Step-by-Step Guide to Digitally Signing WiX Installer Packages

Digital signing ensures software integrity and authenticity. It’s a fundamental practice in digital safety practices that establishes trust between software developers and users.

WiX Toolset vs. Inno Setup: Choosing the Right Application Packaging Tool

Creating an installation package is a crucial step in software deployment, and choosing the right packaging tool can significantly impact the process. Each tool has its advantages and disadvantages. Your choice depends on factors such as project complexity, ease of use, or the need for advanced features.

PowerShell for Windows Developers: Takeaways from Advanced Installer’s Tech Session | Part 1

At Advanced Installer, we’ve been hosting weekly Tech Talks for over a year, where our developers share key insights, lessons learned, and in-depth explorations of topics that help us grow as a team. These sessions have been invaluable for us, and we’re excited to share some of the best takeaways with the wider developer community.

How to create MSI installers with Visual Studio

Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) tool made by Microsoft to build code, and publish applications. It is mainly used to develop different types of software—from computer programs to web services.

Code Signing Your Inno Setup Installers - A Complete Guide

You've put in the hard work to create an Inno Setup installer, and now it’s time to make sure end users trust your installer. Adding a digital signature to your setup file gives it credibility and protects it from tampering.

How to Register File Types/Extensions with a WiX Installer?

File associations play a key role in enhancing user experience and streamlining workflows.

How to Automatically Uninstall a Previous Application Version with Inno Setup

Updates are crucial in software development, enabling developers to add new features, fix bugs, and enhance security. Regular updates are essential to maintaining the performance and reliability of applications.

How to install the .NET framework as a prerequisite using Inno Setup

Software applications often require certain components, like runtime environments, databases, or other software to run properly. It’s important to make sure the right versions of these components are installed before the main application runs.

How to Check if a Specific .NET Framework Version is Installed using Inno Setup

Many applications require additional components installed on the target system to run properly. Therefore, before installing an application, it’s important to ensure all prerequisites are met. One common prerequisite is the .NET Framework.

Challenges and Solutions for Digitally Signing Installers in Cloud-Based Environments

Digitally signing installers is a crucial practice in the software deployment process. It ensures that malicious actors can’t distribute harmful versions of legitimate software.

Azure Trusted Signing Authentication

The code signing process can be a real challenge for development teams. Fortunately, Microsoft offers a fully managed signing solution through their Trusted Signing service.

Best Practices for Continuous Signing in CI/CD Pipelines

Nowadays, in the digital era, with the rising number of cyberattacks, it’s crucial to keep applications secure.

How to Create a Trial Version for a C# Windows Forms application

Offering trial versions of applications is a common strategy to attract users by allowing them to evaluate the software before purchasing. However, designing a secure and user-friendly trial functionality can be challenging.

How to Create a Desktop Shortcut for a Windows Forms Application?

Creating a seamless user experience for an application often involves the use of shortcuts.

The MSI to MSIX Shift in Application Deployment

MSIX is a game-changer for software application distribution. However, it’s not all smooth sailing - there are challenges to face. A big one? Configuring your application.

License Key Validation in MSIX-Deployed WinForm Applications

With Microsoft's transition from MSI to MSIX, notable changes have emerged in application deployment, particularly in the software activation process.

Configuring SQL Connections for MSIX-Deployed Applications

Microsoft’s guidelines for MSIX packages introduced a new approach to app configuration, in contrast with the MSI package format.

How to Integrate EULA in MSIX-Deployed Applications

Microsoft introduced new guidelines for configuring apps deployed via MSIX packages, different from those for traditional MSI packages. These include the app configuration when the user first launches it. With MSI packages you could hand over the app configuration to the installer. With MSIX you have to add code to allow configuration at the app’s initial launch because the installation sequence is no longer customizable

VBScript Deprecation impact and solution on installer packages

VBScript (Visual Basic Script) is a scripting language introduced by Microsoft in the mid-1990s. It was designed to offer a lightweight scripting capability for web development and Windows administration. In October 2023, Microsoft announced the VBScript deprecation in upcoming Windows releases, making it available only as a feature on demand.

How to create an MSI installer for your C++ application in Visual Studio

Developing in C++ means creating powerful and efficient applications. But once the development is done, how do we package such an app for the end users?

Use Logos for MSIX Application Installer Branding

Branding an installation package plays a key role in today’s competitive digital landscape. It helps you differentiate your application in a crowded marketplace. Especially, for those in the application packaging industry, understanding how to brand an MSIX package is crucial to building trust and enhancing user experience.

