c# - How to install visual studio 2010 setup project with MS Access database on a computer which is not having Office 2010 installed?

Question

I am developing wpf application in C#. I have successfully created the setup project for wpf application in visual studio 2010. I have used MS Access 2010 as a database. It install fine on all computers. But on some computer there is no Microsoft Office installed and on some computer there is lower version of MS Office like MS Office 2003. When I install my application on these computers it gives me connectivity issues. Can you please tell me what should I need to do ? Should I need to include any prerequisite for MS Access 2010 in visual studio 2010 setup project ? If there is any which are they and how to include them ?

Answer 1

I had same problem but I have already created a Bootstrapper package for Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010. I've also included in this package x64 version of it. So it should work on 64 machine also. To include any Prerequisites you must have to add a Bootstrapper Package of that. After that you can get that in your Prerequisite list. That already you know I think. To build a Bootstrapper you need 2 manifest XML files. 1 is product.xml and another is package.xml right? I'm writing all the XML script below.

PRODUCT XML:

<Product
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/2004/01/bootstrapper"
  ProductCode="Access.Database.Engine.2010"
>
  <!-- Defines list of files to be copied on build -->
  <PackageFiles CopyAllPackageFiles="false">
    <PackageFile Name="AccessDatabaseEngine.exe" HomeSite="http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/4/3/24375141-E08D-4803-AB0E-10F2E3A07AAA/AccessDatabaseEngine.exe" />
    <PackageFile Name="AccessDatabaseEngine_x64.exe" HomeSite="http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/4/3/24375141-E08D-4803-AB0E-10F2E3A07AAA/AccessDatabaseEngine_x64.exe" />
  </PackageFiles>

  <RelatedProducts>
    <DependsOnProduct Code="Microsoft.Net.Framework.2.0" />
  </RelatedProducts>

  <InstallChecks>
            <MsiProductCheck Property="IsInstalled" 
                Product="{90140000-00D1-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}"/>
  </InstallChecks>

  <Commands>
    <Command PackageFile="AccessDatabaseEngine.exe"
         Arguments='/passive'>

      <!-- These checks determine whether the package is to be installed -->

      <InstallConditions>
        <!-- ByPass if the Processor is not x86 -->
        <BypassIf Property="ProcessorArchitecture" Compare="ValueNotEqualTo" Value="Intel"/>

    <!-- ByPass if we have installed -->
        <BypassIf Property="IsInstalled" Compare="ValueGreaterThan" Value="0" />

        <!-- Block install if user does not have admin privileges -->
        <FailIf Property="AdminUser" Compare="ValueEqualTo" Value="false" String="AdminRequired"/>

        <!-- Block install on Win95 -->
        <FailIf Property="Version9x" Compare="VersionLessThan" Value="4.10" String="InvalidPlatformWin9x"/>

        <!-- Block install on NT 4 or less -->
        <FailIf Property="VersionNT" Compare="VersionLessThan" Value="5.00" String="InvalidPlatformWinNT"/>
      </InstallConditions>

      <ExitCodes>
        <ExitCode Value="0" Result="Success"/>
        <ExitCode Value="1641" Result="SuccessReboot"/>
        <ExitCode Value="3010" Result="SuccessReboot"/>
        <DefaultExitCode Result="Fail" FormatMessageFromSystem="true" String="GeneralFailure" />
      </ExitCodes>
    </Command>

    <Command PackageFile="AccessDatabaseEngine_x64.exe"
         Arguments='/passive'>

      <!-- These checks determine whether the package is to be installed -->

      <InstallConditions>
        <!-- ByPass if the Processor is not x64 -->
        <BypassIf Property="ProcessorArchitecture" Compare="ValueNotEqualTo" Value="AMD64"/>

    <!-- ByPass if we have installed -->
        <BypassIf Property="IsInstalled" Compare="ValueGreaterThan" Value="0" />

        <!-- Block install if user does not have admin privileges -->
        <FailIf Property="AdminUser" Compare="ValueEqualTo" Value="false" String="AdminRequired"/>

        <!-- Block install on Win95 -->
        <FailIf Property="Version9x" Compare="VersionLessThan" Value="4.10" String="InvalidPlatformWin9x"/>

        <!-- Block install on NT 4 or less -->
        <FailIf Property="VersionNT" Compare="VersionLessThan" Value="5.00" String="InvalidPlatformWinNT"/>
      </InstallConditions>

      <ExitCodes>
        <ExitCode Value="0" Result="Success"/>
        <ExitCode Value="1641" Result="SuccessReboot"/>
        <ExitCode Value="3010" Result="SuccessReboot"/>
        <DefaultExitCode Result="Fail" FormatMessageFromSystem="true" String="GeneralFailure" />
      </ExitCodes>
    </Command>

  </Commands>
</Product>

PACKAGE XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> 

<Package
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/2004/01/bootstrapper"
  Name="DisplayName"
  Culture="Culture"
  LicenseAgreement="license.txt"
>

  <PackageFiles>
    <PackageFile Name="license.txt"/>
  </PackageFiles>

  <!-- Defines a localizable string table for error messages and url's  -->
  <Strings>
    <String Name="DisplayName">Microsoft Access database engine 2010 (x86, x64)</String>
    <String Name="Culture">en</String>
    <String Name="DotNetFxRequired">Installation of Microsoft Access database engine 2010 requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. Contact your application vendor.</String>
    <String Name="InvalidPlatformWin9x">Installation of Microsoft Access database engine 2010 is not supported on Windows 95. Contact your application vendor.</String>
    <String Name="InvalidPlatformWinNT">Installation of Microsoft Access database engine 2010 is not supported on Windows NT 4.0. Contact your application vendor.</String>
    <String Name="GeneralFailure">A fatal error occurred during the installation of Microsoft Access database engine 2010.</String>
    <String Name="AdminRequired">You do not have the permissions required to install this application.  Please contact your administrator.</String>
  </Strings>

</Package>

license.txt

For detail please Log on http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13255

Note: I've already tested in my Windows 7 x86 Machine and it works perfect. It doesn't reinstall if already installed. I've no x64 machine so I don't know the Product code of it. But I'm sure it'll work too. It also downloads this package from website and I've tested that.

If you need any further help or complete Bootstrapper Package just let me know.

Cheers.