Re: Installing a C# application programmatically - C# Discussion Boards

Re: Installing a C# application programmatically …

27-Dec-06 7:59

The last step didn't work because you crated the new project in a new solution D'Oh! | :doh:

. In the new project dialog you should have chosen "Add to solution" in the ComboBox to the bottom of the dialog box.

About installing your Screensaver, follow these steps in your new setup project -in a new solution like you did-:
1- Open "My Computer" => Go to your Screensaver's output folder => Copy the exe to your new setup project's folder and rename it to "MyFile.scr" instead of "MyFile.exe"
2- Back to Visual Studio => Right click on the setup project's name => View => File system
3- Right click on "File system on target machine" => Special Folder => Windows folder.
4- Right click on the new folder => Add => File => Browse to your scr file.
5- Do the prerequisite as mentioned before.

This should do it, but you got to read more about setup and deployment. I always suggest searching the articles. I hope it works for you this time.

Regards

Xaverian27-Dec-06 8:21

27-Dec-06 8:21

If I use the "Download prerequisites from the same location as my application" and place everything on a CD for them, where do I place the prerequisites or how do I include them with the setup project?

Nader Elshehabi27-Dec-06 8:27

27-Dec-06 8:27

First: Did you follow the second set of instrucstions successfully?
Second: The entire output of your setup project is placed in a folder named debug or release -accodring to your configuration-. In that folder you should see subfolders containing each of your prerequisites. Just copy all the contents of the debug/release folder to your CD, and on the user's machine tell them to click on the Setup.exe file.

PS.
Of course you should test it on your machine first, Don't you think? Also don't forget to uninstall the screensaver from your machine after the test.

Regards

Xaverian27-Dec-06 8:42

27-Dec-06 8:42

I did follow the instructions, and I found everything in the DeBug folder as you suggested ... that is slick!

I tested it and uninstalled it ... that worked too, BUT ...

How do I make the screen saver being installed the default screen saver without making my relatives right click on the desktop, select properties, then screen saver, etc ...

Isn't there a way to do that for them?

On a side note, I am going to do some additional reading on creating "Setup Projects" after all this. Do you know of any good books, with examples?

Perhaps an article on deploying the Screen Saver kit should be written for CodeProject, for both the CD option and using the ClickOnce stuff too.

Anyways, thanks for the help thusfar, I appreciate it, just one more step to go! I await your answer Smile | :)

Nader Elshehabi27-Dec-06 9:10

27-Dec-06 9:10

Alright. I'm going with you to the end.
There is a registry key in windows that you got to change. The key is "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop". Inside it there is a value called "SCRNSAVE.EXE". If this value doesn't exist you should create it, if it does you should give it the value "C:\windows\MyFile.scr". To do that while you install your program you have to do a custom action that is done while installing the software.
1- Create the setup project in the same solution as your screen saver solution
2- Add the primary output of your screensaver project to the windows folder you create in the file system panel
3- Right click on the setup project's name => view => custom actions
4- Add a new custom action and choose the primary output of your screensaver project
5- In the screensaver project add a new item => installer class
6- In the Installer1.cs overide the Install() method.
7- In that method alter the above mentioned registry key
8- Don't hardcode the text "C:\windows" as the path. Rather use

Directory.GetParent(Environment.SpecialFolder.System);

Maybe they installed windows in another partition than C.

PS.
I've discovered a much easier way to install your screensaver. Just give your relatives the scr file and tell them to Right click on it => Install. This will directly install it and set it as the default screen saver. Also tell them not to delete the scr file BTW, as it's not copied to the windows directory.

Regards

Xaverian27-Dec-06 9:39

27-Dec-06 9:39

I got as far as Step #4
When I view the custom actions, there are four folders there; Install, Commit, Rollback, and Uninstall as well as the top node "Custom Actions". Right clicking on anyone of those items brings up a box and I have four additional folders to choose from, I have to select one of the folders in order to enable the "add output" button ...

Question, which folder do I select in the pop-up box, and wich node while viewing the custom actions do I select or do I select the top node "Custom Actions"?

I think I going to create an article for others after all this ... LOL

Nader Elshehabi27-Dec-06 9:46

27-Dec-06 9:46

Actually you should right click on any node => Add custom action. Then follow the rest of the steps.

Regards

Xaverian27-Dec-06 11:53

27-Dec-06 11:53

Ive created the Install() file and I must have missed something, here is my code ...

namespace ScreenSaver1
{
    [RunInstaller(true)]
    class Installer1 : Installer
    {
        const string _screenSaverValue = "SCRNSAVE.EXE";
                
        public Installer1()
        {
            //Default constructor
        }
        
        //override the Install method ...
        public override void Install(System.Collections.IDictionary stateSaver) 
        {
            base.Install(stateSaver);
           
            RegistryKey theRootKey = Registry.CurrentUser;
            RegistryKey theControlPanel = theRootKey.OpenSubKey("Control Panel");
            RegistryKey theDeskTopKey = theControlPanel.OpenSubKey("Desktop");

            if (theDeskTopKey.GetValue(_screenSaverValue) == null)
            {
                //Add some values
                string valName = _screenSaverValue;
                object testValue = Directory.GetParent(Environment.SpecialFolder.System.ToString()) + "ScreenSaver1.scr";
                RegistryValueKind valKind = RegistryValueKind.String;

                theRootKey.SetValue(valName, testValue, valKind);
            }
            
        }

    }
}

Everything else works fine, just not setting the registry value ...

