dot Net complaints

[kamahl]

#3 - ugh. You're approaching things wrongly - exactly how to do things right depend on whole bunch of things, though. But in general, you'll want to bind your controls to objects (as opposed to string/int/whatever representations of individual properties) and use proper sorting: check out IComparable<T> and IComparer<T> interfaces. There's several ways to handle sorting, and there's more to it than just the sorting itself... for instance, it's often better practice to not sort your object data directly, but bind the GUI element to a filter/sort adapter that constructs the binding collection from it's source collection.

-f0dder (November 03, 2010, 12:58 AM)

Please, offer me a better way to do it. 

[kyrathaba]

I have the same frustration with .NET.  I did finally manage to tweak an InnoSetup script enough to get it to detect if .NET 4.0 is present and, if not, download it.  I'm attaching a link to a downloadable zipped archive of my InnoSetupPortable folder.  It contains a directory structure housing "Character Creator.exe" (could be any other executable, just happens to be the one my script references) in the /source/ subdirectory, and a related *.iss script file in the root of the directory.  If anyone can use this as a starting-point, and develop a better script (maybe one that also prompts for installation of a desktop icon, etc.), feel free to build upon this:

http://kyrathaba.dcmembers.com/testbed/InnoSetupPE.zip

[mouser]

Thanks for sharing that kyrathaba 

Here's how i prompt for desktop icon with Inno.

First add an ICON line:
[Icons]
Name: {userdesktop}\Name of your application; Filename: {app}\YourApplicationProgramFile.exe; Tasks: desktopicon

Then add a TASKS line:

[Tasks]
Name: desktopicon; Description: {cm:CreateDesktopIcon}; GroupDescription: {cm:AdditionalIcons}

[Renegade]

One of the real pains of distributing a dot net application seems to be worrying about and figuring out ways to deal with the situation where a required edition of the dot net clr isnt installed.

-mouser (November 03, 2010, 07:51 AM)

I don't know what you mean exactly. If you start from an installer, the installer will direct you to the proper download page. There's an exception message that tells the user that they need it, then they can opt to install it and are properly directed to the MS .NET install page. This has been around since .NET 2.0. It's much better in later versions though. .NET 1.0 and 1.1 were totally sucky for this though.

[kyrathaba]

Thanks for the info, Mouser.

I did find Byte Essence Install Maker, which purports to check the .NET Framework version (and presumably would offer to download a missing Framework).  I haven't tested it yet; but if it does what it claims, it's just what I'm looking for:  a freeware installer, no scripting learning curve, that would work well with my .NET apps.



And here's something that may interest you, Mouser.  An MSI bootstrapper that detects if .NET Framework is needed prior to program installation.  It says it's licensed under the GPL.

Also, the free version of AdvancedInstaller purports to check for and automate the installation of missing .NET Framework:

[kyrathaba]

Came across this DreamShield installer, mouser, which is interesting:

DreamShield is a publishing tool through which it is possible to create installers to publish Microsoft .NET based applications. You can also choose whether to include the setup of the .NET Framework itself with your package for an easy distribution. It is possible to create setup then put them on a CD or to create a self-extracting archive with only one application in order to allow an easy downloading from a website.

It's free for both personal and commercial use.
Allows an installation to be FTPed to your website for download by end-users

Developers and documentation appear to be French, though (although the documentation can be viewed in English via a Google Translation on their website.

[kyrathaba]

SSE Setup states that it supports .NET Framework download and installation, wherever necessary.  I'm downloading it for later.

[Eóin]

The WiX - Windows Installer Xml Toolkit can also handle installing the .Net frameworks on demand.

Personally I love WiX for installers.

[Ath]

I helped worstje getting his Inno Setup installer for JottiQ into place, for that I grabbed an existing feature from the internet, and expanded that to support .NET 4.0. It's also posted back on the internet, ofcourse. Everybody was quite happy, including me