ClickOnce Deployment

ClickOnce deployment allows you to publish Windows-based applications to a Web server or network file share for simplified installation.

ClickOnce Deployment Overview  Definition:

    ClickOnce is a deployment technology that allows you to create self-updating Windows-based applications that can be installed and run with minimal user interaction. ClickOnce auto-updating technology can radically simplify application deployment. Using it, .NET developers and architects can deliver highly interactive desktop applications while gaining the centralized maintainability and "always-up-to-date" qualities of Web applications.

Major Advantages of ClickOnce DeploymentComparison with Windows Installer

• Whenever an application is updated, the user must reinstall the entire appln.

• Applications often rely on shared components, with the potential for versioning conflicts

• Requires administrative permissions and allows only limited user installation

Windows Installer ClickOnce• You can provide updates

automatically. Only those portions of the application that have changed are downloaded.

• Each application is self-contained.

• Allows non-administrative users to install and grants only those Code Access Security permissions necessary for the application.

ClickOnce DeploymentSignificance

    In the past, these issues sometimes caused developers to decide to create Web applications rather than Windows-based applications, sacrificing the rich user interface and responsiveness of Windows Forms for ease of installation. With applications deployed using ClickOnce, you can have the best of both technologies.

What is ClickOnce Application?Criteria of deployment

• Windows Presentation Foundation.

• Windows Forms.• Console

applications.

Type of Apps Deployment strategy

• Install from the Web or a Network Share.

• Install from a CD.• Start the

application from the Web or a Network Share.

Install from the Web or a Network Share - Default Strategy

For installing the StatTicker, one needs to browse for the http address provided by the vendor. In the following example, the software resides in the below given address: http://192.168.100.51/MyApplications/publish.htm

     

Tracking ClickOnce Application Usage

    In order to track which users have installed or launched which applications from the server side, you need to authenticate the user's identity and to detect and intercept file download requests.     There are no built-in mechanisms with ClickOnce to determine which users are trying to deploy your applications, but there are a number of approaches you can employ to obtain this information.  

Approaches:

• Windows authentication over HTTP(S).• Custom authentication designed into the

application.• Passing query string parameters when

launching the application (requires dynamic manifest generation with embedded user credentials for installed applications).

• Custom client proxy and custom HTTP module authentication.

identifying the individual user is a more common requirement, and harder to achieve...

Using Windows Authentication

You need to configure IIS to pass requests for .application, .manifest, and .deploy files to ASP.NET instead of servicing those directly in IIS. You also want to turn off anonymous access to the site, and only allow Integrated Windows Authentication control.

The following screens shows how to enable the Tracing Windows authentication in the IIS 5.0

IIS after deploying the website

IIS Virtual Directory - Properties

Copy the Executable path and click  OK

Copy the Executable path.Enter the three extensions > .deploy> .application> .manifest

In the Directory Security tab, Uncheck Anonymous access and OK

    Now, the application is ready to be accessed from anywhere in a Intranet.     The access permission can be controlled by the admin of the network.     The Logger logs the informations about which user installs/Updates the application and so on...

Questions are Welcome!