Create a setup file in Visual Studio 2012

Question

I have a windows form project and I want to create an installation package for this project. How can I create a setup file in Visual Studio 2012 ? My project is without data base.

How to create a Setup package using Visual Studio 2012.NET?

Answer 1

Visual Studio setup projects (vdproj) are not supplied with VS 2012
There are several solutions for you:

• You could use InstallShield instead.
• If you don't want or can't use InstallShield for any reason, you could try WiX. This toolset builds Windows installation packages from XML source code.
• If you only use Windows Presentation Foundation (.xbap), Windows Forms (.exe), console application (.exe), or Office solution (.dll) you could look at ClickOnce. To use this you should right click on the project file in the solution explorer and select "Publish" from the pop-up menu.
• Alternatively you can use previous version of Visual Studio (2010).

Answer 2

Microsoft released the Visual Studio Installer Project extension in April of this year, the catch is it's for VS2013, not VS2012.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/archive/2014/04/17/visual-studio-installer-projects-extension.aspx

The 'lite' InstallShield option remains in VS if you need something with more flexibility.

Answer 3

Advanced Installer also has a free version that includes an extension for VS. This is a commercial tool but the extension is included in the free edition as I said, for more advanced features you need to purchase a Professional or higher licenses and edit the project direct from Advanced Installer GUI, not from VS. (but you can still use the project in the VS solution, so you get the MSI built at the end of your build process)