How to create an exe for a web application?

Question

I had developed a web application using Visual studio 2012 (ASP.Net 4.5 - C#) and a web service. Both are laying in a single solution. I need to convert my solution to an EX

Answer 1

Quiet a late answer: I cannot post the whole project here but i'll post the flow chart here and you may try it.

All the steps in the flowchart here should be controlled programmatically.

1. Steps in starting the application.

NOTE: Please ignore the third layer (Is website added) if you are using a local database(.mdf)

The connection string to be used for a local database:

public string ConnectionString =
            "Data Source=(local);Initial Catalog=YOUR_DATABASE_NAME;Integrated Security=True";

But still remember that you need dotnet framework to be installed inorder to run your application. don't worry as you can set the pre-requisites in your application setup project.

All the codes for the flowchart process below.

Is IIS Installed:

NOTE: I am posting the code for IIS 7 and above.

public bool IsIISInstalled()
        {
            return Registry.GetValue(@"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InetStp",
                "VersionString", null) != null;
        }

Install IIS

public int InstallIIS()
        {
            string DISM_CMD_CODE = "START /WAIT DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:IIS-ApplicationDevelopment /FeatureName:IIS-ASP /FeatureName:IIS-ASPNET /FeatureName:IIS-BasicAuthentication /FeatureName:IIS-CGI /FeatureName:IIS-ClientCertificateMappingAuthentication /FeatureName:IIS-CommonHttpFeatures /FeatureName:IIS-CustomLogging /FeatureName:IIS-DefaultDocument /FeatureName:IIS-DigestAuthentication /FeatureName:IIS-DirectoryBrowsing /FeatureName:IIS-FTPExtensibility /FeatureName:IIS-FTPServer /FeatureName:IIS-FTPSvc /FeatureName:IIS-HealthAndDiagnostics /FeatureName:IIS-HostableWebCore /FeatureName:IIS-HttpCompressionDynamic /FeatureName:IIS-HttpCompressionStatic /FeatureName:IIS-HttpErrors /FeatureName:IIS-HttpLogging /FeatureName:IIS-HttpRedirect /FeatureName:IIS-HttpTracing /FeatureName:IIS-IIS6ManagementCompatibility /FeatureName:IIS-IISCertificateMappingAuthentication /FeatureName:IIS-IPSecurity /FeatureName:IIS-ISAPIExtensions /FeatureName:IIS-ISAPIFilter /FeatureName:IIS-LegacyScripts /FeatureName:IIS-LegacySnapIn /FeatureName:IIS-LoggingLibraries /FeatureName:IIS-ManagementConsole /FeatureName:IIS-ManagementScriptingTools /FeatureName:IIS-ManagementService /FeatureName:IIS-Metabase /FeatureName:IIS-NetFxExtensibility /FeatureName:IIS-ODBCLogging /FeatureName:IIS-Performance /FeatureName:IIS-RequestFiltering /FeatureName:IIS-RequestMonitor /FeatureName:IIS-Security /FeatureName:IIS-ServerSideIncludes /FeatureName:IIS-StaticContent /FeatureName:IIS-URLAuthorization /FeatureName:IIS-WebDAV /FeatureName:IIS-WebServer /FeatureName:IIS-WebServerManagementTools /FeatureName:IIS-WebServerRole /FeatureName:IIS-WindowsAuthentication /FeatureName:IIS-WMICompatibility /FeatureName:WAS-ConfigurationAPI /FeatureName:WAS-NetFxEnvironment /FeatureName:WAS-ProcessModel /FeatureName:WAS-WindowsActivationService";
            string command = DISM_CMD_CODE;
            ProcessStartInfo pStartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", "/c " + command);
            Process p = new Process();
            p.StartInfo = pStartInfo;
            //p.WaitForExit();
            p.Start();
            return 1;
        }

Is Website added

public bool IsWebsiteAddedInIIS(string WebsiteName)
        {
            ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager();
            var site = serverManager.Sites.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Name == WebsiteName);
            if (site == null)
            {
                //No site added
                return false;
            }
            else
            {
                //site added
                return true;
            }
        }

public int CreateNewWebsite(string SiteName, string PublishedFilesPath)
        {
            ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager();
            var site = serverManager.Sites.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Name == SiteName);
            if (site == null)
            {
                serverManager.Sites.Add(SiteName, "http", "*:8080:", PublishedFilesPath);
                serverManager.CommitChanges();
                return 1;
            }
            else
            {
                return 2;
            }
        }

public void StartWebsite(string SiteName)
        {
            ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager();
            var site = serverManager.Sites.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Name == SiteName);
            if (site != null)
            {
                site.Stop();
                site.Start();
            }
        }

        public void StopWebsite(string SiteName)
        {
            ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager();
            var site = serverManager.Sites.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Name == SiteName);
            if (site != null)
            {
                site.Stop();
            }
        }

Get website URL

public string GetWebsiteURL(string SiteName)
        {
            //string SiteUrl = "";
            //ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager();
            //var site = serverManager.Sites.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Name == SiteName);
            //var siteBindings = site.GetCollection("bindings");
            //string protocol = (string)siteBindings["protocol"];
            //string bindingInfo = (string)siteBindings["bindingInformation"];
            //if (protocol.StartsWith("http", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
            //{
            //    string[] parts = bindingInfo.Split(':');
            //    if (parts.Length == 3)
            //    {
            //        //Get the port in use HERE !!!
            //        string port = parts[1];
            //        SiteUrl = "localhost:" + port;
            //    }
            //}
            //return SiteUrl;

            int port = 0;
            string SiteUrl = "";
            ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager();
            var site = serverManager.Sites.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Name == SiteName);
            foreach (Binding binding in site.Bindings)
            {
                port = binding.EndPoint.Port;
                SiteUrl = "localhost:" + port + "/index.aspx";
                break;
            }
            return SiteUrl;
        }

Init Browsing the website

You have to install Cefsharp chromium browser to your windows forms

Install-Package CefSharp.WinForms -Version 75.1.143

public void InitBrowser(string Address)
        {
            Cef.Initialize(new CefSettings());
            browser = new ChromiumWebBrowser(Address);
            Controls.Add(browser);
            browser.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
        }

Thank you..

Answer 2

Maybe you need to create a web setup project. "A Web setup project provides the highest level of flexibility for deploying a website. Although Web Setup Projects are more complex for the developer, they allow you to generate an MSI package, precompile a website, and perform virtually any setup task that your application might require.

Many websites do not require custom configuration. In these cases, you can simply build your MSI file and be ready to deploy. However, more complex scenarios include dependencies (such as particular operating system versions or service packs), custom registry entries, or administrator configuration. Web Setup Projects allow you to deploy websites that meet these requirements."

Check the book "MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-515) - Web Applications Development with Microsoft .NET Framework 4" at the chapter 8 "Debugging and deploying".

Hope this helps.