Can users copy installed modules directly?

[projecttoday]

If I give a user an INNO setup install package of my VB project and he installs it on his computer, would he then be able to copy the files directly onto another computer and use the project or do other users have to have the setup also?

[PlausiblyDamp]

The simple answer is "it depends". If the setup is doing anything that can't be achieved by a simple file copy then things might not work if users don't run the installer.

Typically the installer would be doing things like create start menu icons, ensuring all dependencies are installed and present,other things. registering COM components, creating files and registry keys amongst other things. Just copying files will not do any of these things and could cause the copied version to fail.

[Shaggy Hiker]

If it's a simple project, it will probably work...as long as the framework is already installed on the target computer, which is becoming increasingly likely.

The simplest way to find out, though, is to try it.

[projecttoday]

Thank you, Plausibly and Shaggy. My project is pretty simple: Windows forms plus Access database. I have devised a password scheme that won't work if the files can simply be copied. I've been advised that the way to secure an app is to store a key in the registry of the computer. Would you have any idea how to do this?

[jmcilhinney]

Thank you, Plausibly and Shaggy. My project is pretty simple: Windows forms plus Access database. I have devised a password scheme that won't work if the files can simply be copied. I've been advised that the way to secure an app is to store a key in the registry of the computer. Would you have any idea how to do this?

This isn't a VB.NET issue. If you're using INNO then you'll need to create the Registry key and value in your installer, so that's a question for the Application Deployment forum.

[projecttoday]

I have posted in the Application Deployment forum.