silver badges9797 bronze badges
Try Advanced Installer, I think it can do all that you ask. I use it for slightly more complex installers but the free version is easy to use and powerful.
There can be an issue with MSI files, older PCs don't have the latest Windows Installer, 3.1, so you need to install that or prompt the user to, first! Have you looked into using IExpress if you just want to copy a file across?
MartinMartin
IExpress
You can use Microsoft Windows's built in installer wizard called 'Iexpress'. To access that, open 'Run', which is done by hitting Windows Key and R at the same time(WindowsKey+R). When you get in 'Run', type in the little box 'iexpress.exe'. Then hit enter. You are there!
Notes: Only available on Microsoft Windows (Legit, and NonLegit)
Setup Explained:
Page 1
- Create a Self Extraction Directive file.
Makes a new installation file
- Create a Self Extraction Directive file.
Edits a
Page 2 (Of Create a Self Extraction Directive file.)
- Look in the 'Description' at the bottom
Page 3
- Package Title
The name of your installer, as displayed at the top
Page 4
- Confirmation Prompt
What to tell the user before installing
Page 5
- License Agreement
Skip if you don't know what this is
Page 6
- Packaged Files
What files you need to install
Page 7
- Show Window How the window is displayed
Page 8
- Displayed At TopPage 9
- Package Names and Options Where to save your File- Hide File Extracting Progress From User Hides the animation- Store File using Long Name inside installer Ignore if you don't know what this isPage 10
- Displayed At Top
You are done!
Click on the Title to download the file, without doing those instructions. If it is a virus, got infected or you think it is a virus, feel free to delete the file.
Page 1
- Create a Self Extraction Directive file.
Makes a new installation file
- Create a Self Extraction Directive file.
Edits a
.SED
filePage 2 (Of Create a Self Extraction Directive file.)
- Look in the 'Description' at the bottom
Page 3
- Package Title
The name of your installer, as displayed at the top
Page 4
- Confirmation Prompt
What to tell the user before installing
Page 5
- License Agreement
Skip if you don't know what this is
Page 6
- Packaged Files
What files you need to install
Page 7
- Show Window How the window is displayed
Page 8
- Displayed At TopPage 9
- Package Names and Options Where to save your File- Hide File Extracting Progress From User Hides the animation- Store File using Long Name inside installer Ignore if you don't know what this isPage 10
- Displayed At Top
You are done!
Click on the Title to download the file, without doing those instructions. If it is a virus, got infected or you think it is a virus, feel free to delete the file.
MineCMDMineCMD
Both NSIS and Inno Setup will cope with all the tasks specified. Inno Setup uses a Pascal-like language for its scripts, NSIS uses its own script language.
Peter Mortensen14.5k1919 gold badges8989 silver badges118118 bronze badges
justadreamerjustadreamer1,64322 gold badges1717 silver badges2424 bronze badges
NSIS is the way to go, very simple to learn, just write a simple file specifying which files you want to install over where. You can also add QuickLaunch options and so on. Then run the NSIS compiler and you get the exe.
Create Installer For Windows Application Visual Studio 2013
NikhilNikhil
InstallShield has a release option called 'Single .EXE'. It can bundle the payload inside, plug register w/Add-Remove Programs as you specified.
William LearaWilliam Leara9,46133 gold badges3131 silver badges5555 bronze badges
Create Installer For Windows Application Download
The not copying an installer somewhere and adding an entry into Add/Remove seem to be counteractive. My understanding is that add-remove programs neccesarily references a copy of the uninstaller that resides in a Windows directory (so it doesn't lose access to it).
Perhaps you could have the screensaver double as an uninstaller if you pass it some sort of command-line option. Then simply tell the msi that the uninstaller IS the screensaver (hence no unnecessary coping to some other directory.)
Peter Mortensen![Create Create](/uploads/1/2/4/8/124802060/582093420.jpg)
14.5k1919 gold badges8989 silver badges118118 bronze badges
Ape-inagoApe-inago
You can create a single installer file using just Visual Studio 2017 Pro and Windows in 3 steps:
- To have an entry in the Add/Remove Programs, you need to have asetup project.
- The setup project may compile into 2 files: *.msi andsetup.exe
- To create a self-extracting package, you can use theIExpress tool
user8228677
NSIS, MSI any installer can do that for you.
NSIS is pretty small and compact.
dr. evildr. evil17.5k2626 gold badges115115 silver badges194194 bronze badges
If you want to use standard deployment methods with your installer you probably should stay away from NSIS. See http://unattended.sourceforge.net/installers.php for an overview.
ko-dosko-dos
Max09