Checking .NET version in Windows Setup Project

Question

While creating a windows deployment project for one of my .NET 2.0 applications, I notice that on right-clicking the 'Setup' project in the solution explorer and selecting properties, there is a pre-requisites button. Also, on right-clicking 'Setup', selecting 'View' and choosing 'Launch Conditions', I can specify some launch conditions.

My requirement is that the installer should check that .NET 2.0 or higher is installed or not. If not, it should quit.

Here are my questions-

1. The .NET requirement is to be included using the 'Pre-requisites' button or the 'Launch Conditions' ?

2. Does the check become a part of the exe or the msi ? Specifically, I am required to distribute the msi for the application. So can a check be included in the msi itself for .NET ?

Answer 1

Prerequisites are packages (usually from 3rd) that your application needs to be executed. They differ from launch conditions because they're installed (from specified source) if they're missing. Launch conditions simply deny to execute setup if not satisfied.

That said:

The .NET requirement is to be included using the 'Pre-requisites' button or the 'Launch Conditions' ?

Use Launch Conditions, you won't deploy .NET Framework with your application (and you do not want to link to an on-line source) so you require it's installed before.

Does the check become a part of the exe or the msi ? Specifically, I am required to distribute the msi for the application. So can a check be included in the msi itself for .NET?

Everything you setup is included in your MSI file so your Launch Conditions will be defined there. Prerequisites are installed with a process called chaining or bootstrapping and it's managed by the executable (not MSI). In your case (because you do not want to deploy prerequisites) you need to deploy only .MSI file.