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I've developed a LightSwitch 2-tier application (desktop application) for a client. The client now wants to install the application on a Citrix server, and therefore it is necessary for the application to be available for all users on the server.

Unfortunately, when publishing a desktop LightSwitch application from Visual Studio 2012, the outputted installation executable does not have the usual option of installing "Only for me" or "For all users". It is not even possible to specify an installation destination, and the LightSwitch application is always installed into the current user's profile, making it unavailable for other users. Installing the application once for each user, is not an option.

Is there no way to simply choose to deploy the LightSwitch application in a way that makes it accessible to all users of the server?

I know that it is possible to deploy a LightSwitch application as a 3-tiered web-app, but that is not ideal in my clients situation.

Dan
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  • can this help? http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-guide/qa-current-or-all-users.html – Manuel Richarz Mar 30 '14 at 19:10
  • Thanks, but we're not looking for a 3rd party solution. – Dan Mar 31 '14 at 07:12
  • You've said installing for each user is not an option: is that because it's too much hassle, or you don't know how, or the app will eat up too much space or...? – serialhobbyist Apr 01 '14 at 11:54
  • @serialhobbyist - it's a citrix server, and we don't know in advance how many users are going to use the app, and who they are, which is why that option is no good. – Dan Apr 01 '14 at 12:03

1 Answers1

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The published output for a 2-tier LightSwitch app is a ClickOnce application which, by definition, is meant for per-user installation. But ClickOnce apps can be auto-installed by accessing the .application file via a URL or UNC share path. I would suggest to simply place a shortcut icon to the .application file on the Desktop folder for All Users.

Matt Thalman
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  • Thanks for your suggestion. Although not the answer we were hoping for, this is probably the best way to get around the problem. However, our Citrix admin is not too fond of the idea of every user having to install the ClickOnce app to their user profile, so we will probably be going in the 3-tier web app direction instead. – Dan Apr 09 '14 at 09:01