Certainly! Here's a detailed explanation of how to build an EXE and an installer for a WPF application using ClickOnce deployment in step-by-step fashion. This guide assumes you have some basic experience with Visual Studio and C#.

Step 1: Create Your WPF Application

First, ensure you have Visual Studio installed on your system. Open Visual Studio and follow these steps to create a new WPF application:

1. Navigate to File > New > Project.
2. In the "Create a new project" window, select "WPF App (.NET Core)" or "WPF App (.NET Framework)" based on your preferences and project requirements.
3. Click "Next."
4. Name your project and choose a location to save it.
5. Set the framework version if prompted (e.g., .NET Core or .NET Framework 4.8).
6. Click "Create."

Visual Studio will create a new solution with your WPF application.

Step 2: Build Your WPF Application

Before creating a ClickOnce installer, ensure your application builds without errors.

1. Click Build > Build Solution from the menu.
2. Once the build completes, you should see "Build succeeded" in the output window. If there are errors or warnings, fix them before proceeding.

Step 3: Configure ClickOnce for Your Project

ClickOnce is a publishing technology that allows developers to deploy applications to a network drive or a web server. Here’s how to configure it:

1. Right-click on your WPF project in the Solution Explorer.
2. Select Publish... from the context menu.
3. In the "Publish" window, click the Next button.
4. Publish Location: Choose where you want to publish your application. You can select a file location on your local machine or a network share.
5. Install Mode: Choose the installation mode.
   • Per machine: The application is installed for all users.
   • Per user: The application is installed for the current user (default).
6. Check the boxes if you want to create a desktop shortcut and allow offline access.
7. Click Next.

Step 4: Configure ClickOnce Application Properties

1. In the "Application Files" tab, ensure that all files are set to "Include" and "Include (Auto)" where appropriate.
2. Click Next.
3. Description: Enter the title, description, and support URL for your application.
4. Click Next.
5. Permissions: Choose the required security settings for your application. If you need to access resources beyond your own application directory, you may need to request additional permissions.
6. Click Next.

Step 5: Configure Deployment Options

1. In the "Security" page, check the box if your application is a ClickOnce trusted application. This setting helps with running the application with more permissions.
2. Click Next.
3. Updates: Configure how and when your application should check for updates.
   • Set to "From the same location as my application" to check for updates in the same location.
   • Set the update interval (e.g., daily, weekly).
4. Click Next.
5. Prerequisites: Select any prerequisites that your application requires, such as the .NET Framework. Click Add Prerequisite... to add additional prerequisites.
6. Click Next.

Step 6: Generate the Publisher Identity

1. Click More options under the "Publishing options" area.
2. Click Configure... next to the "Identity" section.
3. Enter a publisher name and a product name.
4. Click OK.
5. You will be prompted to create a publisher certificate. Choose Self-signed. Enter a name for the certificate and set an expiration date.
6. Click OK to create the certificate.
7. Click Next to proceed.

Step 7: Publish Your Application

1. Review all configurations in the "Publish" window.
2. Click the Publish Now button to publish your application.
3. Visual Studio will generate the ClickOnce installer and publish it to the specified location.

Step 8: Testing the Installer

1. Navigate to the published location.
2. You should see multiple files and folders generated.
3. Find the Setup.exe file and double-click it to run the installer.
4. Follow the installation prompts to install the application.
5. Test the application to ensure it runs as expected.

Step 9: Updating the Application

ClickOnce makes updating applications straightforward. When you release a new version:

1. Update your application code as needed.
2. Change the version number in the project properties under Application > Assembly Information.
3. Repeat the publishing process from Step 3.
4. Users with the previous version will automatically be informed that an update is available the next time they start the application.

Step 10: Distribute the Installer

Once your application is published, you can distribute it to users by sharing the Setup.exe file or providing the URL if published to a web server. Users can then run the installer to download and install the application.

Additional Tips:

• Uninstalling ClickOnce Apps: ClickOnce applications can be uninstalled via the Control Panel in Windows.
• Publish Options: You can further customize your ClickOnce deployment, including handling prerequisites, configuring security, and managing updates.
• Documentation: Refer to Microsoft's official documentation for more detailed information and advanced configurations.

By following these steps, you should be able to create a ClickOnce installer for your WPF application, making it easier to deploy and update your software for users.