How do I deploy two ClickOnce versions simultaneously?

Question

I would like the ability to have a test ClickOnce server for my applications where users can run both the production version and the test version in parallel. Is this possible?

I first tried using the following in AssemblyInfo.cs and also changing the name in the ClickOnce deployment though all this achieved was overwriting the users' production version with the test version. Likewise, it did the same when they went back to the production server.

#if DEBUG
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("Product Name - Test")]
#else
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("Product Name")]
#endif

I thought I should also clarify that the two deployment locations are different from one another and on different servers.

UPDATE

I've also tried setting the GUID for the manifest depending on the debug mode, but again it does not work (dummy GUID's used below).

#if DEBUG
[assembly: Guid("AAAAAAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAA")]
#else
[assembly: Guid("BBBBBBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBB-BBBBBBBBBBBB")]
#endif

How are the two distinguished? It seems that the installer sees them as two separate programs as I get a confirmation of installation for each. Though, when I install the second one, "Add/Remove Programs" only sees the latter, though the former is still on disk, as when I go to reinstall it later, it just simply runs, but then the add/remove programs switches back to the former name.

user_249841 · Answer

Try changing the Assembly Name in the Application tab in the properties window.

user_10360648 · Answer

A variation on Peter Mortensen's two project scenario. I wanted dev, customer test, and customer release. In my case I wanted the customer test providing some visual clues that it was test, not live (e.g. 'TEST' in the title and a different visual theme).

I found it simplest to have two solutions as well as two stub projects. Each project in its own directory, with its own stub program.cs, app.config and assemblyinfo.cs.

In the dev/test solution, the debug configuration was for dev, the release config was for customer test. I used SlowCheetah to transform the app.config for the latter.

In the customer release solution I needed only a release config.

user_538038 · Answer

You have to edit your csproj manually, after having at least once configured your project to publish a Click Once application.

Move some of Click Once related properties from the to the property group and duplicate them under the property group.

The properties to duplicate are ApplicationRevision (only if you want separate revision counters), PublishUrl, ProductName and SuiteName (the last two are required to be able to differentiate the configurations on the target machines). You also will have to override the AssemblyName property (without removing it from the first group).

If you want to be able to debug your project under any configuration, you also will have to add the StartAction and StartProgram properties in each group where you overrode the AssemblyName property.

After having given these properties adequate (i.e. different) values, you will be able to publish both configurations, without having to modify your project, just by selecting the desired configuration. Note however you will have to unload your project between publishes for different configurations, or Visual Studio will mess up your parameters.

After that, you also will be able to install both versions on the same target machine.

user_986677 · Answer

It is possible to deploy 2 versions of the same application without changing the AssemblyName, here is how it's done...

Create a clickonce deployment
Open the .application file and make the following edit:

3. Run the setup and MyApp will be installed. Depending on previous attempts you may need to clear the application cache with mage -cc

Edit the .application file again replacing MyApp with MyApp2
Run setup and MyApp2 will be installed

How do I deploy two ClickOnce versions simultaneously?

9 Answers