C++ – ClickOnce: getting MSVCRT C++ DLLs on user’s machine

cclickoncedllmsvcrt

I've been trying desperately to get my application (15 C# dlls and 1 C++/CLI dll with C++ Runtime DLL dependencies) to deploy with ClickOnce. I got it to work by just copying the Release folder, but ClickOnce refuses to copy the files (msvcm80.dll, msvcp80.dll and msvcr80.dll) and deploy them in this folder.

I did this nutty workaround (supply msvcm80.dll, msvcp80.dll and msvcr80.dll as Content/Copy If Newer and then at startup, create the Microsoft.VC80.CRT folder, copy those DLLs, and create Microsoft.VC80.CRT.manifest) that seems to work, but this all just feels wrong to me.

Am I missing something?

Best Answer

I'm stupid: I just found this:

On Publish tab of Properties page of my startup project: click Prerequisites... button > check Visual C++ Runtime Libraries, radio button setting: Download prerequisites from the component vendor's web site.

It seems to work the way one might expect!

Related Solutions

C# – Embedding DLLs in a compiled executable

I highly recommend to use Costura.Fody - by far the best and easiest way to embed resources in your assembly. It's available as NuGet package.

Install-Package Costura.Fody

After adding it to the project, it will automatically embed all references that are copied to the output directory into your main assembly. You might want to clean the embedded files by adding a target to your project:

Install-CleanReferencesTarget

You'll also be able to specify whether to include the pdb's, exclude certain assemblies, or extracting the assemblies on the fly. As far as I know, also unmanaged assemblies are supported.

Update

Currently, some people are trying to add support for DNX.

Update 2

For the lastest Fody version, you will need to have MSBuild 16 (so Visual Studio 2019). Fody version 4.2.1 will do MSBuild 15. (reference: Fody is only supported on MSBuild 16 and above. Current version: 15)

Application has failed to start … application configuration is incorrect – VC++ 2005 Runtime Problem

Copying the CRT dlls around is not recommended. As Vinay says you should use the correct merge modules.

You can also use the redist install exe's if merge modules don't work with your installer technology:

As a last resort try copying the entire 'Microsoft.VC80.CRT' directory to your programs exe directory (not the contents, the actual directory).

Best Answer

Related Solutions

C# – Embedding DLLs in a compiled executable

Application has failed to start … application configuration is incorrect – VC++ 2005 Runtime Problem

Related Topic