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Walkthrough: Create a custom installer for a ClickOnce application

Applies to: yesVisual Studio noVisual Studio for Mac

Note

This article applies to Visual Studio 2017. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here

Any ClickOnce application based on an .exe file can be silently installed and updated by a custom installer. A custom installer can implement custom user experience during installation, including custom dialog boxes for security and maintenance operations. To perform installation operations, the custom installer uses the InPlaceHostingManager class. This walkthrough demonstrates how to create a custom installer that silently installs a ClickOnce application.

Prerequisites

To create a custom ClickOnce application installer

  1. In your ClickOnce application, add references to System.Deployment and System.Windows.Forms.

  2. Add a new class to your application and specify any name. This walkthrough uses the name MyInstaller.

  3. Add the following Imports or using directives to the top of your new class.

    Imports System.Deployment.Application
    Imports System.Windows.Forms
    
    using System.Deployment.Application;
    using System.Windows.Forms;
    
  4. Add the following methods to your class.

    These methods call InPlaceHostingManager methods to download the deployment manifest, assert appropriate permissions, ask the user for permission to install, and then download and install the application into the ClickOnce cache. A custom installer can specify that a ClickOnce application is pre-trusted, or can defer the trust decision to the AssertApplicationRequirements method call. This code pre-trusts the application.

    Note

    Permissions assigned by pre-trusting cannot exceed the permissions of the custom installer code.

        Dim WithEvents iphm As InPlaceHostingManager = Nothing
    
        Public Sub InstallApplication(ByVal deployManifestUriStr As String)
            Try
                Dim deploymentUri As New Uri(deployManifestUriStr)
                iphm = New InPlaceHostingManager(deploymentUri, False)
                MessageBox.Show("Created the object.")
            Catch uriEx As UriFormatException
                MessageBox.Show("Cannot install the application: " & _
                                "The deployment manifest URL supplied is not a valid URL." & _
                                "Error: " & uriEx.Message)
                Return
            Catch platformEx As PlatformNotSupportedException
                MessageBox.Show("Cannot install the application: " & _
                                "This program requires Windows XP or higher. " & _
                                "Error: " & platformEx.Message)
                Return
            Catch argumentEx As ArgumentException
                MessageBox.Show("Cannot install the application: " & _
                                "The deployment manifest URL supplied is not a valid URL." & _
                                "Error: " & argumentEx.Message)
                Return
            End Try
    
            iphm.GetManifestAsync()
        End Sub
    
        Private Sub iphm_GetManifestCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GetManifestCompletedEventArgs) Handles iphm.GetManifestCompleted
            ' Check for an error.
            If (e.Error IsNot Nothing) Then
                ' Cancel download and install.
                MessageBox.Show("Could not download manifest. Error: " & e.Error.Message)
                Return
            End If
    
            ' Dim isFullTrust As Boolean = CheckForFullTrust(e.ApplicationManifest)
    
            ' Verify this application can be installed.
            Try
                ' the true parameter allows InPlaceHostingManager
                ' to grant the permissions requested in the application manifest. 
                iphm.AssertApplicationRequirements(True)
            Catch ex As Exception
                MessageBox.Show("An error occurred while verifying the application. " & _
                                "Error text: " & ex.Message)
                Return
            End Try
    
            ' Use the information from GetManifestCompleted() to confirm 
            ' that the user wants to proceed.
            Dim appInfo As String = "Application Name: " & e.ProductName
            appInfo &= ControlChars.Lf & "Version: " & e.Version.ToString()
            appInfo &= ControlChars.Lf & "Support/Help Requests: "
    
            If Not (e.SupportUri Is Nothing) Then
                appInfo &= e.SupportUri.ToString()
            Else
                appInfo &= "N/A"
            End If
    
            appInfo &= ControlChars.Lf & ControlChars.Lf & _
                "Confirmed that this application can run with its requested permissions."
    
            ' If isFullTrust Then
            '    appInfo &= ControlChars.Lf & ControlChars.Lf & _
            '        "This application requires full trust in order to run."
            ' End If
    
            appInfo &= ControlChars.Lf & ControlChars.Lf & "Proceed with installation?"
    
            Dim dr As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show(appInfo, _
                "Confirm Application Install", MessageBoxButtons.OKCancel, MessageBoxIcon.Question)
            If dr <> System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
                Return
            End If
    
            ' Download the deployment manifest. 
            ' Usually, this shouldn't throw an exception unless 
            ' AssertApplicationRequirements() failed, or you did not call that method
            ' before calling this one.
            Try
                iphm.DownloadApplicationAsync()
            Catch downloadEx As Exception
                MessageBox.Show("Cannot initiate download of application. Error: " & downloadEx.Message)
                Return
            End Try
        End Sub
    
    #If 0 Then
        Private Function CheckForFullTrust(ByVal appManifest As XmlReader) As Boolean
            Dim isFullTrust As Boolean = False
    
            If (appManifest Is Nothing) Then
                Throw New ArgumentNullException("appManifest cannot be null.")
            End If
    
            Dim xaUnrestricted As XAttribute
            xaUnrestricted = XDocument.Load(appManifest) _
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1}assembly") _
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}trustInfo") _
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}security") _
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}applicationRequestMinimum") _
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}PermissionSet") _
                .Attribute("Unrestricted")  ' Attributes never have a namespace
    
    
            If xaUnrestricted Then
                If xaUnrestricted.Value = "true" Then
                    Return True
                End If
            End If
    
            Return False
        End Function
    #End If
    
        Private Sub iphm_DownloadProgressChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs) Handles iphm.DownloadProgressChanged
            ' you can show percentage of task completed using e.ProgressPercentage
        End Sub
    
