What are the files needed in order to build a setup.exe?

Hello, everyone!

I just finished my application in VS2010 (by the way, I want to say thanks to everyone who helped in this forum!! without your help, it would have been nearly impossible for me to finish! :)), and now I need to build a setup application in order to install my app in other computers. But I don't know which of the files generated by VS, are really needed for the setup. Some images were loaded from my computer (icons), and some resources were added to the settings; so I don't know whether those files will be available if the app is launched on other PCs. Also, there are some other files generated that I have no idea about their functions, and I don't know whether they will be needed for the setup.

I hope you can help me. Thank you in advance!!

No, the you don't need to include the icons and all that. These are all compiled into the .exe file itself. You can test this yourself by copying out the .exe to a separate folder and running it.

I have my files setup as exe's.
and then I use is a program called 'Inno Setup'


To my knowledge, which I think is crazy, you cannot actually create an installation file of your project in visual studio express. Dont quote me on that, but I havent found a way.

What I do is more of a work around, but it gets the job done.

Inside of your project file go to Project > Project Properties > Publish > Options > Deployment > and deselect 'open deployment web' and 'use.deploy'. doing this will let you publish a stand alone EXE (in the project properties is where you can specify your icon as well for the main form)
After that go into your publication folder
Root > Project > Publish > Application Files > Project_name_and_version >
and copy all of the files located there into a new folder (the setup folder).

Open Inno and choose the setup wizard, which will step you through everything. Link the EXE and files to the setup folder you copied everything into and click go.
Thats it, your done.

If you are going to use the same set up again with inno for an updated version you will also need to update the GUI number (its the long number located near the top). Do that by highlighting that number and going to tools (i think) and generate GUI number.

I hope that helps, and like I said, I am probably mistaken about VSE, but thats how I do it :)
~Frab

I'm on the 2015 version so it might be slightly different, but what I do, is in the menu click "Build > Build (App name)" and make sure that it's in "Release," not "Debug." Then go to "C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\App name\App name\bin\Release" and you will find the .exe standalone file. Simple as that!

Thank you for your answer! I have a software named 'Smart Install Maker', I think it works just like the one you mentioned. But my main question is, which one of all the files generated by Visual Studio are really needed?

Because my app uses some passwords, and if i copy the .vb file into the setup folder, then every user will have access to the passwords simply by changing '.vb' for '.txt', so that they can open the file using notepad or any other software for text files. Also, the folder of my app is about 65 MB, but the release (.exe) is only 6MB, so I don't think all of the files are really needed. Well... that is my guessing, but I'm not sure about that.

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Originally Posted by NinjaNic

I'm on the 2015 version so it might be slightly different, but what I do, is in the menu click "Build > Build (App name)" and make sure that it's in "Release," not "Debug." Then go to "C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\App name\App name\bin\Release" and you will find the .exe standalone file. Simple as that!

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I know about that, but I want to make sure no other files will be needed, since I imported some files from my PC (using routes from my hard drive like C:/User/.... etc.)

And I also want to make sure whether the files in resources are saved in the .exe file (the one in the release folder), because a 'resources' folder were generated in my folder's application, so I don't know whether I need to copy that folder to every PC I install my app.

I am going to need an installer soon myself but I will need something more complex. I need an installer that can install certificates into the Windows certificate store. Can Inno do that, or is there something else that can?

jkcobian, at least what I explained to you does not need an external resources folder. All the resources used in your app will be compiled into that .exe standalone.

I don't understand why you wouldn't use the in-built setup project in Visual Studio!!!

In the professional editions you have it in 2010, 2013, 2015 (the only aberration when they tried to bring in InstallShield Light in 2012)

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To my knowledge, which I think is crazy, you cannot actually create an installation file of your project in visual studio express.

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Both the Free Community Editions (2013 , 2015) have the setup project, so if your using an old express edition then really you should be upgrading to the Community 2015 edition, you get access to NuGet as well which is a big bonus!

For the most installs the Setup project will be enough and it is incredibly easy to use and pretty much does most of the work for you, its only if you have a really complicated install that you might need something else!

For example i have used WIX in the past when i needed to have a custom action (in this case a Server Folder Browser) as part of the installation

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I need an installer that can install certificates into the Windows certificate store.

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Yes this can be done with just the basic VS setup project!

I thought in all (recent) versions of visual studio you could create the click once setup packages just by doing a publish?

So, being very specific. The only files I added where: some images (which, based on what you guys said, I think they're already loaded in the .exe file in my 'release' folder), and I use OleDB to communicate with some DataBases.

So, if I'm understanding correctly, for my setup application, I only need the .exe generated by VS 2010, and the DataBases. Am I right?

Thank you for your help!!