The document provides an overview of ClickOnce deployment for .NET applications. It discusses initial deployment options, updating applications, managing application and data files. It also demonstrates publishing and updating applications, handling data migration, and using ClickOnce APIs to programmatically check for updates. The presentation aims to provide practical tips for using ClickOnce in real-world scenarios.

1. Real World ClickOnce Expert Tips for Practical Use Presented by Craig Adams Senior Architect at Vivus Software

2. Agenda Introduction Initial Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

3. What is ClickOnce? Framework 2.0 deployment Technology Targets Windows Forms applications Smart Client Applications Rich Client Applications Usually a Distributed Applications Network deployed and updated Runs securely on Client Machine Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

4. Deployment Modes Install Mode On-line only Install Mode CD Deployment Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up occasionally connected always connected cd deployment

5. Client Software Requirements Framework 2.0 Internet Explorer 5.5 Prerequisites for your application Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

6. Server Software Requirements Doesn’t need to be a windows server Return file requests for the deployment manifest, application manifest and files via HTTP or UNC Must return the appropriate MIME file types in the Http headers so they are handled correctly on the client Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

7. What to Deploy ClickOnce applications are isolated Applications that aren’t invasive Doesn’t natively support complex setups Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

8. Limitations of ClickOnce No control over the folder location where your application is deployed Other applications cannot locate your application through any supported means No custom install steps inherent in ClickOnce Not for every application Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

9. Smart Client Architecture Windows Application Enterprise functionality Offline Caching Middle Tier Client application decoupled from Client Machine ClickOnce requirements need to be considered in the high level architecture early Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

10. Initial Deployment with ClickOnce – Publishing Options HTTP Wider reach UNC network or file path Limited to those who have access to the network CD-ROM or DVD Good option if you have a large set of requirements Can be configured to still get updates from the web Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

11. Initial Deployment with ClickOnce – Publishing Location HTTP publishing http://DeploymentServer/myApp/ UNC Publishing \\DeploymentServer\myApp FTP Publishing ftp://DeploymentServer/myFolder/ Drive Letter Publishing C:\myFolder\MyApp\ Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

12. Initial Deployment with ClickOnce – Installation URL Full HTTP or UNC path to the folder that will contain the deployment manifest Deployment manifest filename is implicitly set URL to users for HTTP would be: http:// deploymentServer/myApp/myApp.application Installation URL is stored in the Deployment Manifest under a setting called “DeploymentProvider” Default is blank and will use the Publishing Location Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

13. Manifest generation and signing Deployment manifest Application manifest files the applications contains and required permissions Both files are digitally signed during creation Guarantees that the application hasn’t been tampered with Guarantees the application was signed by whoever the publish is that holds the certificate If modified needs to be resigned Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

14. Deployment Manifest Can perform a server side roll back by overwriting the default deployment file with the version specific Contains identify, descriptive and deployment information Deployment Provider – used to initially launch the application For the purposes of moving the deployment location the Deployment Provider on the server can be modified to point to a new server, or website Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

15. DEMO Server Side Rollback

16. Launching / installing the Application The user needs only a link to the deployment manifest Deployment manifest is downloaded and the digital signature is used to determine if the manifest has been tampered with Runtime gets the deployment provider from the manifest Application Manifest is taken from the deployment manifest and downloaded to the client Prerequisite check performed and installed if necessary Application files are downloaded as a separate request for each file Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up Link Clicked by user Process Deployment manifest Deployment provider Application Manifest Prerequisite Check Application Files

17. Manifest Validation Schema validation Digital signature validation Is the signature valid based on current contents Semantic Validation Checks to make sure values are within the allowable values ClickOnce does not let you publish updates with a different publisher certificate Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

18. Install and Runtime Security Trustworthy deployment Obfuscated file structure Isolation occurs for each user, for each application for each version Application gets launched by ClickOnce and ensures that the permissions granted by the user upon installation are applied If full trust has been granted by the user (default), the application takes on permissions of the user Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

19. User Cache Application files are placed in an obfuscated folder structure for security purposes Current folder schema Windows XP C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Apps Vista C:\Users\<username>\App Data\Local\Apps Cache exist for current version and one previous version Users can roll back to a previous version Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

20. Moving an Application to Production Installation URL sets the deployment provider in the Deployment manifest Change the Deployment Provider setting in the Deployment manifest to the new setting Change the deployment provider by using mageui.exe or mage.exe Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

21. DEMO Moving deployment to production Move to a different server using Mage UI Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

22. Demo Moving from Live back to Test while in production using .bat file Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

23. Updating an Application Deploying the update Client Update If update is optional, the user will be prompted If they choose to skip the update, the user will not be prompted again for 7 days. Forcing an update Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

