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Hi,
I have created an installer project in Visual Studio 2019 and added my program (TrackManager) to it. I added the installer url and placed the setup.exe and SetupTrackManager.msi file both in the download folder on the website. Both files can be downloaded individually without any problem and I can run and install the SetupTrackManager.msi file without issues.
When I start the Setup.exe file it is supposed to download the msi file and run it, but that is where it goes wrong. I get the error:
Downloading 'SetupTrackManager.msi' from 'trackmanager.nl/downloads/SetupTrackManager.msi' to ''
It appears it tries to download the file to an empty target, which of course does not exist. I cannot find any setting that allows me to specify the target nor have I found any prerequisite for this that I missed. I have not signed the app yet, which gives an warning when installing, but I don't see how that should be of any influence.
A tip in the right direction would be much appreciated.
ScubaFuz
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If you have both the exe & msi in a local folder, does running the setup.exe from there do the install OK?
You might get support from the author of the extension if you ask your question in the extension's Q&A section here - Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects - Visual Studio Marketplace
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Hi @ScubaFuz , if you just put .msi file in the download folder on the website and put the .exe(setup) file locally, then run the setup(.exe) file locally, will this work? And did you uninstall your program(maybe you installed before) before running the setup file? Please also kindly try David’s suggestions. Besides, I also agree with RLWA32, and you can directly ask your question here: Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects Q&A.
HI @David Lowndes and @Tianyu Sun-MSFT and @RLWA32 , I tried downloading them both and running the install locally, but the setup.exe keeps trying to download the msi file and failing. Downloading the msi file and running it works fine, so I'm going with that approach for now, but that one doesn't check for prerequisites. I'm also not sure how that works with auto-updating.
I will repost this question in the Installer projects Q&A as suggested.
I must admit that I've never set the "Installation URL" value for any setups I've made, have you tried clearing that setting?
Yes, I started out that way and that works fine. The advantage of the installation URL is the auto-update whenever you place a new version on the same location. The solution here might be to create my very own auto-updater and forget about the provided method.
Hi @ScubaFuz , I tested more on my side, and I think this issue may be caused by the URL. As I tested with other URL just for example: set this URL https://azureXXXX.XXXX.XXXX in Installation URL: box and this worked(started .exe and automatically downloaded .msi …), but changed to set the URL XXXX/XXXX/XXX in Installation URL:, I got the similar error message like yours. And I also got a warning like “Build input parameter ‘ApplicationUrl= XXXX/XXXX/XXX’ is not a web url or UNC share”. So, I think you can try to check and focus on the URL.
Perhaps, you can try to change the URL to http://trackmanagerXXX/XXX/XXX in Installation URL box.
Hi @Tianyu Sun-MSFT , Your answer was the solution. I also got a reply from Microsoft at the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects Q&A. which lead me to the right conclusion but the thing here was that I indeed needed to add http:// to the installation URL. I suggested to Microsoft to add that as a default when omitted.
Thanks for your time and effort.