simple question: Web setup project installer. changing installation directory

[MENTAT]

Hi,

I am trying to create an installer for my web application. So I added a
web setup project to my solution (I am using VS.NET 2003). Been playing
around with it since then and it basically works.

Now, I am wondering if there is any way to change the directory that
the installer installs the files to. I want to be able to put my files
in a specified directory (user specified is good, but i don't mind
hardcoding the path either) and point my virtual directory to it.

Is there any way to do this. Right now the files are just being stored
in c:\...\inetput\ wwwroot\Project FileName directory. I opened up the
File system editor and looked at the properties for the WebApplication
Folder. One of the properties is called property TARGETDIR. I assume
this is the property i need to change?
[color=blue]
>From what I gathered on the web and newsgroups, this property can be[/color]
accessed "programaticall y". Is this correct? Can anyone tell me me how
to access and set this property. As I said, Ideally I would like to
give the user the option of specifying the physical directory, but i
don't mind hardcoding that during design time either.

[MENTAT]

Re: simple question: Web setup project installer. changing installatio

Thanks for the reply Kannan,

Yes, the articles have helped. But from what i gather the CustomAction
is executed after the installation. By this time the directory
structure has already been created. (Isn't that correct?)

Is there any way to programmaticall y create virtual directories. I.e
create and ordinary directory structure and point a virtual directory
to it. There are some code snippets for this floating around, but they
are all written in VB, not C#. I haven't found one in C# yet. Is the
only way to create virtual directories and configure IIS to use VB? (If
so, I might have to start learning to code in VB). Or is there a c#
option?

I read somewhere that the solution to this is to use an ordinary setup
project (not a web setup) and create the directory structure, and then
point the virtual directory to it. Is this really the best way to do
things or is there a web setup solution?

How do I get CustomAction to execute before the installation. In the
installer class there is a BeforeInstall event. Is this what I have to
use create my virtual directory programmaticall y (if that is the way to
go).

There seems to be a lot of bits and pieces around and related sequence
tasks to be done. So far I haven't found a good comprehensive solution.
Surely someone out there has already done this before? Just need a bit
more help piecing the puzzle together.

Thanks all in advance.


PS: I haven't been able to access Context.Paramet ers["INSTALLDIR "] so
far. Keeps throwing an "object reference not set to an object instance"
error during installation. And from what I gather, this is a property
that is set by the installer after installation. Not something the
CustomAction can set before installation. Am I correct?


Kannan.V [MCSD.net] wrote:[color=blue]
> hi....
>
> for reading the values from the install program, i guess u must have[/color]
added[color=blue]
> custom forms to ur install app from the setup project, in this case u[/color]
have to[color=blue]
> create a custom installer class to read the values from the installer[/color]
[color=blue]
> application and do the required job, once u have created ur installer[/color]
class u[color=blue]
> need to add this dll file as a custom action to the installer,
> so when the installer runs, the code in the installer class also gets[/color]
[color=blue]
> executed.
>
> you need to pass the parameters thro the custom action data property[/color]
in the[color=blue]
> setup app.
> Ex. - /INSTALLDIR="[INSTALLDIR]"
> and inside the installer class you can read the parameters as shown[/color]
below.[color=blue]
> Console.WriteLi ne(Context.Para meters["INSTALLDIR "].ToString());
>
> check out these links for further reading.
> http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/Code/20...nstClasses.asp
>
>[/color]
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...classtopic.asp[color=blue]
>
> hope this helps,
> Bye
>
> Kannan.V
> http://kannanv.blogspot.com
>
>
>
> "MENTAT" wrote:
>[color=green]
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am trying to create an installer for my web application. So I[/color][/color]
added a[color=blue][color=green]
> > web setup project to my solution (I am using VS.NET 2003). Been[/color][/color]
playing[color=blue][color=green]
> > around with it since then and it basically works.
> >
> > Now, I am wondering if there is any way to change the directory[/color][/color]
that[color=blue][color=green]
> > the installer installs the files to. I want to be able to put my[/color][/color]
files[color=blue][color=green]
> > in a specified directory (user specified is good, but i don't mind
> > hardcoding the path either) and point my virtual directory to it.
> >
> > Is there any way to do this. Right now the files are just being[/color][/color]
stored[color=blue][color=green]
> > in c:\...\inetput\ wwwroot\Project FileName directory. I opened up[/color][/color]
the[color=blue][color=green]
> > File system editor and looked at the properties for the[/color][/color]
WebApplication[color=blue][color=green]
> > Folder. One of the properties is called property TARGETDIR. I[/color][/color]
assume[color=blue][color=green]
> > this is the property i need to change?
> >[color=darkred]
> > >From what I gathered on the web and newsgroups, this property can[/color][/color][/color]
be[color=blue][color=green]
> > accessed "programaticall y". Is this correct? Can anyone tell me me[/color][/color]
how[color=blue][color=green]
> > to access and set this property. As I said, Ideally I would like to
> > give the user the option of specifying the physical directory, but[/color][/color]
i[color=blue][color=green]
> > don't mind hardcoding that during design time either.
> >
> >[/color][/color]

[Kannan.V [MCSD.net]]

Re: simple question: Web setup project installer. changing install

hi MENTAT,

As you have said the directory structure for the web setup projects are
created at the start of the install process, tried to play around with it,
but was not able to get a way to manipulate it.

