What files to keep VB.net

[asedt]

Hi


I have done some applications in VS 2005 with VB. I have browse around on msdn (http://msdn.microsoft.com/sv-se/libr...us,VS.80).aspx) for some time trying to find an answer on what files to keep.

What files to store as source code?, all of them?

obj folder? (don't know if need)
My Project folder? (don't know if need)
Name.vbproj (don't know if need)
app.config (need i think)
designer.vb files (need i think)
vb files (need i think)
resx files (don't know if need)

sln /suo? (don't know if need)


I do copy all files in the \bin\Release\ folder when manual distributing the program.

Do I need all these files:

Name.exe (need ofc)
Name.exe.config (need ofc)
Name.pdb (don't know if need)
Name.xml (don't know if need)
Mylib.dll (need ofc)


And if I want to print some files fore safekeeping the source, witch should I print?
Thanks

[cloud255]

As a good practice, you should keep all the files used by the solution, you never know when you might need them again.

as for distributing, you should create a setup project. This is done by adding a setup project (found under other project types) to the solution. this project will compile with all the resources needed by the application and will create an .msi which the client can use to install the project.

There are also more fancy tools out there which allow you to create custom wizards and such, but the .msi made by visual studio is the standard "click next the whole time" installer and is good enough for most small projects.

[asedt]

As a good practice, you should keep all the files used by the solution, you never know when you might need them again.

Thats what I'm doing at the moment, was thinking that some of them was not that usefull to keep. I can always clear the bin folder right?

as for distributing, you should create a setup project. This is done by adding a setup project (found under other project types) to the solution. this project will compile with all the resources needed by the application and will create an .msi which the client can use to install the project.

Ok, I will probably learn how to do that but what is the pros of doing that way?, I have a limited number (20 or so) of users of my application and nothing can be faster than just copy the stuff, the instalation takes less than 30 seconds.


Want to learn more about what the file are doing, must be somwere at msdn.

[deric]

You can dispose .suo, the bin folder and the obj folder (but if you need to keep the .exe file inside Debug/Release folder you can copy it before disposing the folders).
The .suo just contains the user's settings.
The bin and the obj folders contain the files when you run/debug or build your project.

The important codes that you might want to print are:
[For windows application:]
- all FormName.vb files
- all FormName.Design er.vb files
- all your created modules or classes
[For web application:]
- all WebForm.aspx files
- all WebForm.aspx.vb files
- all your created modules or classes
- all .config files

[cloud255]

Thats what I'm doing at the moment, was thinking that some of them was not that usefull to keep. I can always clear the bin folder right?

Yeah, the bin folder is where the compiler puts all the files after compiling them, so it will be filled after every compile.

Ok, I will probably learn how to do that but what is the pros of doing that way?, I have a limited number (20 or so) of users of my application and nothing can be faster than just copy the stuff, the instalation takes less than 30 seconds.

Yeah, it works, but having your bin folder just floating about on a client machine is not such a good idea. if it is deleted the client needs to get the entire folder agian, where an installer is far more neat and looks a bit more proffesional. the installation is normally less than one minute for a small application, of course if your app is going to be 2GB it will take a while to install.