Unleashing the Mysteries of MSI Creation in Visual Studio 2017

For those who don’t know – creating MSI packages is an elemental part of software development, serving as one of the vital components of the installation process. It not only enables easy installation but provides hassle-free uninstallation options!

Step 1: Download Microsoft Visual Studio 2017

The first perplexing step is to download and install Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 on your system.

Step 2: Create a New Project

The second mind-boggling step is to create a new project in Visual Studio 2017. You can do this either by selecting “New Project” in the File menu or by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N.

Step 3: Select The ‘Setup and Deployment’ Project Type

The third step to this relentless endeavor is selecting the ‘Setup and Deployment’ project type. Navigate to “Visual C#” in the new project dialog box, select “Setup and Deployment,” further choose “Visual Studio Installer,” and click “OK.”

Step 4: Customize Your Installer

Customize your MSI installation to quench your desire for perfection. Add files and directories to your application to make it special in every sense.

Step 5: Set Up Prerequisites

Welcome to stage 5 – the process of setting up installation prerequisites that’ll ensure smooth sailings, by preventing any incompatibility issues with the user’s system, a condition that could result in tantrums like “Why won’t this damn software work?!”

Step 6: Test the Installation

You think we’re done? No, sir! The fun doesn’t end here. Test the installation of your MSI package to ensure that it won’t make your users pull their hair out with frustration. Here we go – select “Build” from the menu bar, then click “Rebuild Solution.” Now, wait for the creation of your MSI package, it shall complete itself. If you’re lucky, you can test the installation on various machines and see what happens.

Step 7: Distribute Your Installer

Phew! We’ve finally reached the end. This final step requires you to distribute your MSI installer package to others. How? Create a downloadable link or upload your end-result to a networkshare or CD/DVD.

As a final note, creating MSI packages for your software in Visual Studio 2017 is an absolute cakewalk, helping you automate the installation process and saving you a considerable amount of time. Follow the steps above to make your MSI installer package and distribute it with ease.