Deploy My Program?

[DaGeeza]

I wish to deploy my program to others, but before I can do that I require the use of an MSSQL desktop engine to be installed on the users computer along with my database stored on it.

Any ideas on where I would start to automate the installation of this?

[RhinoBull]

MS says that

you must write an application setup wrapper utility that does the following:
• Calls the Desktop Engine Setup.exe file to install an instance of MSDE 2000 Release A.
• Installs the application.

Here is the original link.

[Hack]

Moved to application deployment

[DaGeeza]

Wow - Application deployment section, didnt even know that existed. LOL, so lets see - lets say by some miracle I manage to get MSDE installed - how do I go about putting my database into it via code?

[RhinoBull]

I haven't used MSDE so cannot tell you for sure but normally you would create some script to create entire schema including tables/views/indexes/stored procs/etc... You may create multiple scripts but the idea is the same. Scipts can be excuted manually (you'll have send some detailed instructions to your users) or via code and/or batch.