I'm trying to allow people to download a VBExpress.NET program from the web. I've successfully published TheProgram to the web. The install button on the published web page downloads the SETUP.EXE file to the users computer. However, when the SETUP.EXE file is run all it does in install is a file called TheProgram.application. When TheProgram.application is run it produces the following:
Cannot download the application. The application is missing required files. Contact application vendor for assistance.

If I publish the program to my computer it creates TheProgram.EXE that runs fine. It also creates a SETUP.EXE file that has the same problem as the one downloaded from the web.

I appear to be missing something when it comes to publishing to the web, but I sure can't figure out what it is. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Lowell

As the error indicates it is missing files. Do you have files in your application that are required by are not being deployed? Check the properties on the files. There should be one property that indicates what the compile or deployment behavior is. It will dictate whether the files gets packaged with the deployment.

-Peter

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I think you are missing my point. The SETUP.EXE in not installing the TheProgram.EXE file. There are no additional files required.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The current version of ClickOnce will only work properly in Internet Explorer. In particular if you try to download using Firefox the following error message will appear:

"Cannot Start Application. Cannot download the application. The application is missing required files. Contact application vendor for assistance."

Microsoft are working on cross browser support for ClickOnce - if you're interested read more here.
A patch for Firefox that will enable it to run ClickOnce properly is available here.