If my understanding is correct, for a self contained project you can just copy the bin folder and run it perfectly fine.
What then is the use of a wizard? I prefer not having to use a wizard if I don’t have to.
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If my understanding is correct, for a self contained project you can just copy the bin folder and run it perfectly fine.
What then is the use of a wizard? I prefer not having to use a wizard if I don’t have to.
Typically you would make an installer for a few reasons:
you may need to do custom actions in addition to just copying the files in the “\bin” folder. For example:
You may need to perform some action that requires Administrative privileges. The installer can handle the escalation of privileges for you.
It is generally a “nicer” experience for an end user to see a real installer.
An installer will make an “uninstall” item in the Add/Remove programs list in Windows.
Instead of copying / distributing / downloading multiple files (.exe, several .dlls, .config, etc) you can package them into a single .msi file.
This is just a few reasons why you might want to use an installer. That of course doesn’t mean it is the only choice. Just one that makes sense for a lot of cases.