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Creating Installation Packages for COM+ Applications

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You can use the Component Services administrative tool or the COM+ Administration Library to create installation packages for COM+ applications and application proxies.

COM+ generates Windows Installer installation packages, which in a single file contain all the necessary pieces to install a COM+ application on another computer.

When exporting a COM+ application, the Component Services administrative tool determines the application's set of classes, components, and their attributes, as well as application-level attributes. From this information, the Component Services administrative tool generates a single .msi file, which contains the following:

  • Windows Installer tables with COM registration information (see the Windows Installer documentation for details).
  • An .apl file containing the application's attributes. (This is an internal file; the format of this file is not documented.)
  • DLLs and type libraries that describe the interfaces implemented by the COM+ application's classes.

In addition to the .msi file, the Component Services administrative tool generates a cabinet (.cab) file. This file wraps the .msi file, allowing the developer to deploy the COM+ application through Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Note

When exporting a COM+ application, the Component Services administrative tool packages only the standard COM+ parts of the application. It does not package, for example, any dependent DLL or data files. The dependent DLL files must first be installed on a computer prior to installing the COM+ application. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Installer authoring tool to add these dependent files to the .msi file generated by the Component Services administrative tool. (See the Windows Installer documentation for details.)

 

Installing COM+ Applications on Other Computers

The Windows Installer (.msi) file generated by the Component Services administrative tool can be used to install the COM+ application on another computer. The .msi file containing a COM+ application can be installed only on computers that support COM+ services. For detailed procedures on deploying COM+ applications, see "Installing COM+ Applications," in the Component Services Administration Help.

Unless the .msi file is modified using a Windows Installer authoring tool, COM+ applications installed by using the Windows Installer appear in the Add/Remove Programs control panel.

Deploying Application Proxies

The COM+ Catalog