CODEWITHSUNDEEP
visual-studiovisual-c++windows-installer
karikari
karikari

Reputation: 6797

How to create my an installer for my DLL?

I am currently using Visual C++ to develop my DLL program. This DLL also uses outside executables inside my local hard drive.

When doing testing, I manually install the DLL using this command regsvr32 filename.dll at the Windows command prompt.

What I would like to do now is an installer, like the Installshield etc. So, after this I can easily install it on other Windows machines without the need to manually use the command prompt, copying those separates executables into the hard drive and so on.

Is there a way to do this the open source way? or Is it available inside Visual Studio? Need advice on best practice.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 7152

Answers (2)

Ralf
Ralf

Reputation: 9573

Another possibility since you're already using VS, you can create a "Setup and deployment project", found under "Other Project Types". This allows you amongst other things to select the output of another VS project (in the same solution), add registry entries, package files from the file system, and register (regsvr32) files. To register a DLL (once you have added it to the project), change the "Register" entry on the "Properties" Window to vsdrfCOMSelfReg. However if you're packaging other executables off the hard drive, I'm not sure how you would make sure that they run. You prob have to make sure that you package all their run-times and dependencies.

AFAIR this functionality is not available in the express editions of VS.

Upvotes: 2

Michael Urman
Michael Urman

Reputation: 15905

WiX is open source, and there's a free (no cost) version of InstallShield available for Visual Studio 2010, so both.

Upvotes: 2

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