I need advice for Setup/Install process

[Ted Young]

Here is what I am trying to accomplish (I'm using Visual Studio Installer):

1) Create the smallest possible size for an install. I am emailing these
files so size is critical.
2) Do this with the least possible files needed (I am maybe just a setup.exe).
The less files the less confusing to the user.

I'm not sure what approach I should take. Should I create:

1) .msi file (will need to create it with Build type option of Installer
with Windows Installer Loader since there is no way to guarantee the end
user will have Windows Installer). But this will result in multiple files...Is
that correct? Could I create a self extracting zip of these files maybe?

2) .exe file Not sure how to do this with Visual Studio Installer.

Any ideas/suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Ted

[Todd B - Agendum Software]

Ted,

If using the Visual Installer tool, you can create self extracting installs
with it without the need for the external zip program. But in terms of
your issue with the size of the install package, the smallest you can get is
by sending only the .MSI file. And as you mentioned, that will only work
IF the user is running Windows 2000 (has it already installed) OR if they
have already installed the required installed libs previously.

--
Sincerely,

Todd B - Agendum Software
http://www.AgendumSoftware.com | Mailto:ToddB@AgendumSoftware.com
(608) 837-6736 Voice (419) 821-9599 Fax

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"Ted Young" <tedyoung@connecticare.com> wrote in message
news:3a7b283a$1@news.devx.com...
>
> Here is what I am trying to accomplish (I'm using Visual Studio
Installer):
>
> 1) Create the smallest possible size for an install. I am emailing these
> files so size is critical.
> 2) Do this with the least possible files needed (I am maybe just a
setup.exe).
> The less files the less confusing to the user.
>
> I'm not sure what approach I should take. Should I create:
>
> 1) .msi file (will need to create it with Build type option of Installer
> with Windows Installer Loader since there is no way to guarantee the end
> user will have Windows Installer). But this will result in multiple
files...Is
> that correct? Could I create a self extracting zip of these files maybe?
>
> 2) .exe file Not sure how to do this with Visual Studio Installer.
>
> Any ideas/suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ted
>
>
>
>
>