ClickOnce Deployment for Unmanaged Code (C++, VB6, etc)

ClickOnce is a great deployment model for many Windows applications built with the .NET Framework. Too bad it isn’t supported for C++, VB 6, or other technologies. Or is it…

Surprisingly, you can deploy your unmanaged apps with ClickOnce. You just need a tiny .NET app to get it started.

Here’s how it works:

1. Take your existing C++ project.

2. Add to the solution a .NET console application.

3. Change the project settings on the console application to “Windows Application”.

4. Write the following code for your Main method of your .NET launcher application:

     static void Main(string[] args) {  try { Process.Start( "TheRealApp.exe" ); } catch ( Exception x ) {  string msg = "Error launch application:\n\n" + x;  string cap = "Error Launching Application"; MessageBox.Show( msg, cap, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error ); } } 
   

5. Set the build path of your C++ app to be in the main folder for your .NET application.

6. Add the C++ app and its libraries (if any) as existing items in the .NET app.

7. Change the build action to “Always Copy” as shown here:

8. Then you publish your .NET application and when it runs, TADA!, the C++ app is deployed, versioned, and kept up to date as well.

If you want to try it yourself, you can run this sample application here:

Run Michael’s Useless C++ App via ClickOnce… [defunct link: http://michael-kennedy.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/more-downloads/ClickOnceCpp/ClickOnceCpp.application]

You can also download the source [defunct link: http://michael-kennedy.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/more-downloads/clickoncecppsource.zip].