Deploy merge modules to clients

Question

I need to deploy some Crystal Reports XI .dlls (craxdrt.dll, crviewer.dll) to client computers. Craxdrt.dll has many dependencies. I found out that the easiest way to go about this is to use the supplied merge modules. Having always relied on ClikOnce deployment I am at a total loss how to do this.

If it matters: the .exe is written in VB6, but I have visual studio 2010 to make setup projects.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Ideally you'd use the Visual Studio Installer 1.1 that Microsoft supplied as an add-on to VB/VS 6.0 a long time ago. While a bit long in the tooth (and recently removed from Microsoft Downloads) it works fine and was intended for just this purpose. The process is described in the Help that came with the product.

However if you have an edition of VS 2010 that can create real Setup projects (i.e. not Express) it should work in a very similar manner. It should be a standard option to add MSMs to a Setup project.

See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aw2dz878.aspx