How to deploy and Run Visual Basic Projects



The probably easiest way to deploy your project would be:
  • Make sure the Visual framework you used for your application is installed on this machine.
You can also create a Setup and Deployment Project
  • Open the Solution of your application
  • File -> Add -> New Project...
  • Other Project Types -> Setup and Deployment -> Visual Studio Installer -> Setup Project
  • In the File System Tab right-click on "Application Folder" -> Add -> Project Output and Select "Primary output" from your application project.
(More details about adding files to your setup project: How to: Add Items to a Deployment Project)

If you want to use a copy of the access database on each machine
As you're using an access database. You can mark the include you're access database to your project and set Build Action (in the Property Page) to Content.
Now in the same manner as before rightclick on "Application Folder" and add project output. Only this time select "Content Files" instead of "Primary Output"
  • Build the setup project and distribute the setup.exe or the .msi file.
If you want to access the same database from each machine
I would advise to store the application on a server which runs independent of your machine so that others can access the database also when your machine is not running.
Change your connectionstring, so that users from other machines are able to connect have a look at this site if you need help with connectionstrings.
As you won't be able to connect to the database with the absolute filepath from other machines, create a fileshare where everyone who should be able to connect has permissions to read/write.
  • Build the setup project and distribute the setup.exe or the .msi file.
Hope this helps so far.