Deploying Applications

After you have written, tested, and debugged your application, you can make it available to others by deploying it. Depending on the size and complexity of the application, you can package it as one or more assemblies, as compressed cabinet (.cab) files, or in an installer program format (such as .msi). After the application is packaged, you can distribute it by using XCOPY, FTP, as a download, or with an installer program.

For additional information about deploying specific types of applications, refer to the list of links at the end of this topic.

Deploying .NET Applications

Assuming that the target computer already has the .NET Framework installed on it, deploying a simple application that consists of a single executable is as easy as copying the .exe file to the target computer. You don't need to register the application and deleting the application files effectively uninstalls it.

Applications That Include Shared Assemblies

If your application includes an assembly that will be shared by other applications, you will need to uniquely identify the assembly with a strong name and then install it in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). The strong name consists of the assembly's text name, version number, optional culture information, and the public key and digital signature to ensure uniqueness. The .NET Framework SDK provides command line utilities for creating a public/private key (sn.exe), assigning a strong name (al.exe), and installing an assembly in the GAC (gacutil.exe). For more information about these utilities, see the Framework SDK online Help.

Deploying VCL.NET Applications

When building applications that use the VCL .NET framework, the way you build the application determines what files you need to distribute with it. If you build the application by compiling VCL for .NET units directly into the program executable file, the application will have external dependencies only on the .NET Framework.

However, if you build the application by compiling the application to have external references to VCL for .NET assemblies, the application will have external dependencies on the .NET Framework, the Borland.Delphi.dll, and whatever RAD Studio packages you have added to the project references, for example, Borland.VclRtl.dll or Borland.Vcl.dll.

Deploying ASP.NET Applications

RAD Studio includes the ASP.NET Deployment Manager to assist you in deploying ASP.NET applications. You can use it to deploy to a remote computer by using a share or an FTP connection, or to your local computer. When you add a Deployment Manager to your project, an XML file (.bdsdeploy) is added to the project directory and a Deploy tab is added to the IDE. You provide destination and connection information on the Deploy tab and optionally modify the suggested list of files to copy, then the Deployment Manager copies the files to the deployment destination.

Redistributing the .NET Framework

If you plan to deploy your application to a computer that does not have the .NET Framework installed on it, you will need to redistribute and install the .NET Framework with your application. Microsoft provides a redistributable installer called dotnetfx.exe, which contains the common language runtime and .NET Framework components required to run .NET applications. For more information about dotnetfx.exe, see the .NET Framework SDK online Help.

Before Deploying a C# Application

Typically, while developing a C# application, you compile it with debugging information to facilitate testing. When you create a new project, it uses the default Debug option set, which creates the executable files and the program database file (.pdb) for debugging in the project\bin\Debug directory.

When you are ready to deploy the C# application, you can compile it using the default or a user-defined Release option set to create an optimized version of the application in the project\bin\Release directory. The optimized application is smaller, faster, and more efficient. To change the Debug/Release option sets, choose ProjectOptions.

Deploying Win32 Applications

For information on deploying Win32 applications, refer to the Deploying Win32 Applications link at the end of this topic.

Using Installation Programs

For complex applications that consist of multiple files, you can use an installation program. Installation programs perform various tasks, such as copying executable and supporting files to the target computer and making Windows registry entries.

Setup toolkits, such as InstallAware, automate the process of creating installation programs, often without the need to write any code. InstallAware is based on Windows Installer (MSI) technology and can be installed from the RAD Studio installation DVD. After installing it, refer to the InstallAware online Help for information about using the product.

Redistributing RAD Studio Files

Many of the files associated with RAD Studio applications are subject to redistribution limitations or cannot be redistributed at all. Refer to the following documents for the legal stipulations regarding the redistribution of these files.

File	Description
deploy.htm	Contains deployment considerations for each edition of RAD Studio.
license.txt	Addresses legal rights and obligations concerning RAD Studio.
readme.htm	Contains last minute information about RAD Studio, possibly including information that could affect the redistribution rights for RAD Studio files.

These files are located, by default, at C:\Program Files\CodeGear\RAD Studio\5.0.

Redistributing Third Party Software

The redistribution rights for third party software, such as components, utilities, and helper applications, are governed by the vendor that supplies the software. Before you redistribute any third party software with your RAD Studio application, consult the third party vendor or software documentation for information regarding redistribution.