Nader Elshehabi27-Dec-06 20:13

27-Dec-06 20:13

It's one simple mistake -you can post it in the subtle bugs forum BTW Smile | :)

-. You've written

theRootKey.SetValue(valName, testValue, valKind);

... while it should have been

theDeskTopKey.SetValue(valName, testValue, valKind);

as the value is under the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" key not the "Current User" root key.
I hope it works.

PS.
the line

if (theDeskTopKey.GetValue(_screenSaverValue) == null)

tests only if the user doesn't have any screen saver chosen. If they have another screen saver chosen this value will not be null. Rather it will be the path to the other screen saver. You should always SetValue() even if it wasn't null.

Regards

Xaverian28-Dec-06 3:57

Exporting DataGrid to Excel

28-Dec-06 3:57

I've made the changes and still I have nothing ... it won't create the value within the Key ... everything else works though.

To bad I can't just send you the entire project to look at ...

Thanks for all your help, you've definately went further to help me than I ever anticipated. I really appreciate your help! I've learned several things from this, thus far ... Smile | :)

Xaverian

pssuresh27-Dec-06 3:50

pssuresh

27-Dec-06 3:50

I am searching for the code to export the datagrid columns in to the excel sheet. Most of the code i have seen are reading the each value one by one from the datagrid or dataset and writing in to excel sheet. But in Asp.net, there is an easy way to do it. Is there is any easy way to do in windows application also. Thanks to all.

Re: Exporting DataGrid to Excel

Nader Elshehabi27-Dec-06 6:47

Re: Exporting DataGrid to Excel

27-Dec-06 6:47

You can export your data as Xml files, or comma delimited files which are easily read by Excel among other programs as well.

Regards

ed^nrgc28-Dec-06 6:30

ed^nrgc

28-Dec-06 6:30

There are plenty of articles on CodeProject that will help you.

openFileDialog problem

CodeItWell27-Dec-06 3:32

CodeItWell

27-Dec-06 3:32

I have one openFileDialog1.
How to get the name of the selected file.
But not the all path.
Exp:"C:\NewFolder\TextFile.txt".
Just "TextFile.txt"

Vasildb

Paul Lyons27-Dec-06 3:58

Paul Lyons

27-Dec-06 3:58

You can use a Path object from the Sytem.IO namespace.

string fileName = Path.GetFileName(OpenFileDialog1.FileName);

Path.GetFileName[^]
FileDialog.FileName[^]

Paul Lyons, CCPL
Certified Code Project Lurker

gnadeem27-Dec-06 4:00

gnadeem

27-Dec-06 4:00

hi,
use Substring and LastIndexOf functions to get the required value;
any string supports these methods.
regards.

Dave Kreskowiak27-Dec-06 5:09

Dave Kreskowiak

27-Dec-06 5:09

That's, most certainly, doing it the hard way and in some cases unreliably.

Dave Kreskowiak
Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

gnadeem27-Dec-06 11:20

gnadeem

27-Dec-06 11:20

Thnx Dave ,for correction.

How to make use of an API

ed^nrgc28-Dec-06 6:31

ed^nrgc

28-Dec-06 6:31

That should never be done. Prone to too many errors.

rockyl27-Dec-06 2:33

rockyl

27-Dec-06 2:33

Hi,

Can some one please let me know how can I use an API in my application.

Thanks:
Rakesh

Rakesh

Niiiissssshhhhhuuuuu27-Dec-06 2:39

Niiiissssshhhhhuuuuu

27-Dec-06 2:39

Hello,
Means you want to inport API in our c# aplication???

Than use DllImport attribute

DllImport("TestLib.dll")]
public static extern void DisplayHelloFromDLL ();

nishu

rockyl27-Dec-06 4:23

rockyl

27-Dec-06 4:23

I am looking to work with LCS APIs like RTC Client API. I am unable to find this RTC Client API. Can you help me in this regard?

Actually the situation is like this:
I have some users in my Active Directory and I want to develop some client application which will display all the users in the Active directory using the Live Communication Server APIs like RTC Client API.

Rakesh

User 665827-Dec-06 2:40

User 6658

27-Dec-06 2:40

What API? If it's WinAPI, you may want to take a look at this site:

http://www.pinvoke.net/

regards

modified 12-Sep-18 21:01pm.

rockyl27-Dec-06 4:22

rockyl

27-Dec-06 4:22

Rakesh