Distribute digitally signed installer package

[battler.]

Hi all,

Distributing installer package can be done with Winzip self-extractor program which packages the exe and installer and only requires the user to double-click on icon.

Digitally signing an EXE with Windows Authenticode certificate means application is trusted under Windows.  See Windows Security tabs under Build Application and Build Installer within LV project for how to apply these certificates.

Problem:  Once the digitally signed EXE is zipped then digital certificate is "lost" when double-click on zipped exe icon.

The reason we like to zip is to provide clean and simple option for users to install (i.e. double-click on 1 icon rather than go to Volume/setup.exe).

Once I zip I lose advantage (it doesn't work) of digital certificate.

Any other simple options for distributing applications which are simple double-click on single icon for install (including run-time)?

Thanks,

Battler.

[smercurio_fc]

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@battler. wrote:

The reason we like to zip is to provide clean and simple option for users to install (i.e. double-click on 1 icon rather than go to Volume/setup.exe).

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I don't understand this statement. You're still double-clicking one icon: setup.exe. If you don't like the fact that there's a "Volume" folder, then distribute the contents of that folder, rather than the folder.

An alternative, if you wish to have a single file, is to use a third-party installer creator. I use Inno Setup. Very flexible.

[battler.]

Do you need only distribute what's in Volume folder?  I thought had to include exe as well at higher level.

Never tried it

[smercurio_fc]

The contents of the "Volume" folder contains everything you need. (Exclusive of any device drivers you chose to not include, or cannot be included into the installer.)

[battler. · Accepted solution]

You can digitally sign a zipped exe; it's an exe.

Use signtool.exe from MS as free tool download as part of .Net 4.0.