index > ClickOnce and Setup & Deployment Projects > How to automatically update an application using Windows Installer

How to automatically update an application using Windows Installer

Hi there,
I have an windows application which is deployed using Windows Installer(.msi). But every time I make any change, I have to uninstall it and then reinstall the new one.

I found "ClickOnce" technology which can auto-update. I also read that Windows Installer can auto-update too by implementing programmatic updates in the application code. My questions are:

1. How to "implement programmatic updates in the application code" then since I only want to use MSI to update an application?

2. Or is it possible to make the Windows Installer update the application without uninstall the previous version?

Thanks a lot!

Helen.W Tuesday, September 08, 2009 4:14 PM

The RemovePreviousVersions property in your setup project is the way to do automatic updates in a setup project. That does an update, uninstalling the old version in the process. I'm nor sure what you read, but there is no programmatic update in setup projects.

Phil Wilson