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Thread: [RESOLVED] How to install a WCF service using install shield?

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    Super Moderator FunkyDexter's Avatar
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    Resolved [RESOLVED] How to install a WCF service using install shield?

    Hi All

    I've developed a WCF service using the WCF service library template in VS 2019 (followed the step here). I'm now trying to build an installer to install that on a clients machine using Install Shield. However, I can't seem to find the right options.

    I've deployed web services built as Windows Services in VS before by using the Services node in InstallShield. However, this node expects to be given an exe, which the Windows Service template produces. The WCF service doesn't produce an exe, it produces a dll.

    So what's my way forward?

    The WCF service is still fairly small so I could reimplement it using the Windows Service template. This feels like a step back though.

    I also notice that there's an Internet Information Services node in Install Shield that, according to the blurb, can be used to deploy web based applications. That sounds like it may be what I'm after but I'm outside my comfort zone on this and would appreciate it if someone could confirm if I'm heading in the right direction before I jump down that rabbit hole. Also, would this involve prerequisites (e.g. IIS) to be installed on the target machine?

    Failing the above, is there another option available to me?




    Edit>> Ah, Just came across the WCF Service Application template in Visual Studio. I'm guessing that's what I really should have developed this as. Does that sound right?
    Last edited by FunkyDexter; Jul 22nd, 2022 at 12:50 PM.
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    Re: How to install a WCF service using install shield?

    As there have been no responses, I thought I'd come back on this with the solution I eventually went with. I simply wrote a windows service that creates and opens a ServiceHost of the WCF service (and closes in on completion). This works quite well as a solution because it's easy to add the windows service to an install package and it means the end user can use the windows service to stop and start the hosted WCF service.
    The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter - Winston Churchill

    Hadoop actually sounds more like the way they greet each other in Yorkshire - Inferrd

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    Re: [RESOLVED] How to install a WCF service using install shield?

    I'm highly against a WCF service, especially if it escalates to a big project.
    It's difficult to maintain (that damn web.config ans it's bindings gave me headaches in the past), it's deprecated and it lacks parameter types as I've discussed in a thread last year.
    This comes from a person that is actually using WCF services in it's previous projects.
    I would recommend a web API but if you have to go with WCF at least make it Restful:
    https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/articl...-and-contract/
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