Provide a Smart Setup ProgramUninstall Utility

Running the Setup Wizard

In this exercise you use the Visual Basic Setup Wizard to build a distribution archive.

* To review the Setup Wizard

1. From the Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 program menu, click Application Setup Wizard .
2. Select the sample project file:

    C:\Program Files\DevStudio\VB\samples\PGuide\Controls\Controls.vbp 

3. Walk through the Setup Wizard screens, reviewing the prompts and messages on each one.
4. Choose a Single Directory distribution method.
5. Build a setup installation in the SWSETUP directory.
6. When finished, open My Computer and review the files that were placed in the directory.

Provide an Uninstall Utility

Users want to be able to remove an application easily. Installing a typical application may involve multiple changes to the system as icons and folders are created, information is registered in the registry, path information is altered , and files (such as DLLs) are placed in the system directory. This means that the user cannot simply delete a few files and expect their system to be "clean." An uninstall utility makes it easy for the user to purge the application completely from the system.

A typical uninstall utility performs the following tasks :

• Removes the files copied onto the user's system and removes directories added during the installation.
• Removes any icons and groups added to the user's system.
• Removes information such as OLE class ID and object verbs from the registry.
• Removes any references you may have added to the user's path statements in the configuration files and in the registry.

The Visual Basic Setup Wizard automatically registers applications with Windows 95. In turn, clients can use the Windows 95 Control Panel's "Add/Remove Software" to uninstall your application. All references, directories, and program group icons will be removed. Shared files are verified automatically, but will not be deleted if they are needed for other applications.