Deployment Woes

Question

Perhaps this shows my gaps in Software Development but I am having a devil of a time getting an app to install on another PC.

I made an app based upon the Lightswitch Issue Tracker Starter Kit. It points to a seperate SQL server and it is designed to run from the user's PC (need Export to excel options.) When I take the publish folder and try to install it on another PC, it can't communicate to the DB and thus it doesn't work. Where in the deployment steps am I going wrong? It works well on my workstation (where I developed the app.)

Thanks!
Brian

Answer 1

You'll need to be more specific than "it can't communicate to the DB". How do you know this? What is the actual error that you are receiving or the visualization that the application has that you are not expecting.

Try the steps outlined here to diagnose the problem: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/lightswitch/archive/2011/09/20/diagnosing-problems-in-a-deployed-lightswitch-application-eric-erhardt.aspx

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Justin Anderson, LightSwitch Development Team

Answer 2

On my PC, it runs perfectly. On another PC, it will install and run but it will say (LOCALHOST) in the top bar. Something mine will not do. And then when it looks like it will bring up the app, it will say: AN ERROR OCCURED WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH THE DATABASE. We click OK and then it will say APPLICATION FAILED TO LOAD. IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS CONTACT YOUR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR FOR ASSISTANCE.

So, I assume it is the localhost thing, so wondering how I can deploy for PC's other than my own for a desktop app. I'll take a peek at that article too.

Answer 3

Another user had a similar problem a while ago: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/lightswitch/thread/655e4f03-d327-40fc-8d3b-8134e91ec2a4

What type of server configuration are you targeting? Local or IIS (I'm assuming Azure is not involved)?

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Justin Anderson, LightSwitch Development Team

Answer 4

I am targeting a SQL server with IIS running. As mentioned, it runs fine on my workstation. I do have SQLEXPRESS running on my workstation but I have created the DB on the standalone SQL server.

So, the publish folder on my PC...that can't simply be copied to another PC and ran there to install, correct? That's my goal is to get this on another PC.

Answer 5

Another item of note...if I publush it as a website, bam, it works for everyone...I just wanted a desktop app for easy export to excel options.

Answer 6

Let's back up a little bit.

What are the types of data sources you have in the project? Are you using just the intrinsic database, did you attach to an existing database, or a combination of both?

When publishing, there two types of clients that you can publish as (desktop or web) and three types of servers you can publish as (Local, IIS, and Windows Azure). Which pair of client and server are you trying to accomplish? If I understand correctly, you want a desktop client and an IIS server.

In the case of using IIS, you can either create a package on disk or remotely publish. If choosing to create a package on disk, you can import it into IIS or use the Microsoft Web Deployment Tool. Which one are you choosing (create on disk or remotely deploy)?

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Justin Anderson, LightSwitch Development Team

Answer 7

Let's back up a little bit.

What are the types of data sources you have in the project? Are you using just the intrinsic database, did you attach to an existing database, or a combination of both?

When publishing, there two types of clients that you can publish as (desktop or web) and three types of servers you can publish as (Local, IIS, and Windows Azure). Which pair of client and server are you trying to accomplish? If I understand correctly, you want a desktop client and an IIS server.

In the case of using IIS, you can either create a package on disk or remotely publish. If choosing to create a package on disk, you can import it into IIS or use the Microsoft Web Deployment Tool. Which one are you choosing (create on disk or remotely deploy)?

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Justin Anderson, LightSwitch Development Team

I created an app based upon the ISSUE TRACKER Starter Kit. I associated it with a Database on a SQL server. The desktop app works only on my PC. If I copy the publish package to another PC and try to install, it will only run in LOCALHOST mode and not connect to the SQL server. A few of the management staff would rather use the APP because of the easy "Export to Excel" option.

So, currently, I use the Desktop App and everyone else uses the web app. All of us connect and talk to the same Database. It was published to the SQL server with IIS.

So, if I want another user to use the desktop client, do I need to publish it on their PC or can they use the same package as was on my PC? Because that's not working.

Thanks Again!
Brian

Answer 8

Hi,

You can deploy the application twice, one for web ,one for desktop:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg481778.aspx

For the application are controlling the save database, so there will be no problem with it.