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Help / WINDEV concepts / Part 5 - Setup
  • Setup: Summary table
  • Setup media
  • Tools for creating the setup program
  • Different types of setup
  • Creating the setup program
  • Creating a setup program
  • Installing a WINDEV application
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3. Deploying a WINDEV application
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One major step when developing an application is deploying the application to client computers.
WINDEV optimizes application deployment via multiple options:
  • in the setup media.
  • in the tools used to create the setup program.
  • in the different setup modes (single computer or network).
This chapter briefly describes the different types of setup available in WINDEV and their specific features.
For more details on how to create the setup program, see the online help.
Setup: Summary table

Setup media

Depending on the setup media used (Internet, in-house network, etc.), WINDEV offers multiple setup generation modes.
To optimize your setup, choose the recommended generation mode.
Setup generation modes available in WINDEV
Self-extracting executable
Multiple directories
Single directory
DVD / USB flash drive
Media
Internet
X (recommended)
DVD / USB flash drive
X
X
X (recommended)
Autorun available
In-house network
X
X
X (recommended)
X

Tools for creating the setup program

Different tools are available to create, maintain and customize the setup program.
Wizard
WDInst setup editor
WDSETUP customization
Create a standard setup program (in French and in English by default)
X (recommended)
X
Maintain a setup program
X
X
Customize a setup program (the program that is started on the client computer)
X
X (multilingual setup, for example)
Start mode
On the "Project" tab, in the "Generation" group, click "Setup procedure".
On the "WDInst" tab, in the "Utilities" group, click "Tools".
WDSETUP project available in the "Examples" subdirectory of the WINDEV setup directory.

Different types of setup

Two types of setup are available in WINDEV:
  • Individual setup: recommended for single-user applications.
    The setup program installs the application directly on the client computer.
  • Setup with automatic update: recommended for multi-user applications.
    The setup with automatic update is performed in two steps:
    • the setup of the reference application. The reference application must be installed on the network (or on a server) and be accessible to all the end users of the application.
    • the application setup itself. This setup is included in the reference application. It can be accessed once the reference application is installed.
The diagram below presents the setup mode of an application that uses a local HFSQL Classic database, with a network update.
Setup with update over the network
Creating the setup program
Individual setup
Different types of setups are available:
  • Standard setup
    The setup program is independent of the application. All the files required by the application are installed on the client computers. To take an update into account, it must be run on each client computer.
  • Compact setup
    A standard setup is performed. However, the setup program is smaller because it does not use specific DLLs and some customization options are not available.
  • Setup via MSI package
    A standard setup that uses the features of the integrated Windows installer is performed.
Setup with automatic update
Different types of setups are available:
  • Setup in a local area network (LAN) with ability to implement "Push" installation. A first application setup will be created on the network, in a shared directory. This directory will contain the setup program used by the end users and the reference version used to manage the updates.
    This setup is used to:
    • manage the automatic update of the application installed on the network.
    • get the characteristics of the users connected to the application at a given time.
    • configure the location of the files required by the application. Different cases can be managed, for example:
      • Install all the application files on the server.
      • Install the database on the server and the files required to run the application (".EXE", ".WDL", ".DLL", etc.) on each client computer.
      • Install a part of the database on the server and another part on each client computer. The files required to run the application (".EXE", ".WDL", ".DLL", etc.) are also installed on each client computer.
    • If the "Push" installation is taken into account, this setup also allows you to:
      • deploy a new application on a network from a single management computer.
      • deploy an update for the application on a network from a single management computer.
  • Setup via HTTP (on a proprietary server or in the CLOUD). The application is first installed on an HTTP server. Then, users will be able to access a Web page to download the application setup program.
    This setup is used to:
    • manage the automatic update of the application installed on an HTTP server.
    • configure the location of the files required by the application. Different cases can be managed, for example:
      • Install all the application files on the server.
      • Install the database on the server and the files required to run the application (".EXE", ".WDL", ".DLL", etc.) on each client computer.
      • Install a part of the database on the server and another part on each client computer. The files required to run the application (".EXE", ".WDL", ".DLL", etc.) are also installed on each client computer.
  • Multisite setup. This setup is the combination between a local network setup and an HTTP setup. The HTTP setup is used to update the reference setup on the local network.

Creating a setup program

To create a setup program allowing you to:
  • deploy a WINDEV application, you can:
    • use the setup program creation wizard directly from WINDEV (on the "Project" tab, in the "Generation" group, click "Setup procedure"). This wizard allows you to create different types of setup programs.
    • use the WDInst setup editor (on the "Tools" tab, in the "Utilities" group, click "WDInst"). This editor is used to customize the setup program.
  • provide other files, you must use the setup program creation wizard, started from WDInst (select "File .. New" from WDInst).
    Reminder: To start WDInst, go to the "Tools" tab, "Utilities" group and click "WDInst".

Installing a WINDEV application

Standard, compact or MSI setup
To install the application, simply launch the application setup program on the client computer. The files required by the application are installed in the specified setup directory.
To install an application update, run the update setup program on the client computer. The update replaces the necessary files in the application.
Setup with automatic update
To install your application:
  1. Install the reference version: launch the setup program of the reference version from any client computer. The files required by the reference application are installed in the specified setup directory. The reference application corresponds to a client setup program.
  2. Install the application: launch the client setup program from each client computer. The files required by the client application are installed in the specified setup directory.
    Remark: If necessary, you can share the path of the client setup directory with the users. Thus, they will be able to install the application.
To install an update of your application:
  1. Install the update of the reference version: launch the update of the reference version setup program from any client computer. The update replaces the necessary files of the reference application. You can save these replaced files.
  2. When the application is started from a client computer, an update dialog appears automatically.
Setup with automatic update in PUSH mode
To install your application in PUSH mode:
  1. Install the reference version: launch the setup program of the reference version from any client computer. The files required by the reference application are installed in the specified setup directory. The reference application corresponds to a client setup program.
  2. The program for managing the network applications is automatically started.
  3. Select the network computer on which the application will be installed.
To install an update of your application in PUSH mode:
  1. Install the update of the reference version: launch the update of the reference version setup program from any client computer. The update replaces the necessary files of the reference application. You can save these replaced files.
  2. Start the network application management program.
  3. Select the network computer on which the application will be updated.
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Last update: 09/07/2022

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