How to create Setup project in Visual Studio 2019?

Question

_{Saturday, August 3, 2019 6:17 PM}

Hi,

Can you please let me know how to create a Setup project to deployment using a CD / DVD in earlier version of Visual Studio?

I have installed the "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects"; but it is not very clear for me and I couldn't make a Setup file for a simple project such as "Hello World".

I want to know how to distribute a software on a CD to another person for him to install it on his computer.

Regards

VKSBK

A Real Novice Programmer !

All replies (12)

_{Tuesday, August 6, 2019 12:37 PM ✅Answered}

Please see the screenshot; it shows it has been "enabled" as there is "Disable" button. To make sure, I disabled it once and "Enabled" it again after starting the VS 2019 as Administrator as instructed. But after doing all these, the "Setup Project" doesn't appear in the "Create New Project" page.

I noticed in a prior screen shot that you had some language and project type filters set for the project dialog. Have you tried
removing them, then just typing Setup in the filter field?

Meanwhile, you can try to close down all the visual studio instances, go to "c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer", rename the folder "Installer" to something else then run vs_installer.exe from the renamed folder to install.
 and installed the VS 2019. Could this be a cause for this problem?

I don't know.

Dave

_{Saturday, August 3, 2019 11:26 PM}

I have installed the "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects"; but it is not very clear for me and I couldn't make a Setup file for a simple project such as "Hello World".

See if this helps:
/en-us/cpp/windows/walkthrough-deploying-a-visual-cpp-application-by-using-a-setup-project?view=vs-2019

I want to know how to distribute a software on a CD to another person for him to install it on his computer.

The medium is largely irrelevant - it's up to you what you copy the resultant MSI and (optional) setup.exe bootstrapper program to.

Dave

_{Sunday, August 4, 2019 4:00 AM}

If you still need help then you need to help us help you. What specifically do you not understand? Or what specifically does not happen that needs to happen or what specifically does happen that is not supposed to happen?

Sam Hobbs
SimpleSamples.Info

_{Monday, August 5, 2019 3:34 AM}

Hi V.K.S.B.K,

Welcome to the MSDN forum.

l agree with David's answer. You can copy the setup.exe and msi file to the medium suach as CD and you can share it with anyone. If you have any doubt, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Perry

MSDN Community Support Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" the responses that resolved your issue, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if not. This can be beneficial to other community members reading this thread. If you have any compliments or complaints to MSDN Support, feel free to contact [email protected]

_{Monday, August 5, 2019 6:23 PM | 2 votes}

Dear David Lowndes, Sam Hobbs & Perry,

Thanks for the replies.

I've installed the "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects"; 

The problem I have here is I don't see / get the "Setup Project" on the "Add a New Project" pop up page; instead I get "Windows Application Packing Project" and this one is entirely different.

I know how to proceed with "Setup Project", as shown in the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fehVTLNQorQ&t=146s

Here is a screenshot of what I get on "Add a New Project";

I've reinstalled few times but still I get this.  It is the same version as shown in the video.

Can you please help to solve this?

Thanks

VKSBK

A Real Novice Programmer !

_{Monday, August 5, 2019 10:49 PM}

I've installed the "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects"; 

The problem I have here is I don't see / get the "Setup Project" on the "Add a New Project" pop up page

Are you sure it's been installed OK?
If you open Extensions, Manage Extensions, under Installed, All, do you have "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects" listed?

instead I get "Windows Application Packing Project" and this one is entirely different.

Yep, that seems to be for store apps.

Dave

_{Tuesday, August 6, 2019 3:25 AM | 3 votes}

Hi V.K.S.B.K,

Thanks for your feedback.

Please check whether the extension is installed. 

Besides, make sure that the extension is "Enable".

If you do so, the template project is already exists.

l hope it could help you.

Best Regards,

Perry

MSDN Community Support Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" the responses that resolved your issue, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if not. This can be beneficial to other community members reading this thread. If you have any compliments or complaints to MSDN Support, feel free to contact [email protected]

_{Tuesday, August 6, 2019 10:59 AM}

Dear Dave & Perry,

Please see the screenshot; it shows it has been "enabled" as there is "Disable" button. To make sure, I disabled it once and "Enabled" it again after starting the VS 2019 as Administrator as instructed. But after doing all these, the "Setup Project" doesn't appear in the "Create New Project" page.

BTW, I had problem on installing the Visual Studio 2019;
"Visual Studio Installer
Unable to install the files to the target location. Error: The folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer or a file within it is locked by another program. Close any applications that might be using it and try again."

On googling I found this;
https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/258718/vs-installer-v1571-to-v1572-unable-to-install-the.html

and I followed the last reply 

 by Sara Liu [MSFT]   May 23, 2018 at 05:30 AM

Thank you for your feedback. This issue has been escalated for further investigation.

Meanwhile, you can try to close down all the visual studio instances, go to "c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer", rename the folder "Installer" to something else then run vs_installer.exe from the renamed folder to install.

 and installed the VS 2019. Could this be a cause for this problem?

Thanks

Regards

VKSBK

A Real Novice Programmer !

_{Tuesday, August 6, 2019 5:42 PM}

Dear Dave,

Thanks for the reply.

I was thoroughly fed up with VS 2019 so I uninstalled and reinstalled it & "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects" few minutes ago.  When I opened the "Add New Project" & typed "Setup" it appeared in the list; but when I searched under "Visual Basic" / "Visual C#", I couldn't find it, then I checked in Visual C++, I couldn't find it there too !!.  

I came here to check whether any of you replied & found your this reply; then went back to VS 2019 and as you mentioned I cleared the "Filters set for Project dialog", and then searched for "Setup" and it appeared.  

Tested it and found working okay.

Many many thanks for solving the problem !!

Regards

VKSBK

A Real Novice Programmer !

_{Wednesday, August 7, 2019 7:43 AM}

Hi V.K.S.B.K,

We are so glad that your issue solved. The template is obtained by installing the extension.So we can not use the filter to search it.

If you still have questions about this issue, please feel free to let us know. If the reply is helpful for you to solve the issue, please remember to mark it as answer.

Thanks for your understanding.

Best Regards,

Perry

MSDN Community Support Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" the responses that resolved your issue, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if not. This can be beneficial to other community members reading this thread. If you have any compliments or complaints to MSDN Support, feel free to contact [email protected]

_{Wednesday, August 7, 2019 8:21 AM}

Hi Perry,

Sorry I forgot to mark your reply as "Answer"; now it is done.

Thanks & regards

VKSBK

A Real Novice Programmer !

_{Monday, February 3, 2020 7:11 PM}

I'm seeing the same problem.

I've installed the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Project, Extention manager shows it as active.

When I attempt to add an installer project I don't see Setup in the options.  I have all three selection dropdowns set to any.

BTW I installed on a different machine, and it works like it supposed to.

So, my question is now: Do I need to unstall/reinstall Visual Studio?