I'm VB6 programmer, just started VB 2005. I wrote application with 50+ Crystal reports fromProfessional edition.

Setup package has separate Crystal Reports runtime to install.

How to include this CR runtime (msi file)to the Setup application package, so users don't need to install it separate.

Thanks

Hi LenaPro,

Based on my understanding, what you want to do to is deploy the Crystal Reports runtime with your setup project, right? If so, you need the Merge Module for the Crystal Reports runtime. The Merge Module is a set of components that are merged with a Windows installer for applications that need them. It provides a standard method by which developers deliver shared Windows Installer components and setup logic to their applications. Merge modules are used to deliver shared code, files, resources, registry entries, and setup logic to applications as a single compound file. A merge module is similar in structure to a simplified Windows Installer .msi file. However, a merge module cannot be installed alone; it must be merged into an installation package using a merge tool. You can add the Crystal Reports Merge Modules to your setup project to install the Crystal Reports runtime when installing your application.

For more information, please visit:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225352(VS.80).aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225284(VS.80).aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225386(VS.80).aspx

Hope this helps.
Best regards.
Rong-Chun Zhang

Hi LenaPro,

Based on my understanding, what you want to do to is deploy the Crystal Reports runtime with your setup project, right? If so, you need the Merge Module for the Crystal Reports runtime. The Merge Module is a set of components that are merged with a Windows installer for applications that need them. It provides a standard method by which developers deliver shared Windows Installer components and setup logic to their applications. Merge modules are used to deliver shared code, files, resources, registry entries, and setup logic to applications as a single compound file. A merge module is similar in structure to a simplified Windows Installer .msi file. However, a merge module cannot be installed alone; it must be merged into an installation package using a merge tool. You can add the Crystal Reports Merge Modules to your setup project to install the Crystal Reports runtime when installing your application.

For more information, please visit:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225352(VS.80).aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225284(VS.80).aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms225386(VS.80).aspx

Hope this helps.
Best regards.
Rong-Chun Zhang

Hi,
I have a question that is related to this post.....My company uses a 3rd party software application that uses the crystal runtime for reporting. The crystal runtime is embedded into the application MSI package (one package) thatour third party vendor provides to us. The install package is over 90 MB compressed and over 257 MB uncompressed.....which makes it very clunky and resourceintensive to deploy. After examing the msi file in ORCA, inoticed that themajority of the filesincluded with the msiare dll files that get extracted to %ProgramFiles%\Business Objects....which i am assuming are crystal related. Can these files be excluded from the package to reduce the size of the MSI?...or are they required for the crystal runtime to function properly? Any help would be appreciated greatly!
Dan

I would assume if the other company is packaging them along, then they are needed. It is cumbersome for them to provide an MSI that is so large, so you'd think if they could remove some stuff from it, they would. The question you are asking is probably something THEY should answer. I don't know anything about the \BusinessObjects folder, but it seems like a huge assumption to assume they are all Crystal Reports dll's.

RobinDotNet

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That's the problem....the company that is packaging them along says that they are necessary for the crystall runtime to functions. However,thisparticular vendorhas never really been compitent in anything that they do....so I reallynever trust any answer that they give me (don't even ask me why we still use their software because if it was up to me I would pay them to get rid of their software). I'm hoping that i might find a crystal expert out there who can tell me compitently that i either do or do not need those files.....I can very easily remove them from the MSI package with ORCA.