Deployment kit suggestions [closed]

Question

I wrote some application under .Net 4.0 and I am looking a way to deploy it.

I am after some kit that will be able to:

• Put my files in some predefined folder,
• Create all needed short cuts
• Insert my application under the programs menu.

Ideally this kit should be free and simple to use.

Answer 1

Definitely sounds like a job for WiX (Windows Installer XML Toolset).

Its a free open source MSI authoring toolkit that is xml based. It exposes 100% of the functionality of MSI and I've found it to be very useful in the past - it's definitely capable of doing everything that you have stated in your question.

Also as WiX is now widely used, there are plenty of resources available on the web:

• Official documentation
• Introduction to the Windows Installer XML Toolset (Tutorial)
• Good resources for learning how to create MSI installers from WiX (StackOveflow Question)

Answer 2

Use either Wix for Windows (or the Web Deploy kit for Web)