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I have a Visual Studio 2022 instance (version 17.6.5) with the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects package (version 2.0) installed on a Windows Server 2022 virtual machine. I'd like to generate a Custom Action containing a custom deployment workflow (details unimportant) and am unable to locate the necessary component class to support this activity.

After installing the Windows Installer Projects package outside of Visual Studio, I loaded VS and successfully added an Installer Project. I'd like to generate a Custom Action. In doing so, traditionally you point these to a project with an Installer Class in place into which you write the custom code to enact your custom workflow. Unfortunately, for VS 2022, I'm unable to locate the Installer Class template off the Add Item option. Previously this item was available under the 'General' filter. I've searched online and been unable to identify any guidance as to whether this workflow has changed, is now disabled, or whether the Installer Class component needed for support of Custom Actions has changed to something else.

I'd very much appreciate any guidance anyone has to help point me in the right direction.

Bob Arnson
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GIS-Monkey
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  • I suspect the installer class must be in a .NET 4.x class library. – jessehouwing Jul 21 '23 at 20:28
  • See the list of supported .NET versions here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.configuration.install.installer?view=netframework-4.8.1 – jessehouwing Jul 21 '23 at 20:29
  • @jessehouwing well that seals it. Damn. I'm surprised I didn't see an error of some kind related to the package. I was hoping to use this framework to easily package a prototype add-in tool with some custom batch scripts to make things more plug-and-play for my client. Do you know a recommended desktop alternative to Microsoft Installer Projects for .NET 6.0+ that supports this kind of custom install scripting? – GIS-Monkey Jul 21 '23 at 20:39
  • Update: I take back the request for recommendations. I recognize that's not a question that's best posed in the stackoverflow forum. – GIS-Monkey Jul 21 '23 at 20:45
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    The Installer Class item template was never made to work with the Windows Installer Project project type. Support for installutil.exe was discontinued, that's why it is missing. – Hans Passant Jul 21 '23 at 23:54
  • Is there a framework-based alternative for custom action type use cases? If not, is there any insight to be had on why it was discontinued? – GIS-Monkey Jul 28 '23 at 19:08

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