Packaging?

[red_evolve]

I am almost done with my project and I'd like to obtain some advice on this.
How do I go about packaging (if this is the right word to use) the whole application? As such, I have some extra active-x components which I'd have to add into the System32 folder manually. What kind of installation like program which can automatically add my .ocx files into the system's folder? :?:

[Buff]

I am almost done with my project and I'd like to obtain some advice on this. How do I go about packaging (if this is the right word to use) the whole application? As such, I have some extra active-x components which I'd have to add into the System32 folder manually. What kind of installation like program which can automatically add my .ocx files into the system's folder? :?:

There are several good installation programs out there that will do what you
want or build one yourself with a windows program.

Personally I use a self-extracting exe that runs a setup program to put special files in place.

Most will cost you but they are not usually expensive.

[Toba]

Seeing that this is the QB/VB forum and this is a windows app you're talking about, I'll assume that you're using a recent version of Visual Basic. I know what I'm about to tell you works in VB6, I don't know about other versions.

On the main menu bar in VB, click the Add-Ins menu. The "package and deployment wizard" should be on there. There is plenty of information in the VB help file on using this. It is what I use for my apps, and I've found that it is one of the better packages for making installers for VB apps - it knows about all the little runtimes that VB programs need and makes sure they all get in.

[mnemtsas]

Use the packaging and deployment wizard. Or try innosetup which is much more configurable (and comes with a much steeper learning curve).

[red_evolve]

Seeing that this is the QB/VB forum and this is a windows app you're talking about, I'll assume that you're using a recent version of Visual Basic. I know what I'm about to tell you works in VB6, I don't know about other versions.

On the main menu bar in VB, click the Add-Ins menu. The "package and deployment wizard" should be on there. There is plenty of information in the VB help file on using this. It is what I use for my apps, and I've found that it is one of the better packages for making installers for VB apps - it knows about all the little runtimes that VB programs need and makes sure they all get in.

Thanks for all your feedback. I didn't notice that in VB. Yup, I'm using VB6.
I'll give that a try. Thanks. ;)

[Toba]

Oh, I forgot - there are some things you have to be careful about when you make a package in the wizard. Make SURE that all system DLL's that you install are marked as shared in the Setup.Lst file. If they are not, any uninstallation from the control panel will REMOVE the DLL's from the user's system, causing all sorts of problems. I hope my forgetfullness hasn't cause any trouble yet - sorry :(.

[red_evolve]

Erm yeah, thanks for the reminder.
Yup, I ticked that "shared" selection when I was building the package a while ago.
On the way to test it in another computer. Thanks a lot, Toba!

[red_evolve]

Hi, I've tried using the "package and deployment wizard" but I got the error number 3706: Provider could not be found.
I've tried searching on the msdn library for a solution but to no avail.
I'm using Access 97 with Jet350. Please advise.

[Toba]

When did you get the error? Was it during installation of your app or did it happen when you ran your app?

[red_evolve]

Okay, during installation files like mshtml.tlb and uxtheme.dll could not be copied, and I ignored the error to complete the installation.
When I run the application later, I could see my start page but as I navigate to another form, which requires connection to the database, the error message "Error 3706: Provider not found" was raised. Any idea?

[Toba]

I don't know what those files were for. I suspect that the missing files (the ones that errored) were part of the "provider" that was "not found". I'd try remaking the installer, rebooting the target system, and trying again. Those errors happen sometimes for some unknown reason.

[red_evolve]

Okay, thanks anyway.
I've tried remaking the installer for almost 4-5 times already.
I thought with the installer, every dependent files would be included already, isn't that right?
But why would something like this occur?
Hmph, I've done some search over the Internet, and most of them suggest that it's something wrong with the MDAC. I've checked my version of MDAC, it's a MDAC 2.7 SP1 Refresh. I've downloaded this file, and have yet to install on the target system.
I'll let you know if this works. Thanks.

[mnemtsas]

Hi There,

I've usually found that the 3706 error is related to Jet rather than ADO. If the MDAC 2.7 download doesn't work I'd try the Jet 4.0 SP8 update that available from MS.

Cheers,

Mark

[red_evolve]

Ok, thanks.
I've tried downloading the MDAC 2.7, but it's not working either.
I'd try the Jet 4.0 SP8 update that available from MS.
Which means I've to change the connection string in my project entirely to Jet 4.0?
Actually, I've tried before.
The reason I change to Jet 3.51 was because, only part of the forms could work with Jet 4.0, which I don't understand why. :(

[mnemtsas]

I dont think so, you should be able to keep the 3.51 connection stirng. Give it a go!

[red_evolve]

Morning! Just saw your reply this morning.
During the weekend, I've tried changing all my connection strings to the Jet 4.0 one.
And now all the forms could work. I previously mentioned that some forms won't work with Jet 4, I've figured out why.
I've noticed that all those defect forms had trouble opening a particular table, and the table name is called "action". I'd thought of 2 possibilities, the table is corrupted or the name "action" for a table is not allowed. So, I copied the whole table, and rename it to action2, alas, it worked!
I don't think so it's because of the second reason, anyway, do you have any idea why it won't work when I name it as "action" when using Jet 4.0? Because I did not encounter such problem when I was using Jet 3.5 then.

[red_evolve]

Another question, is msado20.tlb an important file?
During installation, msado20.tlb and 2 more files caused an interrupt.

[mnemtsas]

msado20.tlb is the type library for ADO 2. Whats the error message?

[red_evolve]

Err, it just says that it could not copy this file into the system folder (along with other files, namely, mshtml.tlb and uxtheme.tlb) because the file is being used by another application, when that is not true, as there were no other applications running on my desktop at that moment of installation.

[mnemtsas]

Ignore it then, the files are there, or reboot the computer and try reinstalling. I always say you can be 80% of a PC Support person by just saying ''' have you rebooted?"