Windows Installer Editor Reference
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Assembling an Installation
You can install assemblies into the Global Assembly Cache, the WinSxS directory, or a
private directory. Each of these directories is used in a different way:
Global Assembly Cache
Assemblies that will be shared by many applications on the destination computer should
be installed into the Global Assembly Cache directory. Assemblies installed into the
Global Assembly Cache must be strongly named. A strong name consists of an
assembly’s identity—its simple text name, version number, and culture information (if
provided)—strengthened by a public key and a digital signature generated over the
assembly. The Global Assembly Cache directory appears only if .NET Application or
Mixed (.NET and Win32) is selected as the application type on the Product Details
page. See Installation of Assemblies to the Global Assembly Cache in the Windows
Installer SDK Help.
WinSxS
To enable side-by-side sharing of a Win32 assembly, install it into the WinSxS directory,
which is under the Windows directory on Windows XP or later. Assemblies installed into
WinSxS must be strongly named. On Windows XP or later, shared assemblies are
installed as side-by-side assemblies. See Side-by-Side Assemblies in the Windows
Installer SDK Help.
Private directory
If an assembly is private, used by only one application, install it into any installation
directory, provided its path contains a maximum of 256 characters. See Private
Assemblies in the Windows Installer SDK Help.
See also:
Installation Directories
on page 108
How Assembly Dependencies are Added to an Installation
When you add a .NET assembly to an installation, and the assembly has dependencies
on other files, you can add the dependency files to the installation in the following ways:
z
You can add the dependency files manually.
z
Windows Installer Editor can scan the assembly’s manifest and add the dependency
files.
z
Windows Installer Editor can scan the assembly’s manifest and prompt you to add
the dependency files.
The scan feature is controlled by the following settings:
z
In Wise Options > .NET Assemblies tab, use the Scan Dependencies drop-down
list.
z
In the Import Visual Basic, C#, or J# tool, on the Select Configuration dialog box,
use the Automatically add Assembly Dependencies without prompting check
box.
You can exclude dependencies from the assembly scan for a specific installation or for all
installations.
See
About Dependency Scan Exclusions
on page 117.
