Windows installation package - unneeded dependencies

[gvarisco]

https://github.com/italia/cie-middleware/tree/master/Setup currently relies on Javascript and ActiveX objects for performing all the available installer options (install, uninstall).

We should be probably looking at removing those unneeded dependencies by evaluating/adopting different frameworks:

• Best in my opinion would be to use Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS), a script-driven installer authoring tool for Microsoft Windows. Starting with v2.x, it supports LZMA compression, multiple languages, and an easy-to-use plugin system.
• WIX
• a combination of WIX and NSIS for wrapping MSI executables
• InstallShield

[gvarisco]

Additional projects mentioned on social networks:

• https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows (uses NuGet packages to create installation and update packages)

[madduci]

I would suggest WIX for building MSI installers which support upgrades based on a fixed GUID.
In addition, a whole project optimization based on CMake/Conan.io would improve the management of dependencies and the project build automatization including the above quoted installer generation (CMake can generate WIX installers). In addition, a signed installer would be also a good idea (same thing here: it can be automatized using CMake or conan)

Proposal: join the Hacktoberfest to add some tickets/issues related to the above things.

[fottavi]

In the last PR #49 NSIS was used as setup engine.
It's simple and powerful, so it seemed the best option to me.
The installer compiled with NSIS will be available shortly

[hackbunny]

MSI packages are pretty much a requirement for deployment in enterprise environments. If we don't want to depend on Visual Studio's installer project add-on, a free and open source alternative to build a MSI installer is WiX. WiX comes with its own Visual Studio add-on, and is now in fact recommended by Microsoft themselves to write Windows installers

Downside is that WiX isn't easy to use, and MSI itself has a pretty steep learning curve. But WiX is certainly the more "future-proof" choice