24. Demo Manually Publishing an Update with Mageui Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

25. Install Mode and Updates On-line Only – always has most recent Installed application – check for updates Before launch – foreground thread Deployment manifest downloaded each time Users kept up to date After launch – uses background thread Updates are not timely Once per session Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

26. Schedule Update Checking Enabled when “check for updates after launch” enabled Perform checking on a scheduled basis instead of each time the application launches Interval begins when the application gets installed Warning: interval dialog does not do validation Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

27. Minimum Required Version Update cannot be skipped Cannot cancel the download/install Can’t rollback to a version lower than the minimum required version Schema changes, middle tier component changes Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

28. Specifying an update location The location to look for updates when the application is launched Written to deployment provider in the manifest Used for two reasons Deploying initially from CD Disabling automatic updates Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

29. Update Tip Server version only has to be different not higher to cause an update. Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

30. Update Facts Updates are done in a transactional manner ClickOnce only maintains two versions User can role back to a previous version as long as it is not below the minimum required version Forcing a server side rollback Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

31. On-demand Updates Can mix with ClickOnce enabled updates Might have scheduled updating once a month with a menu option that allows the user to check for updates Might turn off ClickOnce updates completely Application usage may prevent timely updates ClickOnce API could be used to check for updates and prompt after an update has been downloaded Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

32. ClickOnce API System.Deployment.Application namespace System.Windows.Forms.Application Used to call method to restart the application Warning: Programmatic updates require full trust Warning: Update Location required when automatic update is turned off Warning: Always check to make sure application is deployed using ClickOnce Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

33. DEMO Using Code to perform updates Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

34. Application and Data Files Referenced assemblies will be included as application files copy local setting on the file has been set Files must be apart of your project to be included automatically deployment Set the build action to content for files that you want to be automatically deployed Publish Status Download Group Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

35. DEMO Download groups Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

36. Managing Application Files with Mage and MageUI Located in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bin on an XP machine Allows adding additional application files without redeploying Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

37. Data Files Visual Studio 2005 Add to project with build action to content Mark with a publish status of data file Programmatically accessing: Application.UserAppDataPath ApplicationDeployment.DataDirectory Relative pathing - \Media\MyPhoto.jpg Dealing with data files Set copy to output directory – copy always or copy if changed Debug vs ClickOnce Deployed Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

38. Works with ClickOnce Deployed or debug //Works with ClickOnce Deployed or debug private void LoadData() { string dataPath; if (ApplicationDeployment.IsNetworkDeployed) dataPath = ApplicationDeployment.CurrentDeployment.DataDirectory; else dataPath = &quot;.&quot;; dataPath += @&quot;\Customers.xml&quot;; } Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

39. Data Migration New version, data is copied from the previous version’s data folder to the new version’s data folder If schema for the data changed, the newly deployed data file will be copied to the data folder for the newly deployed application The data file from the previous version is copied to a dataFolder\.pre Unless this datafile is migrated to a newer version it will be lost when the next update is installed Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

40. Demo Data Migration

41. Client Side Caching SQL Server 2005 Express Full featured database Large footprint (53 mb) (admin) SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition Small footprint (1.4mb) No stored procedures Installed as a prerequisite (Admin) or adding DLL files (No Admin) Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

42. Connections SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition string DataConnectionString = @&quot;Data Source=|DataDirectory|\Northwind.sdf &quot;; SqlCeConnection newConnection = new SqlCeConnection(DataConnectionString); SQL Server 2005 SQL Express User instances string DataConnectionString = @&quot;Server=.\sqlexpress;Database=Northwind;AttachDBFileName= |DataDirectory|\Northwind.mdf;User Instance=True; Integrated Security=true;“; SqlConnection newConnection = new sqlConnection(DataConnectionString); Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

43. Other ClickOnce Areas Prerequisite Deployment with Bootstrapper Deploying Unmanaged Applications Reg-Free COM Pushing ClickOnce Installations to the Client Machine MSBuild ClickOnce Publishing Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

44. Visual Studio 2008 WPF Web Browser Apps Resigning application now supported Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO) Apps Works with Firefox, Opera and Safari Supports file associations Identifies a name extension to be used with app Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

45. Resources Smart Client Deployment with ClickOnce: Deploying Windows Forms Applications with ClickOnce by Brian Noyes Deploying ClickOnce Applications with Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1608/ ClickOnce Community Resource Kit http://www.codeplex.com/smartclient/Project/FileDownload.aspx?DownloadId =5060 Vista and ClickOnce http:// www.softinsight.com/bnoyes/PermaLink.aspx?guid =435524e7-340c-4b4b-933d-a1c38d27e8ea Intro Init Deployment Updating Managing Files Wrapping Up

46. Thank you for your time Any Questions? Please send additional questions/comments to [email_address]