How to deploy wpf application with SQL Server Express 2008 in visual studio 2012?

Question

We have a wpf application in .Net Framework 4 and using SQL Server Express 2008 as database when developing. Now we want to deploy it. How to package the DB and generate an installer for the user to download and install it to their machines using visual studio 2012?

Answer 1

Don't know if you found out yet, but starting with VS 2012 Microsoft is no longer providing their "Visual Studio Setup Project". So you need to use another third-party tool that integrates with VS. If you want a free and powerful tool I recommend WiX, but it will take you some time to learn it.

Advanced Installer also integrates with Visual Studio in its free and payed editions. However, for what you want to do a license is required.