ClickOnce deployment and when to use it

I have already looked into ClickOnce and WindowsInstaller. Out of the two ClickOnce seems to have more of the features I am looking for. What do you feel are some of weaknesses plauging ClickOnce. When should and shouldn't you use this method?

I am wanting a method to automatically update software with 0 user interaction. I want it to be done in the background and on startup. Wo开发者_如何转开发uld this be better accomplished with custom logic and a custom version checking system?

Any advice/insight would be wonderful.

EDIT All client computers will be remotely connected over VPN from an aircard.

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I've been using ClickOnce for 3 years and I'm quite happy with it. It gives me the ease of deployment of web apps with the power of local applications.

I use it the way you mentioned, if a user starts the application and a new version is available, it is automatically updated without any user interaction.

Keep in mind that my app is deployed internally in an intranet which configuration is in our control. The picture might be totally different in an extranet scenario.

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ClickOnce sounds like it would be ideal for your particular scenario. Here are a few caveats:

• ClickOnce buries application files in obscure User directories. This is not necessarily bad, but you will have a hard time locating the actual executable and any other bundled files.

• One issue in particular I've run into is the option to either a) Fail and not open the application if unable to access the ClickOnce manifest, or b) just let it run without notifying anyone. It would be nice if there was a middle ground (allow the application to run, but notify someone, somehow).