Solved: VB6 P&D Problems

[Dave]

I've got a .exe that used to package and deploy and be transferable. Now with deployment, MS offers a message box that my test computer doesn't have some files and Windows is going to have to restart and load the files. Yeah sure. Do that and try to install again gets the same message and of course the message doesn't indicate what files are missing. I don't know where to start on a fix for this... being that I'm not very VB6 literate. I did add an .ico (icon) file to the project. I don't think that I made any code changes that would require a reference change. I also replaced some resource files. Perhaps I need to know if the .ico file has to be added as a resource or is it added to the project during P&D? It's in the support file. I don't get it. If anyone can offer suggestions on a fix, I would very much appreciate it as my glad as turned sad. Dave
edit: forgot to mention that I can't seem to get rid of the .ico to trial re-packaging without it

[Dave]

plodding along... trialed making a whole new project minus the .ico file. Same thing. I had some MS updates recently installed. Perhaps restore and retrial is next on my list. Dave

[Dave]

Those "helpful" updates :banghead: Restored to before installation of the MS updates then re-packaged and deployed successfully to the test computer. I then undid my restoration, removed the previously installed program and the program also installed successfully on the packaging computer. That's quite an annoying process to entertain everytime I want to p&d a program to a different computer without the updates. That was very "helpful" of those good MS folks :dunno Dave

[CBrine]

Dave,
Just as a note, I ended up downloading the VS deployment software and stopped using the old packager software. It creates an msi file instead of a setup.exe. It bypassed the problem all together, and seems to work fairly well. Can't remember what the link was, but a search on MSDN should find it.

HTH
Cal

[Dave]

Thanks Cal for the info. I'll explore that route. Dave
edit: here's the link. I haven't trialled it yet
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa718352.aspx

[Dave]

Well that worked great. Created a new installer project added the existing .vbp via add vb project outputs then hit build and the project was ready to go. It installed on the test computer without problems. However, there are a few things that didn't happen the way it did before and perhaps someone will be able to assist. Previously, the project icon was added to the add/remove programs dialog...now it does not. The icon presented is the windows installer icon. I would prefer the former. Also, the program is not added to the "All Programs" listing whereas previously it was. This also was preferred if anyone can assist with these 2 issues perhaps this thread would really be solved. Dave

[Dave]

Here's a couple of good links about: the vsinstaller in general; adding shortcuts for the program to the target machine on various directories; and adding icons to the shortcuts. Haven't found out how to icon the add/remove programs dialog yet?
http://www.devx.com/vb2themax/Article/19893

http://p102.ezboard.com/fvisualbasicexplorerfrm52.showMessage?topicID=96.topic

My take, and this seems to work for adding shortcuts and their icons:
with the vbinstaller project open...
- dble leftclick on file sytem to open 2 windows of properties(?) for the target machine.
- left click to select target machine's users desktop, users start menu or added directory locations in the left window. You can add a directory (folder) by right click on the "file sytem of target machine" and adding a special folder from the menu (or adding a custom menu)
- after selecting the target directory/folder from the left window by left clicking, right click the right window and select create shortcut. Select the project file for the shortcut from the window. The shortcut is now in the right window when the lelt window directory/folder is selected.
-in the right window, right click the shortcut to rename it
-right click the shortcut and select properties. In the properties window click icon and browse to icon file of choice.
-your done. Your renamed chosen icon shortcut to your installed program is now on the directories of choice for the target machine..

To add a shortcut to the desktop select users desktop in left window. To add a shortcut to the "all programs" select users start menu in the left window.
For posterity, I thought this might be handy wrote down somewhere. Hope the continued use of this "Solved" thread is okay. A big thank you to Cal for the posted and PM'd help. Dave