Pls help me on how to make a more useful application install process

[stoymigo]

Hi , i use Visual Studio 2008 .

I know hot to set up a simple install program (.msi)
I would like to know how can I integrate more steps(forms) into the installer.

I want to include steps in the installer where you can install a program , or update it(so that settings files are not overwritten).

I aslo include a ReportViewer control in my application , which can only be viewed on client pc if a program called ReportViewer.exe is installed , How can i integrate this installation in one process.

If i can know just the steps to add forms it would help ,
thanks.

[DdoubleD]

Right click on Setup project; choose View / User Interface

In UI, Right click on Start category, choose Add Dialog

In Add Dialog, double click on desired template (just select one if you have never done this before; easy to delete from your UI and then repeat to select a different one...practice doing this

In UI, select the dialog you added (or right click and choose properties). In the properties, this is where you customize the dialog.

I will try to locate a good link explaining this setup.

[DdoubleD]

Links you will want to keep around for reference:
http://helpnet.acresso.com/robo/projects/installshield11helplib/ihelppropreference.htm#Feature
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ybshs20f(VS.80).aspx

[sknake]

stoymigo: Also send a private message to serkan sendur. He is our local installer guru and he would be more than happy to assist you!

[serkan sendur]

stoymigo: Also send a private message to serkan sendur. He is our local installer guru and he would be more than happy to assist you!

Well, :) that's true, i almost did everything that windows installer is able to do :)

[serkan sendur]

stoymigo, for additional steps dont add more UI pages to your setup wizard dialog. instead of doing that, create a custom installer class library project. In that project override on after install event handler. And add a reference to system.windows.forms and then add your namespace too. Create your pages as windows forms. if you use User Interface section of setup project, you will not even have a chance to execute conditional statements to conditionally display those windows, but if you use windows forms from within your custom installer class library, you can easily do almost everything that a .net application can do. DdoubleD is a hardworker guy to provide you with an example :)
Message queue Scott > Serkan > DdoubleD :)

[stoymigo]

I'll try DoubleD's steps first to practice.
Thanks for advice
serkan sendur , if your solution is more flexible (which it seems) , then I'll do it that way.

[serkan sendur]

No one can compete with me in this field as sknake stated :)

[DdoubleD]

No one can compete with me in this field as sknake stated :)

At first I thought, "How arrogant." But, then I realized, it's true, "No one [wants to] compete with [him] in this field..." ;) Installers seem to be a lonely bunch. Anyway, I'm sure serkan will be glad to help you with ALL your install questions. Cheers!

[serkan sendur]

when you know as little as i do, in general, you are not afraid of gotten wrong like being arrogant. Even the installer thing in it self has dedicated books of thousand pages. So basically, in today's computing world, you don't know enough to behave arrogant :) , so no worries. Only Narue could say something like that.. :)