Debugging Setup

[lledden]

I have a .NET2 application which originally used an .msi installer and that installation works reliably. I am evaluating Setup Factory, and have to rebuilt the installation, including adding the .NET dependency module. The .NET framework install works, because it shows up in the Add/Remove list. However, my application crashes with an "encountered a severe error" message. So obviously something isn't installed properly. How do you go about debugging something like this? How can you determine what was required that isn't there?

[Adam]

It is probably a case that a dll (or some other dependency file) is not being included in the install. You can try the "scan file dependency" option from the tools menu.

Adam Kapilik

[lledden]

I've run the dependency checker but it found only one reference to an external DLLs. I resolved the problem by making a setup with the built in VS2005 msi installer and looked the list of files it produced. It identified 12 external components Also, the DLL that Setup Factory identified mscoree.dll was not listed inthe VS2005 install. Any idea why this discrepancy?

[Darryl]

A site that is a good reference for looking up individual files is:

http://support.microsoft.com/dllhelp/

When scanning files, it's not uncommon to find references to files that are distributed by modules, OS Service Packs etc.

In this case, that file is distributed by Microsoft in various packages such as the .NET Framework. So, it appears you should not distribute that file.