How to create a setup for c# program?

Question

I have read similar questions on SO and other forums but can't what I want. I have obfuscated my binaries using 3rd party tools, and want to use these binaries in the setup.

Visual Studio Installer lets us choose the projects we want to deploy, and creates the installer using the outputs of those projects.

WiX creates a setup using the files I want but does not have an option to install .NET framework, if it doesn't already exists.

Is there a way I can use my own assemblies in Visual Studio Installer ? Or a similar alternative ?

EDIT:

I have already packed all dependencies in the binary. I don't want the installer to find the dependencies for linking them. I just want it to install .net (if not already installed) and place the binaries in a directory.

Answer 1

You can use the good old Visual Studio Setup Project (Installer Project) template.

To do so, you need to download the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects depending to your VS version from one of the following links:

• Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2013
• Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2015
• Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2017 and 2019
• Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects 2022

The project could be used to deploy anything, including your project or instead of adding Project Output you can simply right click on your setup project node in solution explorer and under Add menu, add File or Assembly.

Then all dependencies will be added automatically. You can also add other files and artifacts that you need to be installed on target machine.

Answer 2

Not exactly the answer you'd hope for, but you mentioned WIX and dependency to .net framework. For that reason people write bootstrappers (i.e. a binary compiled to native win32) using something like Autoit which makes sure of the framework. All you may have to do is read registry key of corresponding framework and if required it pull down the file and install. Then execute the msi !