[RESOLVED] Deployment Projects

[uk_codemonkey]

All of my front-end applications are now being developed using VS.NET 2002, coding in VB.NET. Rather than going through the endless hassle of setting up trusts on each of the PCs, I'm using a Setup Project to automatically deploy the latest versions of my apps onto the local machine, via a batch file that is called from the login script.

The problem that I have discovered is that, whilst this approach works a treat when it comes to deployment of new or updated applications, I haven't yet found a similar way to "undeploy" an application. Some of our clients only use us for short periods of time, after which the application becomes redundant.

Is there an option available that would enable me to build something that would check for the existence of a deployed project, and uninstall it using the local user's account?

TIA

[Asgorath]

You could copy the executable to your client deployed directory.

Regards
Jorge

[uk_codemonkey]

Eh? How does that then remove the deployed project?

[Asgorath]

Eh? How does that then remove the deployed project?

Just make a normal setup on the client PC. Then EVERYTIME you modify your project just copy your /Bin directory to the client PC installation directory.

Regards
Jorge

[techgnome]

Asgorath, that *still* doesn't say how to "undeploy" the app -- not REdeply.... but rather the reverse.

I don't think there is a way to do that short of having them run the uninstall (add/remove programs ala Control Panel.)

Hmmm.... a logion batch file? Try running the set up, but with -u or /u as a parameter..... I think that will invoke the uninstall process.

-tg

[uk_codemonkey]

Hi Techgnome

That has resolved the issue. The correct syntax for this is:

MSIEXEC /uninstall <application.msi>

I can now deploy short-term projects, safe in the knowledge that they can be killed afterwards. I had a horrible feeling that I had unwittingly destined the company to have computers filled with thousands of redundant apps.

[Asgorath]

My solution would avoid the your problem of having the computers filled with thousands of redundant apps because you only setup ONCE and just update the exe when you make a change...

Regards
Jorge

[techgnome]

Asgorath.... the deployment wasn't the problem.... REMOVING the apps once done was the issue. While it would have avoided having multiple apps lying about, it did have one major drawback.... what if two of them needed to be deployed together? And those two replaces 5 existing apps that now need to be removed? Still same problem. Now that we've figured out how to run the uninstall, problem solved!

-tg