ClickOnce allows developers to deploy Windows applications to a web server or network share for easy installation and automatic updating. It provides a simplified installation experience for users without requiring administrative privileges. Applications deployed with ClickOnce are self-contained and isolate themselves from other applications, preventing version conflicts between shared components. This makes ClickOnce a useful alternative to traditional Windows Installer deployment that simplifies updating applications and allows non-administrative user installations.

1. ClickOnce Deployment ClickOnce deployment allows you to publish Windows-based applications to a Web server or network file share for simplified installation.

2. ClickOnce Deployment Overview Definition: ClickOnce is a deployment technology that allows you to create self-updating Windows-based applications that can be installed and run with minimal user interaction. ClickOnce auto-updating technology can radically simplify application deployment. Using it, .NET developers and architects can deliver highly interactive desktop applications while gaining the centralized maintainability and "always-up-to-date" qualities of Web applications.

4. ClickOnce Deployment Significance In the past, these issues sometimes caused developers to decide to create Web applications rather than Windows-based applications, sacrificing the rich user interface and responsiveness of Windows Forms for ease of installation. With applications deployed using ClickOnce, you can have the best of both technologies.

6. Install from the Web or a Network Share - Default Strategy

9. For installing the StatTicker, one needs to browse for the http address provided by the vendor. In the following example, the software resides in the below given address: http://192.168.100.51/MyApplications/publish.htm

10. Tracking ClickOnce Application Usage In order to track which users have installed or launched which applications from the server side, you need to authenticate the user's identity and to detect and intercept file download requests. There are no built-in mechanisms with ClickOnce to determine which users are trying to deploy your applications, but there are a number of approaches you can employ to obtain this information.

12. Using Windows Authentication You need to configure IIS to pass requests for .application, .manifest, and .deploy files to ASP.NET instead of servicing those directly in IIS. You also want to turn off anonymous access to the site, and only allow Integrated Windows Authentication control. The following screens shows how to enable the Tracing Windows authentication in the IIS 5.0

13. IIS after deploying the website

14. IIS Virtual Directory - Properties

15. Copy the Executable path and click OK

16. Copy the Executable path. Enter the three extensions > .deploy > .application > .manifest

17. In the Directory Security tab, Uncheck Anonymous access and OK

18. Now, the application is ready to be accessed from anywhere in a Intranet. The access permission can be controlled by the admin of the network. The Logger logs the informations about which user installs/Updates the application and so on...

19. Questions are Welcome!