Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable - Can I bundle it with the setup.exe?

[RickGutleber]

For the installer I'm creating, I have a requirement that we cannot rely on the fact that there's an Internet connection. However, the software needs the Visual C++ 2015 Update 3 Redistributable. I've modified the Prerequisite file to use the latest version of vc_redist.x86.exe (I don't understand why InstallShield can't figure this out for me), but I do not understand if, and how, I can tell InstallShield to bundle the vc_redist.x86.exe so it does not need to be downloaded.

We currently provide the vc_redist.x86.ewe file separately, but management is insisting that the installer should be able to figure out if the redistributable is needed, and install it automatically, which I think is a reasonable request. Furthermore, since this application is a front-end for a satellite communication network management system that is often installed in remote locations, we cannot assume there is already an Internet connection available, therefore the vc_redist.x86.exe should be bundled in the installer.

Can this be done?

This is the contents of my .prq file:

[RickGutleber]

Please note that the file size and MD5 sum listed in the PRQ file above are incorrect. I figured this out today and corrected the situation by deleting the file from the PRQ and adding it back, at which point InstallShield updated the file size and MD5 sum. InstallShield did not automatically detect when I changed the file.

[#3]

Assuming you've already added your customised VC++ 2015 redistributable into your IS project then its a simple matter of ensuring your release is configured to have a "Setup Launcher" with the "InstallShield Prerequisites Location" option set to "Extract from Setup.exe".

Refer to the "Setup.exe" tab of the "Media\Releases" option in the IDE to do this.

[MarkusLatz]

And remember, that VC2015 depends on the Universal CRT, which is only part of the OS for Windows 10.

see here for further reading:

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2015/03/03/introducing-the-universal-crt/


regards

Markus

[#5]

MarkusLatz wrote:
And remember, that VC2015 depends on the Universal CRT, which is only part of the OS for Windows 10.

see here for further reading:

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2015/03/03/introducing-the-universal-crt/


regards

Markus

Agreed. We had to create our own UCRT redistributables to handle this for all OS's. Note the UCRT itself has its own dependencies!

[RickGutleber]

Hysteresis wrote:
Agreed. We had to create our own UCRT redistributables to handle this for all OS's. Note the UCRT itself has its own dependencies!

My experience has been that without the VC++ Redistributable, the app complained about one of the UCRT DLLs being missing. With the Redistributable installed, it worked fine. This was on a vanilla Windows 7 install, so it is my understanding that the VC++ 2015 Update 3 Redistributable includes the UCRT stuff.

[RickGutleber]

Hysteresis wrote:

Refer to the "Setup.exe" tab of the "Media\Releases" option in the IDE to do this.

I scoured the InstallShield UI, but did not find this option. That answers all my questions!

Thanks for your help!

[RickGutleber]

Hysteresis wrote:
Assuming you've already added your customised VC++ 2015 redistributable into your IS project then its a simple matter of ensuring your release is configured to have a "Setup Launcher" with the "InstallShield Prerequisites Location" option set to "Extract from Setup.exe".

Refer to the "Setup.exe" tab of the "Media\Releases" option in the IDE to do this.

Thanks. I was able to make it work. I had looked for the setting to bundle the prerequisite with the installer, but could not find it... because I had missed the "Media/Releases" options.