Package installer with SQL Server?

[dee-u]

I am inclined to believe it is not possible but I would like to ask anyway. Is it possible to create a package where we could also include the installation of an SQL Server instance? My Dean thinks it is possible and he's requiring the students to create just 1 installer for all the files needed to run their programs.

[jmcilhinney]

You can install SQL Server Express with your app simply by ticking a box in the Prerequisites dialogue.

[dee-u]

I have difficulty googling a tutorial on how to do that, care to cite a link?

[jmcilhinney]

I don't know about InstallShield LE but for ClickOnce or a Setup project you simply open the Prerequisites dialogue and check the box for SQL Server Express. Do you really need a tutorial for that?

[dilettante]

This really isn't a smart idea. You risk your installer colliding with existing SQL Server software and instances just for starters. Even SQL Server Compact can be a problem in this regard though it's quite a bit safer.

ClickOnce can isolate Express, making this less of a problem. But ClickOnce isn't really an installation technology one would use for serious applications. And all it really does is download and launch additional installers for the Framework, SQL Server Express, or whatever else is missing.

See Embedding SQL Server Express into Custom Applications for the full horror story.


I'd say ditch SQL Server and move to Jet instead. Everything required installs as part of Windows and there is no collision risk to produce severe user frustration.

[jmcilhinney]

This really isn't a smart idea. You risk your installer colliding with existing SQL Server software and instances just for starters. Even SQL Server Compact can be a problem in this regard though it's quite a bit safer.

ClickOnce can isolate Express, making this less of a problem. But ClickOnce isn't really an installation technology one would use for serious applications. And all it really does is download and launch additional installers for the Framework, SQL Server Express, or whatever else is missing.

See Embedding SQL Server Express into Custom Applications for the full horror story.


I'd say ditch SQL Server and move to Jet instead. Everything required installs as part of Windows and there is no collision risk to produce severe user frustration.

I think that you might be under some misconceptions. Both ClickOnce and VS Setup projects can specify prerequisites for your application. In both cases, doing so requires just a tick of a box. I don't know for sure as I've never tried it but I would imaging that InstallShield LE and various other deployment tools would also allow you to bootstrap other installers into yours. There are several prerequisites included with VS and you can create your own if you desire. Any that you select will have their installers bootstrapped into yours. There are two points worth particular notice here:

1. Your installer will first check whether the prerequisite component is already installed and only install it if it's not. For example, if a user installs your app and you already have SQL Server Express installed then it won't try to install it. This means that there won't be any "collisions".

2. When you create the installer, you can choose whether it will download prerequisites on demand or they will be distributed with the installer. Downloading on demand is the default option and it is preferable if you are distributing your application electronically. That means that the user will download your app's installer only to begin with and then, when they run it, each prerequisite will be downloaded only if it's needed. For example, if a user already has SQL Server Express installed then the prerequisite package will never be downloaded, saving them time and bandwidth. If you intend to distribute your app on physical media then you should choose the second option. That way you will put all the prerequisite packages on the same CD/DVD disc or flash drive as the installer so noone has to download anything whether they already have the prerequisites installed or not.