        Private Sub iphm_DownloadApplicationCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DownloadApplicationCompletedEventArgs) Handles iphm.DownloadApplicationCompleted
            ' Check for an error.
            If (e.Error IsNot Nothing) Then
                ' Cancel download and install.
                MessageBox.Show("Could not download and install application. Error: " & e.Error.Message)
                Return
            End If
    
            ' Inform the user that their application is ready for use. 
            MessageBox.Show("Application installed! You may now run it from the Start menu.")
        End Sub
    
    InPlaceHostingManager iphm = null;
    
    public void InstallApplication(string deployManifestUriStr)
    {
        try
        {
            Uri deploymentUri = new Uri(deployManifestUriStr);
            iphm = new InPlaceHostingManager(deploymentUri, false);
        }
        catch (UriFormatException uriEx)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Cannot install the application: " + 
                "The deployment manifest URL supplied is not a valid URL. " +
                "Error: " + uriEx.Message);
            return;
        }
        catch (PlatformNotSupportedException platformEx)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Cannot install the application: " + 
                "This program requires Windows XP or higher. " +
                "Error: " + platformEx.Message);
            return;
        }
        catch (ArgumentException argumentEx)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Cannot install the application: " + 
                "The deployment manifest URL supplied is not a valid URL. " +
                "Error: " + argumentEx.Message);
            return;
        }
    
        iphm.GetManifestCompleted += new EventHandler<GetManifestCompletedEventArgs>(iphm_GetManifestCompleted);
        iphm.GetManifestAsync();
    }
    
    void iphm_GetManifestCompleted(object sender, GetManifestCompletedEventArgs e)
    {
        // Check for an error.
        if (e.Error != null)
        {
            // Cancel download and install.
            MessageBox.Show("Could not download manifest. Error: " + e.Error.Message);
            return;
        }
    
        // bool isFullTrust = CheckForFullTrust(e.ApplicationManifest);
    
        // Verify this application can be installed.
        try
        {
            // the true parameter allows InPlaceHostingManager
            // to grant the permissions requested in the applicaiton manifest.
            iphm.AssertApplicationRequirements(true) ; 
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("An error occurred while verifying the application. " +
                "Error: " + ex.Message);
            return;
        }
    
        // Use the information from GetManifestCompleted() to confirm 
        // that the user wants to proceed.
        string appInfo = "Application Name: " + e.ProductName;
        appInfo += "\nVersion: " + e.Version;
        appInfo += "\nSupport/Help Requests: " + (e.SupportUri != null ?
            e.SupportUri.ToString() : "N/A");
        appInfo += "\n\nConfirmed that this application can run with its requested permissions.";
        // if (isFullTrust)
        // appInfo += "\n\nThis application requires full trust in order to run.";
        appInfo += "\n\nProceed with installation?";
    
        DialogResult dr = MessageBox.Show(appInfo, "Confirm Application Install",
            MessageBoxButtons.OKCancel, MessageBoxIcon.Question);
        if (dr != System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK)
        {
            return;
        }
    
        // Download the deployment manifest. 
        iphm.DownloadProgressChanged += new EventHandler<DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs>(iphm_DownloadProgressChanged);
        iphm.DownloadApplicationCompleted += new EventHandler<DownloadApplicationCompletedEventArgs>(iphm_DownloadApplicationCompleted);
    
        try
        {
            // Usually this shouldn't throw an exception unless AssertApplicationRequirements() failed, 
            // or you did not call that method before calling this one.
            iphm.DownloadApplicationAsync();
        }
        catch (Exception downloadEx)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Cannot initiate download of application. Error: " +
                downloadEx.Message);
            return;
        }
    }
    
    /*
    private bool CheckForFullTrust(XmlReader appManifest)
    {
        if (appManifest == null)
        {
            throw (new ArgumentNullException("appManifest cannot be null."));
        }
    
        XAttribute xaUnrestricted =
            XDocument.Load(appManifest)
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1}assembly")
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}trustInfo")
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}security")
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}applicationRequestMinimum")
                .Element("{urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2}PermissionSet")
                .Attribute("Unrestricted"); // Attributes never have a namespace
    
        if (xaUnrestricted != null)
            if (xaUnrestricted.Value == "true")
                return true;
    
        return false;
    }
    */
    
    void iphm_DownloadApplicationCompleted(object sender, DownloadApplicationCompletedEventArgs e)
    {
        // Check for an error.
        if (e.Error != null)
        {
            // Cancel download and install.
            MessageBox.Show("Could not download and install application. Error: " + e.Error.Message);
            return;
        }
    
        // Inform the user that their application is ready for use. 
        MessageBox.Show("Application installed! You may now run it from the Start menu.");
    }
    
    void iphm_DownloadProgressChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        // you can show percentage of task completed using e.ProgressPercentage
    }
    
  5. To attempt installation from your code, call the InstallApplication method. For example, if you named your class MyInstaller, you might call InstallApplication in the following way.

    Dim installer As New MyInstaller()
    installer.InstallApplication("\\myServer\myShare\myApp.application")
    MessageBox.Show("Installer object created.")
    
    MyInstaller installer = new MyInstaller();
    installer.InstallApplication(@"\\myServer\myShare\myApp.application");
    MessageBox.Show("Installer object created.");
    

Next steps

A ClickOnce application can also add custom update logic, including a custom user interface to show during the update process. For more information, see UpdateCheckInfo. A ClickOnce application can also suppress the standard Start menu entry, shortcut, and Add or Remove Programs entry by using a <customUX> element. For more information, see <entryPoint> element and ShortcutAppId.

See also