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Example bootstrapper for ClickOnce deployment of MeasurementStudio DLLs

I have used the Setup and Deployment wizard in VisualStudio 2010 and earlier with MeasurementStudio with great success.  However, since Microsoft dropped this out of VisualStudio 2012, the only other alternative to deployment Measurement Studio 2013 based applications is using WiX, however I find WiX has a VERY steep learning curve and it is not worth my time to learn how to use it to deploy applications.  I would like to use ClickOnce deployment and I know ClickOnce does not support the required registration of the Measurement Studio DLLs into the Global Assembly Cache (GAC).  However I have read in some forums that it is possible to create a "bootstrapper" to do this.  I am wondering if someone has a working example of this.  I am thinking of simply deploying "all" all the Measurement Studio DLLs on the machine, since it is not that big, via one "bootstrapper" type of application.  Then I could deploy a Measurement Studio based application at anytime and the required DLLs would already be on the machine.  Is there a working example that does this?  If so, could someone provide it?  I would think this would be a common request.   Thank you.

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Hi John,
 
Bootstrappers are not supported or recommended. However, we do have a WiX example in C:\Users\Public\Documents\National Instruments\MStudioVS2012\DotNET\Examples\Application\Deployment. The basic process is as follows:
 
1)  Install latest WiX: http://wixtoolset.org/
2)  Copy Following path to safe location C:\Users\Public\Documents\National Instruments\MStudioVS2012\DotNET\Examples\Application\Deployment\WiX
3)  Open "All Libraries.2012.sln"
4)  In VStudio, right click and remove he Example Application
5)  Right click Solution 'All Libraries.2012' and add your Existing Project
6)  Add your project to the References in the Setup project
 
<Search for ToDo sections>
7)  Open up "Product.wxs"
😎  Line 27 starts GUID. Create own GUID
             a) Create GUID using Tool. Tools>>Create GUID
             b) Select Registry Format
             c) Click "New GUID"
             d) Click "Copy" to copy it to your clip board
             e) repeat for the 6 entries
9)  Change the Name and Source on line 95 to "$(var.NAMEOFPROJECT.TargetFileName)" "$(var.NAMEOFPROJECT.TargetPath)" respectively
10) Uncomment every reference you are using in lines 114-127
11) Open "Lang" Folder and open up en-us.wxl
12) replace lines 7 and 8 with name of product and product description.
13) Build the Solution
Jason H
Automated Test Software R&D
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Hi there,

 

I have the following problem using the example 'All Libraries.2012'.

 

I've compiled the project as it is on win7 x64 and VS2012 with measurement studio 2013, just assigned GUIDs. Then I installed the application on win7 x64 PC and the application stopped working as shown on the attachment. Probably there there is something with the installation of the libraries.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

Victor

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It looks like the same strange error from .NET which I fixed by installing NI-DAQ and explictily selecting the appropriate .NET support option (i.e. based on .NET version you are using).  This error was occuring for me, when my program was just loading and before I had called any NI-DAQ functions, just the fact they were referenced caused the issue.  Does anyone know of a way to eliminate this error without having to install NI-DAQ in cases where the program actually doesn't need to call the NI-DAQ functions?

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I was looking at Jason's repsonse more closely about using WiX and I don't think it answers the question.  I want to be able to distribute my application via ClickOnce, that way I don't have to distribute installation programs every time there is an update to my program.  So is it possible to use a setup/installation program that installs the NI pre-requisites (e.g. Measurement Studio files) on the machine and thus I would only need to deploy my application via ClickOnce that uses those DLLs, since the setup/installation program has already installed them "globally" on the machine?  i.e. register the required DLLs, etc. with an installer and then the application itself could be updated via ClickOnce as it would be referencing DLLs already on the machine.  Thank you.

 

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I suggested WiX because ClickOnce deployment is not supported with Measurement Studio or any NI .NET components. It doesn't install assemblies into the Global Assembly Cache.
 
Jason H
Automated Test Software R&D
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Anybody got this to work yet? 

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Hi All,

 

Does this solution create an installer that is independent of clickonce, but that replicates ClickOnce's automatic updates?  Or, does this solution generate a prerequisite package installer that can the be selected as a prerequisite in the ClickOnce prerequisites?  Please help, it is hard to tell without spending a lot of following all the instructions to see what I get in the end? 

 

Thank you, Andy.

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Jason,

 

I see everywhere in the NI forums the statement, "Bootstrappers are not supported or recommended."   Why?  Why can't NI build prerequisite bootstrappers that can be selected in the clickonce prerequisite dialog? 

Thank you,

 

Andy

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Andy,

 

Here is the walkthrough for creating a WiX installer:

 

http://ae/public.nsf/webPreview/764B727C9BD2C4C686257C970053D059?OpenDocument

 

I do not believe that it incorporates automatic updates.

 

Regards,

 

Brandon V.

Applications Engineer

National Instruments 

 

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