I have web form aplication in asp.net and i have to create (has to be easy to install)complex instalator, witch will install IIS server, deploy the app to it create a local database and sets everything up. So the user will just complete installation and then will just run the aplication with out and other setting(or as little as posible).
I have no idea what to use or if it is even posible. Coudl you help me with what to use and how to create such instalation?
Thanks.
In my opinion, you could try to use some extenstion tool to achieve your requirement.
Like Professional edition of Advanced Installer.
It support:
IIS web sites, app pools, web apps and virtual directories
Install windows features without writing any scripting
Related
I have an asp.net project, and i want to create an installer for the deployment of the project. The installer will check if Sql Server is installed in the server, and if not, it will install it. The installer will also create and fill the database, and finally, it will create an repertory and copy the web pages and the dlls, and create the web site in IIS.
I have no idea how to do all this. So, can you just give the steps to follow.
(the deployment will be on a local server)
Thank you.
You can do this by using installer specialized tools like "InstallShield" or "Advanced Installer". Both tools have dedicated support for this type of setup configuration.
I've created an Azure server instance. I've deployed a simple application to it. As part of the deployment process I enabled Remote Desktop Connections.
I have some standard ASP.net applications that run on Windows, is there something to stop me deploying these applications manually to IIS using Remote Desktop. I've read so much about having to migrate standard ASP.net apps to Azure. I don't want to this as we will have customers who will still use Windows Server 2003/2008 so I don't want to have to maintain 2 versions.
Well, as I understand it, in theory you could deploy stuff using remote desktop. But when the instance shuts down/restarts you'll lose it all (unless you've built it into your startup scripts) and have to re-load everything each time. The main reason they suggest you have at least two instances is so that when one shuts down for updates etc there is always at least one other running.
The "Windows Azure Accelerator for Web Roles" project allows you to create an Azure web role which then enables you to use web deploy for all your other web sites - I'm guessing that will be a whole lot better approach and is definitely worth a look. Also, I believe smarx.com is a good place to browse for info and ideas.
Using a startup task and the Azure Bootstrapper you can download, unzip, install almost any kind of 3rd party software that supports either xcopy deployment (just copy the files) or an unattended(silent) install.
Assuming you aren't using Azure storage or anything like that, there shouldn't be any difference with the IIS application. If you are using anything specific to Azure, you can use the RoleEnvironment.IsAvailable to test if you are running inside Azure or not. That will return true for the emulator as well. If you want to use Azure storage from both, you can add the settings in the web.config to use if not running in Azure.
I've developed a very simple ASP.NET (jQuery) application.
The RDBMS is MS Sql Server but I could easily convert it in MS Access.
My client would like to have it available on a CD, ready to run.
I was thinking to convert it in a WinForm app but, still, I have to install the framework on the client.
Is there any other "possible" solution?
You're going to have more trouble trying to run a web app on a client machine than you will a desktop application.
A web app requires some sort of web server running, but a desktop app just needs the framework.
You're going to be better off converting it to a desktop app.
If your users are running versions of XP, Vista, or Windows 7 that include IIS, you could conceivably install the application into a virtual directory. That's a lot to ask from end-users, though. Most users won't have IIS installed even if they are running a version of Windows that offers it.
I haven't tried this, but I just found it by searching for "portable asp.net web server"
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/TinyWebServer.aspx
Introduction
Have you ever wanted to show up an
ASP.NET project where IIS was not
accessible? Have you ever thought of
if there can be a way to carry your
web server wherever you go, i.e., on a
USB flash stick or even a CD?
If so, then this cool TinyWebServer is
for you! This tiny portable web server
can be used for testing and developing
ASP.NET projects, wherever IIS is not
available.
Should be simple if you convert it to HTML & jquery script. As HTML doesn't require any seperate runtime & also worth considering asp.net runtime also does the same thing when the response is sent to the client.
You maybe able to do this by using something like cassini http://www.asp.net/downloads/archived/cassini/. This is a simplified version of the visual studio web server that you see when you run from visual studio.
In my team we have used this and wrapped it in a exe that allows us to start the cassini server and start a browser to the cassini server address.
This still relies on the right version of .NET Framework being installed.
EDIT: Some more recent links http://ultidev.com/Products/Cassini/ and
http://blogs.msdn.com/dmitryr/archive/2008/10/03/cassini-for-framework-3-5.aspx
Is there an ASP.NET version of phplist???
For those that do not know what phplist is; it's a list management app with a lot of really helpful features. (phplist.com)
I want to use something like phplist in a hosted Windows website without having to pay for another account that's just Linux to run phplist and a web service for me to access.
I have not heard about phplist. But you can run php using iis as well. Why not try it?
I am looking for some ideas on how to offer a installation package for my ASP.NET website. Some things I need to be able to do is read/write Registry keys, get the database(s) information and test the connection and I must be able to overwrite the existing website without an uninstall and update the web config on new versions. I do not wish to uninstall the website and re-install it. I would like minimum downtime on upgrades. I think I am going to have to implement a custom solution and if this is true how can i include all the output of my web application into my custom solution?
EDIT: I am not installing this on my own system(s). This is for distribution to other clients who will be installing/upgrading the website. It is important that I be able to upgrade to the latest asp.net website without uninstalling. Ideally it would be overwriting the existing site and updating the web.config file.
Option 1. Create web application installation package
Use Web Setup Project for creating a web application installation package (.msi)
Creating or Adding a Setup Project at MSDN
You can create your installation the way it will offer user an Upgrate option of your application if it's already installed on his or her machine. That's not a problem.
Alternatives to Web Setup Project (all of them can handle upgrade scenarios):
Wise Installation Studio
InstallShield
Nullsoft Scriptable Install System - this one is free and open source
Optoin 2. Deploy web application on the server
You can use NAnt or MSBuild or IIS Web Deployment Tool for these tasks automation.
For example with NAnt of MSBuild you could specify tasks like these:
get project files from source repository
update .config file and maybe some other files if needed
compile you web application
update registry settings on the server
update database schema on the server
synchronize files (x-copy) between you build folder to IIS web folder
Web Deployment Blog
Option 3. Distribute your web applications via Web Plafrom Installer.
http://www.microsoft.com/web/
Have you looked into Web Deployment Projects or the IIS Web Deployment Tool?
I think you can build asp.net application into .msi package and install it. Is that what you are looking for? And then you can build all of your customization into pre-deployment and post-deployment scripts.
I use NAnt and NSIS with some small console apps where they can't easily do some manipulations I require.
Do you tried the new Microsoft Web Platform Installer (new! 2.0 beta)?