setup-project-in-visual-studio-2012-and-2013

Setup Project in Visual Studio 2012 and 2013

2014-02-07

After Visual Studio 2010, the Setup project type was removed from Visual Studio, so there is no more Setup project type in newer Visual Studio versions such as 2012 and 2013.

What newer Visual Studio editions introduced for "Setup Project" is InstallShield, now developers who are using Visual Studio has a special InstallShield version: InstallShield Limited Edition.

In Visual Studio 2012 or 2013, you have to Enable InstallShield Limited Edition when you tried to add setup project:

After click the next button you will be accessed to InstallShield Limited Edition for Visual Studio download page and you have to input your information.

How to setup InstallShield Limited Edition in Visual Studio?

Then you will get a Serial Number and download button to get file.

Also, the page provides install and activate steps:

Click the Download button above. If prompted, choose to save the file.

When the download completes, run the downloaded file to install the product.

- Note: If Visual Studio is open when you install InstallShield Limited Edition, Visual Studio will need to be restarted after installation has finished;
- Open Visual Studio and create an InstallShield Limited Edition project;
- On the File menu, point to New and click Project. The New Project dialog box opens.

In the Installed Templates box, expand the Other Project Types item, then the Setup and Deployment item, and then click the InstallShield Limited Edition Project template.

Select Activate or Register for free copy of InstallShield and click Next. Enter your serial number, click Next, and then click Finish to begin your first InstallShield project._

You have to reopen Visual Studio and try to add a new Setup project, so that you can activate the IntallShield Limited Edition using the serial number which you got previously.

After you activated, you can use InstallShield in Visual Studio then.