After the development of the C/S client is completed, the program needs to be delivered to the user. It is okay to directly compress and send it to the user (just a bit unprofessional). If there is a nice installation interface, the grade will be different.
This article describes how to use Advanced Installer 17.9 to make a professional Windows client installation package. The production steps for other software or other versions of this software are similar. The following is an installation demonstration after the software installation package is made:
Software installation demo
This article provides the source code download of the packaged program and the experience of making a good software installation package. Welcome to browse and download:
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Prepared software installation package: download and test the installation package
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Test packaged project repository: access project source code
The following describes the installation package production steps:
1. Download Advanced Installer 17.9
First download the software installation package to make the software. The installation package can be downloaded from 360 Software Manager. Other ways are also available:
Download the installation package making software
After downloading, follow the default steps to install it.
2. Create an installation package production project
Making a software installation package is the same as software development. We first create an installation package production project, which is equivalent to the process of saving the configuration of the installation package, so that it can be modified and packaged again later:
Create a software installation package configuration project
3. Installation package product information
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Fill in the name of the directory released by the program: Fun Class
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Fill in the company name, and the name of the directory released by the program to form the installation path: Dotnet9
For example, the path after the default installation is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Dotnet9\Fun Class. The path can be modified during installation.
Installation package product information
4. Enter the installation parameters
The application folder does not need to be modified, the default is just fine:
Installation parameters
5. Select the operating environment of the program
The packaged test program (access to the fun classroom source code repository) relies on the .NET 5 runtime (the selection at the time of release depends on the environment), so in the following configuration, you can choose to download and install the .NET 5 runtime during installation (independent release can be ignored This step):
Program running environment configuration
6. Set the program start conditions
Look at the following interface, select the operating system that the program can run on, divided into x86 and x64 versions of Windows operating systems:
Set start conditions
7. Select the installation file
The following is the directory structure of the target program, that is, the directory to be packaged, the running program and dependent files are all in this folder:
List of program output directory files of Fun Classroom
In the software installation package creation interface, add application files (folders), that is, select the above folders. Note: Subdirectories and files need to be selected separately.
Select the package file menu
After adding, the directory of the software installation package creation interface is as follows, the added subdirectories are displayed in the middle, and the files in the Application Folder directory are displayed on the right:
File structure after selection
8. Add shortcuts
For normal programs, you need to add program shortcuts to the start menu and desktop, as shown in the figure below:
Start menu shortcut
Desktop shortcut
To complete the above effect, simple requirements:
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Add a program directory to the start menu: Add a subfolder [Fun Class] under [Start Menu]=>[Programs] (change the name of your own program)
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Start menu program directory needs to add startup program shortcuts, uninstall program shortcuts
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Add launcher shortcut to the desktop
8.1 Add quick launch method
As shown in the figure below, select the "Fun Class" directory in the middle (the Desktopsame is true for directory operations), and add shortcuts from the installation program from the right-click menu on the right:
Select the program to start from the installation file
The following figure shows the list of selected files, which will only appear after you have selected the file in the previous step 7. It LQClass.AdminForWPF.exe is the exe of the main program. Use it as the start menu and the desktop startup program shortcut:
Select the program as a shortcut to launch the program
8.2 Add uninstall shortcut
I don’t think most programs have an uninstall shortcut added to the start menu, but we are confident, add it, and the user can uninstall it if they want:
Add uninstall shortcut
The uninstall shortcut editing interface that pops up below does not need to be modified. If you do not want to display the program version number, you can remove it: "Uninstall [ProductName]" will display as "Uninstall Fun Class":
Pop-up uninstall shortcut editor
9. Set the output format of the packaged file
As the remarks in the figure, choose the fourth one. When running the software installation package, you can download and install it online. When running, you can modify the name of the MSI installation file and the EXE installation file:
Package file output format
10. Configure the theme style of the installation interface
The software provides many themes and styles. The webmaster has browsed through it. The effect in the picture is relatively refreshing. It depends on the personal preference:
Installer theme
11. Set interface language pack
Simplified Chinese by default:
Language pack configuration
12. The previous configuration is almost complete, it's time to browse the installation effect
You can see the effect at every step of the installation:
Browse the installation steps
13, build and run
Just like programming, the previous is just code writing. A simple function is completed. You need to execute code compilation, generate executable files, and make software installation packages. The same is true. Perform the build first, and then click Run to install and test. See the beginning Installation and running animation:
Build run menu
The files generated after the build are as follows, the following file names can be modified in step 9, of course, you can also modify it manually now:
Installation package file
Okay, the installation package is finished. If you have any questions, please leave a message.
Reference article:
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Advanced Installer 11.0 actual combat tutorial
Advanced Installer adds uninstall options in the start menu and sets desktop shortcuts