Prerequisite install detection criteria - How to create one

You often need to install additional components (known as prerequisites or runtimes) to your software product so it runs successfully on a machine. You must include the necessary prerequisites in the installer package for the application, ensuring that they are automatically installed on the machine when needed.

Loading XML config file not working in MSIX Packages

When deploying software, configuration files are the key to customizing behavior without modifying the source code.

Branding your MSI Installation Package using Logos

Software branding plays a fundamental role in distinguishing your product in the competitive market. Beyond functionality, your software's brand recognition is crucial.

How to create an MSIX package for a native AOT app

Struggling with creating an MSIX package for a native Ahead-Of-Time compilation (AOT) application? You're not alone. With AOT apps becoming more popular, it's essential to streamline this process.

How to upgrade your C# application built with Visual Studio

Keeping your application upgraded is key for maintaining its functions and security. Regularly checking for and installing new versions ensures that your app works at its best.

How to create a Setup.exe file in Visual Studio

Visual Studio is a powerful development tool that provides an environment for creating a wide range of applications. One of its notable features is the ability to create Setup.exe files, which greatly simplifies the deployment process for end-users.

How to create an MSI installer with WiX

The MSI format is a widely recognized standard in the software industry for distributing software packages to Windows-based devices. MSI packages offer numerous advantages over alternative software installation methods, including enhanced reliability and improved performance.

How to use WIX MSI to do a silent install or uninstall of a web app

When it comes to installing or uninstalling an application package, the level of user interaction can vary based on your specific needs. In cases where you prefer to minimize user involvement, a convenient solution is to opt for a silent install or uninstall. With a silent installation, users are spared the hassle of navigating through an installation wizard and repeatedly clicking the "Next" button.

WiX Toolset Visual Studio Extension

As part of the software packaging industry, you're most likely familiar with Windows Installer XML, or WiX. The WiX Toolset is widely used to build Windows Installer packages.

How to create a custom dialog in WiX for user input

During the installation process, user input dialogs play a crucial role by prompting users to provide necessary input. This feature is widely utilized in setup packages as it allows users to provide feedback, and it ensures proper installation and configuration of the software. Additionally, it allows you to store valuable information on the local machine for future use.

How to correctly set the install folder in Wix

When creating an installer, it is crucial to prioritize the setting of the installation directory. This directory, often referred to as the "install path," represents the specific location on the user's computer where the application will be installed.

How to create and customize a C# WinUI 3 desktop app

Ensuring your application is well-designed is one of the key methods to keep users engaged. They need to have a positive experience while using your app, therefore a poor design can drive them away.

How to automatically update a Windows Forms Application?

Windows Forms is a UI framework used to create Windows desktop applications. This development platform provides a broad set of features to develop graphically rich and interactive applications, including a visual designer in Visual Studio.

How to Use WiX MSI to Update an Installed Application

The process of developing software should always include a solid mechanism for application upgrades.

How to deploy .NET WPF applications using MSI installer

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a powerful User Interface (UI) framework for building desktop client apps. It's a part of .NET and offers a multitude of helpful features, such as media services, controls, data binding, and security.

How to Build MSI or EXE Package Using MSBuild

Let's suppose you want to make changes to a build system so that it can perform multiple actions when building MSI or EXE packages.

How to Create a Desktop Shortcut using WiX Toolset

In this article, we want to focus on desktop shortcut creation specifically for a Windows Forms application using the WiX Toolset.

How to set the ASP.NET Version for a Website or Application

To make websites or applications available online, you need to host them on a web server.

How to Install Files into a Registry specified path using Wise Package Studio

When creating an installer package, you typically provide a default installation folder and allow the users to modify it if required. But what if you need to set the installation path based on a value saved in the registry?

How to Download and Install Prerequisites In Parallel During the Installation Process

When you install an application, you may notice that it can take quite a long time – especially when it needs prerequisites for a successful installation. And that happens because prerequisites slow down the installation process since a prerequisite often doesn't get downloaded until the previous one is installed.

How to Add Launch Condition in Wise Package Studio

Software products often require additional components to be installed on the target machine to run correctly. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that these components are present before proceeding with the application installation.

What is Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS), the actual Azure DevOp?

If you are part of a software development team, you know how valuable it is to have a single environment for your team work.

What is an INI file? Here's how to create, open and edit an INI file

The INI file format was introduced in the 90s with the release of Windows 3.0. It was the primary mechanism used to store configuration settings from applications and operating systems.

How to create an installer for a .net Windows service app using Visual Studio

Advanced Installer Support for Windows 11 on ARM

For some time now, Windows has run on machines powered by ARM processors. ARM processors are fascinating devices, and they became popular due to their excellent performance delivery at low energy consumption.