The Packaging Process

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This content is no longer actively maintained. It is provided as is, for anyone who may still be using these technologies, with no warranties or claims of accuracy with regard to the most recent product version or service release.

Packaging is the act of creating a package that can install your application onto the user's computer. A package consists of one or more .cab files that contain your compressed project files and any other files the user must have to install in order to run your application. These files might include setup programs, secondary .cab files, or other required files.

You can freely distribute any redistributable application or component that you create with Microsoft® Office Developer. Note that because Microsoft® FrontPage® and Microsoft® Outlook® only support projects that are based on user profiles, the Packaging Wizard cannot package applications using these products. You can, however, package and deploy any stand-alone project, such as Add-in projects, created in the Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) environment regardless of the application used. In addition, the Packaging Wizard cannot package workflow applications for Microsoft® Exchange Server or Digital Dashboard projects.

In addition to document, spreadsheet, workbook, or other Office files, your application might require other files you have created, such as DLLs, Microsoft® ActiveX® controls (.ocx files), or bitmaps (.bmp files). You can also include the Microsoft Access Runtime and Graph9.exe with your packaged application if required. The Packaging Wizard makes it easy to package and distribute all of these files. For more information about the Access Runtime, see Deploying Microsoft Access Applications using the Access Runtime.

Note   You also might be able to distribute other ActiveX controls, .exe files, and DLLs that you have purchased. Consult the manufacturer's license agreement for each of the files you plan to distribute to determine whether or not you have the right to distribute the file with your application.

In addition, you can use the Packaging Wizard to add dependency files. Dependency files list the run-time components that must be distributed with your application's project files.

These are the steps in the packaging process:

  • Determine the files you must distribute.   The wizard must determine the project files and dependent files for your application before it can create the package. Project files are the files included in the application itself — for example, the .vbo file and its contents. Dependent files are run-time files or components your application requires to run. Dependency information is stored in various .dep files corresponding to the components in your project.
  • If necessary, create dependency files for your application's components.   If you determined in the previous step that your application requires any dependency files, you should create these files prior to creating the package. You can then include these files as part of the package. For more information, see Including Dependency Files in Setup Packages.
  • Determine where to install files on the user's computer.   Program and setup files are usually installed into a subdirectory of the Program Files directory, while system and dependent files are usually installed into the \Windows\System or \Winnt\System32 directory. Your setup program must take this into account and determine where to install each file.
  • Create your package.   The wizard creates the package and the setup program (setup1.exe) for it, referencing all necessary files. The end result of this step is one or more .cab files and any necessary setup files.

See Also

Deploying Your Application | Packaging Wizard | Deploying Office Templates and Application-Specific Add-ins | Deploying COM Add-ins | Deploying Microsoft Access Applications using the Access Runtime | Deploying Outlook and FrontPage Applications | Testing Your Setup Package | Localizing Your Application