Thread: Publishing an .exe file

Hello,

I've just completed my first VB.Net program and I want to publish it as a stand-alone program. When I use the "Publish" function from the Project menu, it creates an installation program that is required to complete before I can use the program freely. Is it possible to just make a program that will run without needing to "install" it?

You already have. If you don't want an installer then don't create an installer. You can simply copy your EXE to another machine and it will work, assuming that that machine has the appropriate version of the .NET Framework installed. If your app has any other dependencies then they will have to be present on the other machine too, either deployed with your app or provided by the user. No program actually ever needs installing. It's just that an installer is a convenient way to perform tasks required by the application, e.g. installing dependencies, modifying the Registry, creating shortcuts, etc. The simpler your app is the less important an installer is.

I don't have an .exe for my program (at least that I know of). The only exe I can find is the setup file for the installation.

Of course you have an EXE. That's the only way to run the program. The EXE is the program. When you build your project it compiles the source files into an EXE. When you run the in the debugger it builds the project first and then runs the EXE created. When you publish it simply bundles that EXE and a few other things into an installer. If you want to deploy the app without an installer then, assuming you're using VB Express, you use the Build menu and then find the output under the 'bin' subfolder of your project, exactly as it says in the project properties.

Found it, thanks.

Originally Posted by jmcilhinney

You already have. If you don't want an installer then don't create an installer. You can simply copy your EXE to another machine and it will work, assuming that that machine has the appropriate version of the .NET Framework installed. If your app has any other dependencies then they will have to be present on the other machine too, either deployed with your app or provided by the user. No program actually ever needs installing. It's just that an installer is a convenient way to perform tasks required by the application, e.g. installing dependencies, modifying the Registry, creating shortcuts, etc. The simpler your app is the less important an installer is.

How to check whether the target computer already had the appropriate version of .Net Framework installed and other dependencies as well? For Example .Net Framework 2 and Crystal Report.

TQ.

Originally Posted by jacky.goy

How to check whether the target computer already had the appropriate version of .Net Framework installed and other dependencies as well? For Example .Net Framework 2 and Crystal Report.

TQ.

You would need an installer for that.