Does it really work?

[gmav]

Hi there, i am trying to follow the instructions to use Squirrel but it doesn't seem to work at all. I am using VS 2013 trying Install-Package Squirrel -Project XXX, but there is no Squirrel package available. Can i get some help here please?

thanks in advance

Geo

[bgrainger]

AFAIK, the "Squirrel" package isn't yet available. I have been able to get Squirrel working by installing the old "Shimmer" package, then later upgrading to the Squirrel.Core and Squirrel.Client packages. See my writeup here: What I had to do to get Squirrel working.

[gmav]

Thanks alot bgrainger, i've managed to make it work :)

[marcpiechura]

@gmav and @bgrainger
is it working in the real world for you ?
I have added Squirrel as you explained above @bgrainger and it's working on my develeoper pc, with installation and autoupdate.
But if i try to install the application on another pc, the installer stops after showing the progress bar.
I also figured out that it writes the error messages during the Installation in the Shimmer Folder and not in Squirrel, is this correct?

Here are the error Messages:

[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:32] LogHost: Couldn't load types for ReactiveUI, Version=4.6.5.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null: System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException: Mindestens ein Typ in der Assembly kann nicht geladen werden. Rufen Sie die LoaderExceptions-Eigenschaft ab, wenn Sie weitere Informationen benötigen.
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes(RuntimeModule module)
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes()
bei System.Reflection.Assembly.GetTypes()
bei ReactiveUI.Reflection.<.cctor>b__22(Assembly x)
[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:32] LogHost: Couldn't load types for Shimmer.Core, Version=0.7.4.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null: System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException: Mindestens ein Typ in der Assembly kann nicht geladen werden. Rufen Sie die LoaderExceptions-Eigenschaft ab, wenn Sie weitere Informationen benötigen.
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes(RuntimeModule module)
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes()
bei System.Reflection.Assembly.GetTypes()
bei ReactiveUI.Reflection.<.cctor>b__22(Assembly x)
[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:32] POCOObservableForProperty: Shimmer.WiXUi.Views.WelcomeView is a POCO type and won't send change notifications, WhenAny will only return a single value!
[INFO][2014-02-04T10:41:35] WixUiBootstrapper: PlanCompleteObs: got status: '0'
[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:35] LogHost: Couldn't load types for ReactiveUI, Version=4.6.5.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null: System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException: Mindestens ein Typ in der Assembly kann nicht geladen werden. Rufen Sie die LoaderExceptions-Eigenschaft ab, wenn Sie weitere Informationen benötigen.
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes(RuntimeModule module)
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes()
bei System.Reflection.Assembly.GetTypes()
bei ReactiveUI.Reflection.<.cctor>b__22(Assembly x)
[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:35] LogHost: Couldn't load types for Shimmer.Core, Version=0.7.4.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null: System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException: Mindestens ein Typ in der Assembly kann nicht geladen werden. Rufen Sie die LoaderExceptions-Eigenschaft ab, wenn Sie weitere Informationen benötigen.
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes(RuntimeModule module)
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes()
bei System.Reflection.Assembly.GetTypes()
bei ReactiveUI.Reflection.<.cctor>b__22(Assembly x)
[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:35] LogHost: Couldn't load types for Shimmer.Client, Version=0.7.4.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null: System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException: Mindestens ein Typ in der Assembly kann nicht geladen werden. Rufen Sie die LoaderExceptions-Eigenschaft ab, wenn Sie weitere Informationen benötigen.
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes(RuntimeModule module)
bei System.Reflection.RuntimeModule.GetTypes()
bei System.Reflection.Assembly.GetTypes()
bei ReactiveUI.Reflection.<.cctor>b__22(Assembly x)
[WARN][2014-02-04T10:41:35] POCOObservableForProperty: Shimmer.WiXUi.Views.InstallingView is a POCO type and won't send change notifications, WhenAny will only return a single value!

[iamthefaker]

This is not exactly a solution, but I noticed this error seems to only occur on target machines where the dotnet 4 client profile is installed (not the full framework) and if I installed 4.5.2 (I just picked the latest so others may also work), the problem went away.

Presumably these ReactiveUI components I am bundling have some dependency on the full framework, and better solution (maybe better, I'm still thinking) would be rebuild ReactiveUI components so as to work with the Client Profile. (I don't really want to force everyone to have to the full framework, just so as our installer will work.)

[anaisbetts]

@iamthefaker Development is now ongoing in a new project https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows.Next, which has no dependency at all on ReactiveUI. Highly recommended for new development to switch to it

[iamthefaker]

That's good to hear, Paul.

How ready-to-go is it?

[anaisbetts]

The best way to track progress of Squirrel is via the Milestones page: https://github.com/Squirrel/Squirrel.Windows.Next/milestones.

Right now it is completely usable (i.e. will generate both installers and updaters) minus some polish steps. Here's the Getting Started info: https://gist.github.com/paulcbetts/599b435c05bb0e8a4080