The Definitive Guide to Windows Installer

Description

When a company builds and ships software, the installation process is often the first opportunity for a customer to view the the product and the company—and the installation experience can make or break a lasting impression. So this book is ideal for companies and developers who want to impress their clientele. This book covers every aspect of using the Windows Installer, the underlying installer technology in Windows. A valuable tool for you software developers, this book helps ensure thorough and reliable installation for your customers. Most other books for software developers end too abruptly and omit critical information, like how to create the necessary installation software. But The Definitive Guide to Windows Installer picks up where the other books trail off. Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Installations Past, Present, and Future....Pages 1-11 Building an MSI File: Visual Studio and Orca....Pages 13-30 COM in the Windows Installer World....Pages 31-48 Searches and Conditions....Pages 49-65 Sequences of Events and Custom Actions....Pages 67-110 How Do You Fix It?....Pages 111-128 ASP.NET Setups....Pages 129-139 Installing .NET Assemblies....Pages 141-167 Installation Design....Pages 169-184 Windows Services....Pages 185-199 The GAC and Updating Assemblies....Pages 201-211 Updates Using Patches....Pages 213-226 Installation Environments....Pages 227-240 How-Tos, Tips, and Gotchas....Pages 241-264 Exploring the Installer APIs....Pages 265-276 Tools and Futures....Pages 277-281 Back Matter....Pages 283-302