You can programatically create directories and point to a virtual directory.
and there is no difference in using VB or C#, you must be able to do
whatever you do in VB using C#, the only difference is the syntax and a
little bit of the way they both handle things, but thats got nothing to do
with the coding or the logic part.

Yes we can use the Ordinary setup project to create folders and point to the
virtual directory.

Will post with more info once try something on my box.

PS : For websetup projects use the ["TARGETDIR"] as the parameter.

"MENTAT" wrote:
[color=blue]
> Thanks for the reply Kannan,
>
> Yes, the articles have helped. But from what i gather the CustomAction
> is executed after the installation. By this time the directory
> structure has already been created. (Isn't that correct?)
>
> Is there any way to programmaticall y create virtual directories. I.e
> create and ordinary directory structure and point a virtual directory
> to it. There are some code snippets for this floating around, but they
> are all written in VB, not C#. I haven't found one in C# yet. Is the
> only way to create virtual directories and configure IIS to use VB? (If
> so, I might have to start learning to code in VB). Or is there a c#
> option?
>
> I read somewhere that the solution to this is to use an ordinary setup
> project (not a web setup) and create the directory structure, and then
> point the virtual directory to it. Is this really the best way to do
> things or is there a web setup solution?
>
> How do I get CustomAction to execute before the installation. In the
> installer class there is a BeforeInstall event. Is this what I have to
> use create my virtual directory programmaticall y (if that is the way to
> go).
>
> There seems to be a lot of bits and pieces around and related sequence
> tasks to be done. So far I haven't found a good comprehensive solution.
> Surely someone out there has already done this before? Just need a bit
> more help piecing the puzzle together.
>
> Thanks all in advance.
>
>
> PS: I haven't been able to access Context.Paramet ers["INSTALLDIR "] so
> far. Keeps throwing an "object reference not set to an object instance"
> error during installation. And from what I gather, this is a property
> that is set by the installer after installation. Not something the
> CustomAction can set before installation. Am I correct?
>
>
> Kannan.V [MCSD.net] wrote:[color=green]
> > hi....
> >
> > for reading the values from the install program, i guess u must have[/color]
> added[color=green]
> > custom forms to ur install app from the setup project, in this case u[/color]
> have to[color=green]
> > create a custom installer class to read the values from the installer[/color]
>[color=green]
> > application and do the required job, once u have created ur installer[/color]
> class u[color=green]
> > need to add this dll file as a custom action to the installer,
> > so when the installer runs, the code in the installer class also gets[/color]
>[color=green]
> > executed.
> >
> > you need to pass the parameters thro the custom action data property[/color]
> in the[color=green]
> > setup app.
> > Ex. - /INSTALLDIR="[INSTALLDIR]"
> > and inside the installer class you can read the parameters as shown[/color]
> below.[color=green]
> > Console.WriteLi ne(Context.Para meters["INSTALLDIR "].ToString());
> >
> > check out these links for further reading.
> > http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/Code/20...nstClasses.asp
> >
> >[/color]
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...classtopic.asp[color=green]
> >
> > hope this helps,
> > Bye
> >
> > Kannan.V
> > http://kannanv.blogspot.com
> >
> >
> >
> > "MENTAT" wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I am trying to create an installer for my web application. So I[/color][/color]
> added a[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > web setup project to my solution (I am using VS.NET 2003). Been[/color][/color]
> playing[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > around with it since then and it basically works.
> > >
> > > Now, I am wondering if there is any way to change the directory[/color][/color]
> that[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > the installer installs the files to. I want to be able to put my[/color][/color]
> files[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > in a specified directory (user specified is good, but i don't mind
> > > hardcoding the path either) and point my virtual directory to it.
> > >
> > > Is there any way to do this. Right now the files are just being[/color][/color]
> stored[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > in c:\...\inetput\ wwwroot\Project FileName directory. I opened up[/color][/color]
> the[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > File system editor and looked at the properties for the[/color][/color]
> WebApplication[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > Folder. One of the properties is called property TARGETDIR. I[/color][/color]
> assume[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > this is the property i need to change?
> > >
> > > >From what I gathered on the web and newsgroups, this property can[/color][/color]
> be[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > accessed "programaticall y". Is this correct? Can anyone tell me me[/color][/color]
> how[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > to access and set this property. As I said, Ideally I would like to
> > > give the user the option of specifying the physical directory, but[/color][/color]
> i[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > don't mind hardcoding that during design time either.
> > >
> > >[/color][/color]
>
>[/color]