MeasurementStudio 2013 using VS2012 DAQmx Dependency Problem After Upgrading

[LDR68]

Hi all,

I have the same problem of Msouza and Yltsa (many errors -4072) trying to compile for the distribution in a project with NIDAQmx. But I have recently passed from VB6.0 to VS2012 (VB2012).

Now I have terminate to develope my application and I need to deliver it later this month but i can't!

I have try to use Wix but without success. I am not expert of VS2012 and I haven't find an example in VB.NET moreover I don't know what files are to deploy for NIDAQmx in VB.NET (in VB6.0 this operation was very simply).

Yltsa, what you means with "I installed all stuff related to Visual Studio 2010 in parallel to VS2012."? Do you think that if I install VS2010 express on built PC (together VS2012 Pro) I can compile correct my distribution file?

Help me please I am very late

Thanks to all.

LDR

[Yltsä]

Hi LDR,

I have still problems; the installation package was not OK. I am waiting an upgrade and corrective action from NI. Hopefully there is coming something soon..

BR,
Ilkka

PS: I am blocked too. Cannot change to a new SW development environment and PC. It generates a lot of extra work. You are not alone.. 😉

[John_K]

I also am having problems with WiX - way to complex of a process compared to previous setup and deployment wizard.  Thus I have halted further development since I frankly don't have the time since is should be much simpler as it was in the past.  When will NI have a solution that works with InstallShield - which at least has wizards and and GUI to help?  Thanks

[Edna-S]

We do reccomend using WiX over InstallShiedl. What problems you are having? the same that you experience with InstallShield? Can you provide error number and description?

[LDR68]

Hi Edna-S,

my problem with installShield is the same that Msouza and Yltsa.

With Wix I try to follow the suggestion over internet to write the line for complete the file Wix to compile the file Product.wxs at the line:

<ComponentGroup Id="ProductComponents" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER">
    <!TODO: Remove the comments around this Component element and the ComponentRef below in order to add resources to this installer. -->
    <!-- <Component Id="ProductComponent"> -->
    <!-- TODO: Insert files, registry keys, and other resources here. -->
<!-- </Component> -->
</ComponentGroup>

but I don't know which file and registry keys of NIDAQ are to add and how. The internet suggestion when applied generate error before compile (like unrecognized instruction) probably becouse the internet examples are of old version of Wix.

The big problem is that I have no more time to waste for this problem. I have an open support  (Reference#1307434) for that but i need a ready solution, a new correct version of NIDAQ or a fix. I thought that 2 mounths was sufficient to do that. You know if new version 9.7 of NIDAQ (I use 9.6) is fixed for this bug? The support have ask me "to try" with newver version but I have  no more time to install (very long every time) and try plus I have already made arrangiaments with my client to deliver without distribution package (even if it is no professional!).

Thanks

[John_K]

I agree.  WiX may be a great tool - if you have TONS of time to figure out how to manually update XML files and get it PERFECT i.e. don't mistype one character or everything breaks (which feels like the dark ages before we had GUIs to walk us through the basic options).   So the problems I am haivng is CLEAR and UNAMBIGUOUS instructions on EXACTLY how to BASIC stuff in WiX.  I agree with the previous writers comments, the "how to" information on the web is out of date.  Here is just ONE of the many problems I had which in the prevoius deployment methodology was only a few mouse clicks, and I didn't have to worry about

1) How to create shortcuts on Programs menu (I can create it, but my link doesn't work when you click on it)

2) How to NOT store the DLLs in a subfolder of my installation, which i"Module Retargetable Folder" which WiX does and thus my program doesn't run since it can't find the DLLs in the same folder

3)  Clear instructions on how to deploy .NET 4.0 versions of the Measurement Studio files since my program must still run on Windows XP thus I need to use .NET 4.0.   I was give a "template" but then I had to go in and do TONS of edits to get the right GUIDs, etc. 

So in summary, can someone provide a COMPLETE and CONCISE WiX project that deploys all potential Measurement Studio  features which shows how to not include an item, if I want to leave it out.  Also, please include examples which show how to target the older .NET 4.0 Framework as we still need to support XP PCs.  This sample should show how to properly create shortcuts, how to register properly, etc.  A working version that does all of this.

Sorry to complain so much, but I don't have time to edit XML files and hope I get it right, otherwise I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what's wrong with my XML, versus a GUI that walks me through these BASIC steps.  Thanks

[D_Biel]

Hi,

I wanted to comment on some of the feedback in this thread regarding WiX and InstallShield support for Measurement Studio 2013 for Visual Studio 2012. I am on the Measurement Studio R&D team and was involved with many of the decisions regarding the changes in deployment support for Visual Studio 2012.

I can understand your frustration with the tools available in Visual Studio 2012. The Measurement Studio team was committed to the Setup Projects in Visual Studio 2010 and earlier as our recommended deployment solution. All of our documentation and testing was focused on this support. When Microsoft decided to no longer include this feature in Visual Studio 2012 and later, this put us in a difficult situation because we had to find a new solution to recommend to our users. Creating our own tool is a very large undertaking that was not possible during this time frame.

We turned to InstallShield first because the LE edition was included with Visual Studio, and it was Microsoft's recommended tool. However, there are several known issues with InstallShield compatibility with our merge modules. Many of these issues are discussed in this thread. We do not have a workaround or solution for them. Before the Measurement Studio 2013 release, we were unable to resolve these issue working with Flexera who produces InstallShield.

There are also several limitations to the LE version of InstallShield that I think are pretty serious: no support for 64-bit installers, automatic inclusion of incorrect merge modules, and issues outlined here. Upgrading to the Pro version resolves many of these issues, but I do not believe that all of our users are willing to spend that much money for functionality that used to be free to them. If you are willing to upgrade to the Pro version, then this may be the best approach and we can work with you to find workaround for the outstanding issues (there are still some issues in the Pro version).

For these reasons, NI recommends WiX instead. However, as you pointed out, the learning curve for WiX is not easy. This is why NI provided the WiX Deployment example that installs with Measurement Studio. It is intended to be a general purpose deployment project that can be used as a starting point for creating your own deployment project. WiX is heavily configurable, so we are unable to create an example that will work for every user. In these cases, you will likely find documentation from WiX or in online tutorials (if they are not outdated) to be your best resource.

I am also aware that there are a few gaps in the example and documentation from NI's side. To close those gaps, we are starting work on a couple more examples and some tutorials based on your feedback. We will try to post those here as soon as we have created them.

[DieselPower]

What I understand from the above post is that NI will be supporting WiX only moving forward?  I need to know if I should wait for a fix for the InstallShield plugin or if I need to learn WiX.  For the time being I am sticking with VS 2010 and MS 2012.

[D_Biel]

That is correct. At this time, NI does not have any plans to add support for InstallShield. Given the currently available technologies, WiX is NI's recommended distribution method.

We are currently working on a few more examples and accompanying documentation that will help you create WiX distributions.

The currently shipping example is available here: C:\Users\Public\Documents\National Instruments\MStudioVS2012\DotNET\Examples\Application\Deployment\WiX\All Libraries

[vrana00j]

Could somebody send me the file "setup.wixproj" - I lost the one from the example directory.