How to run an Executable file from Setup Project?

[PulkitZery]

Hello,

I have created a Setup project that installs my application on client PC. But in order to run my program, end users must install Windows Media Encoder. What I want to do is to include redistributable WMEncoder.exe file into my Setup project, so that my application’s setup will install WM Encoder along with my application. Can someone please tell me or point me to an article that shows how to do this?

Thanks very much in advance,
Jerry

[RobDog888]

I believe its a Custom Action in your setup sproject. I'm not sure if its available on Express but it is in Standard+. You should be having them download it as there are service patches and hotfixes with it too.

[PulkitZery]

Where can I find these Custom Actions?

Thanks,
Jerry

[RickyH]

jerry, try something more simple. Click start, Click Run, type in iexpress and click ok.

This is a builtin windows zip cabinet maker. during setup, it asks you which files you want to include. Choose your installation setup files from vb.net and choose the exe you want to have installed after the install to be included in the setup project you are making with iexpress.

during the wizard, you are asked which exe files you want to start after the unzipping occurs. Choose your vb.net exe setup file then in the other option, asking if you would like to run a command after the setup is complete, choose the Windows Media Encoder setup file.

(Iexpress comes comes bundled with Windows already)

This is also useful if you want to compres your vs.net deployment project to a single exe file (e.g. myProject.exe, myProject.msi) down to a single executable file.

Regards,
Ricky H

[RobDog888]

But zipping a setup for WMEncoder.exe will not install it, only package it along with your files in the installation package. It may not even be legal to redistribut WMEncoder.exe this way as its more ethical and legal to have the user download the program from Microsoft. The custom action can include the url for download too.