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Windows Installer Deployment

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[This documentation is for preview only, and is subject to change in later releases. Blank topics are included as placeholders.]

Windows Installer deployment enables you to create installer packages to be distributed to users; the user runs the setup file and steps through a wizard to install the application. This is accomplished by adding a Setup project to your solution. When built, the project creates a setup file that you distribute to users; the user runs the setup file and steps through a wizard to install the application.

You implement Windows Installer deployment by using InstallShield Limited Edition.

InstallShield Limited Edition

InstallShield Limited Edition (ISLE) is free for Visual Studio developers and replaces the functionality of the project templates in Visual Studio for setup and deployment.

You can use an importing tool to convert setup projects from earlier versions of Visual Studio to ISLE projects. In Visual Studio, create an InstallShield LE project from the New Project dialog box, open the InstallShield LE menu, and then choose Visual Studio Deployment Project Import Wizard.

Obtaining InstallShield Limited Edition

You must register to download the InstallShield Limited Edition. After you complete the following procedure, the InstallShield Limited Edition Project template appears in Visual Studio.

  1. On the menu bar, choose File, New, Project.

  2. Expand the Other Project Types node.

  3. Expand the Setup and Deployment node.

  4. Choose Enable InstallShield Limited Edition, and then choose the OK button.

  5. Choose the Download Now link.

Note

You must register by using your email address before you can download the product.

You can unlock all the features of InstallShield by paying to upgrade to the full version of InstallShield.