Using OCX Installer With VB.NET

Overview | Documentation | C# | VB.NET | VB6 | C/C++ | Download

You application calls OCX Installer during application initialization, in the Main method of the application:

    If (Not Softelvdm.OCXInstaller.ProcessFile(True, _ 
            "TestApp_VBNET", "Softel vdm, Inc.", _
            ".\SftTree_IX86_U_60.ocx", "%WinSys", _
            True, False)) Then Exit Sub

In order to have access to the assembly containing the OCX Installer, a reference to Softelvdm.OCXInstaller has to be added to the project:

VS 2003, 2005, 2008: Project, Add Reference... menu command, click Browse, locate the file OCXInstaller.Assembly.dll and add it. It is normally located at \Program Files\Softelvdm\OCX Installer\NET.

In order to debug/execute your application, make sure to copy all other required files (OCXes) to the folder containing your executable.

For all applications that include ActiveX controls, the .NET assembly stdole.dll must be distributed. This assembly is NOT part of the .NET runtime installation, so you have to insure it is included with your application. Other prerequisite files that are part of ActiveX controls, may also be updated accordingly (for example, Softelvdm.OCXHelper also must be distributed):

VS 2003: In your Solution Explorer window, expand the References. Right-click on the stdole entry and select Properties. Set Copy Local to True.

VS 2005, 2008: Project, Properties... menu command, click References. Select OLE Automation (stdole.dll), double-click on it and set Copy Local to True in the Properties window.

OCX Installer includes a complete C# sample including project files for Visual Studio 2003, 2005, 2008 at

\Program Files\Softelvdm\OCX Installer\Samples\Sample_VB.NET

The completed, precompiled and distributable sample is located in the Bin subfolder.

When experimenting with deployment of this sample, please make sure to install the .NET runtime first on the target system. Please visit microsoft.com to download the .NET runtime if needed.