Page #89 (Chapter 13 - Deploying WebClass Applications)

	Chapter 13 - Deploying WebClass Applications
	Visual Basic Developers Guide to ASP and IIS
	A. Russell Jones

Copyright 1999 SYBEX Inc.

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	Creating an Installation Package

	You can create an installation program by using the Visual Studio Package and Deployment Wizard. To launch the Wizard, click Start Programs Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 Tools and select the Package and Deployment Wizard. Type the path to the project's .vbp file in the Select Project field or select the .vbp file from the Browse dialog (see Figure 13.1).

	Click the Package button to create a new package. Despite the MSDN documentation, select the Standard Setup Package, not the Internet Package. Click Next and select the location for the setup files from the directory dialog. Make sure you do not select the same directory as your project. Click Next to continue.

	The Wizard checks the project files for dependencies. If it is unable to find the dependency information for one or more files, it shows you a list of those files. At that point, you can mark files that have no dependencies. Your DLLs may appear in this list, but Microsoft DLLs also appear. For example, the file mtsax.dll appears if your project references the Microsoft Transaction Server Type Library. It's difficult to know exactly what to do with this information; I've never found it useful. If the Wizard can't find the dependency information, I can't either. I'm sure it's useful to someone, and there's probably a wealth of PDW information available that may help you if you need it. You can probably ignore the dependency dialog without adverse consequences. An obvious exception is if you know that a component makes calls to an external DLL that isn't listed next in the PDW process.

	Check the list of files carefully. Make sure that all the required components and files appear. For WebClass applications, the file mswcrun.dll must appear in the list. You must add HTML template files, image files, and the global.asa and ASP files manually—the Wizard never includes any files of those types. To add a file, click the Add button (see Figure 13.2).

	The MSDN information states that the PDW will automatically include .dsr and .dsx files and implies that those must accompany the installation. That is incorrect. You do not have to deliver the .dsr and .dsx files for your WebClasses, just the DLLs. When you have added all the files, click the Next button to continue.

	The Wizard typically marks DLLs for installation in the system folder. It also asks you which DLLs to mark as shared. Place shared DLLs in the system folder, application-specific DLLs in the application folder.

	The rest of the Wizard is not specific to WebClasses. You can follow the instructions in the Wizard. You should be aware that there are many other Wizard and installation issues. MSDN contains documentation for many of these problems. Microsoft's Web site contains the most up-to-date version of the documentation. The Microsoft newsgroups and information on the many VB Web sites can also help you solve installation problems. I urge you to take advantage of these resources by reading them before you undertake a complex installation.

	Finally, the PDW is neither the most robust nor the most flexible installation program available. Third-party vendors supply much more powerful and configurable programs. The best of these can install essentially anything. As the programs gain in features, they also gain in difficulty. Each vendor has a set of Wizards. Some have customized scripting languages. The more involved your application installation is, the more difficult it will be to create the installation. Don't let the application installation languish while you tinker with background colors. You'll need a dedicated programmer and a substantial amount of time—two to three days for a simple application, possibly several weeks for a complex application—to create and test a robust installation program. The more you're willing and able to install manually, the simpler your installation will be. Unfortunately, the corollary to that approach is that the more you're willing to install manually, the more difficult it will be for anyone else to perform the installation.