COM+ Application Registration

[DEFunk]

Is there a way to specify to create a COM+ Application using the 32-bit hive on a 64 bit OS?

This is an article describing the method for creating 32bit applications.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms229076(VS.80).aspx

The part I'm intrested in is :
Visual Studio 2005 ships with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Regsvcs.exe. The 32-bit version of Regsvcs.exe will register a component in the 32-bit registry hive, and the 64-bit version will register a component in the 64-bit registry hive.

[kinook]

The Install .NET Services action calls Regsvcs.exe to register a COM+ component. Point the DOTNET_DIR global macro to the 32-bit .NET Framework folder to invoke the 32-bit version of regsvcs.exe or the 64-bit .NET Framework folder for the 64-bit version.
http://www.kinook.com/VisBuildPro/Manual/regsvcsopttab.htm

[DEFunk]

We are setting DOTNET_DIR to C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727 at the beginning of the build but we still seem to be getting a 64 bit app when we create a COM+ Application.

Not sure why you referenced the Installing .Net Services action.

[kinook]

I don't believe a COM+ application itself has a bitness, but rather (as indicated in the document you referenced) the combination of the type of component and the act of adding a component to an application (and whether the application already contains components) determines this.

If you're using the COM+ Application and COM+ Component actions, those actions call the 32-bit COM interface to the COM+ Administration (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms681189%28v=VS.85%29.aspx) classes to manipulate applications and components. I suspect that when adding a component with the COM+ Component action, the column in the table of that document which would apply would be "Install component using 32-bit Component Services Explorer" (although MS would have to give the definitive word on that).

If the COM+ Component action isn't giving the desired result, an alternative to the COM+ Component action would be to use the Install .NET Services action and explicitly call the 32- or 64-bit version of comsvcs.exe as needed.