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Should Reg-free COM still utilise an installation procedure?I am now about to issue a beta test version of my VB6 app. The tests
of Reg-free-COM have been successful so that I need the user to merely copy an application folder containing the application and its support OCXs and other support files to a hard drive or USB stick, then create a shortcut to the .exe. However, users who are NOT computer-savvy may not even know what "copying a folder" means, so should I still provide an installation file (e.g. SetupMyApp.Exe) or would a ZIP file plus a detailed Readme file suffice for most users? Note that the app is a music app, so is likely to be of interest to many people, including young people, who only use a computer as a tool and don't necessarily know much about computers or Windows. Now I realise that I've kinda answered my own question, haven't I !! MM On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:50:57 +0000, MM <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Show quoteHide quote >I am now about to issue a beta test version of my VB6 app. The tests Further related question: Where should the user create the app folder>of Reg-free-COM have been successful so that I need the user to merely >copy an application folder containing the application and its support >OCXs and other support files to a hard drive or USB stick, then create >a shortcut to the .exe. > >However, users who are NOT computer-savvy may not even know what >"copying a folder" means, so should I still provide an installation >file (e.g. SetupMyApp.Exe) or would a ZIP file plus a detailed Readme >file suffice for most users? > >Note that the app is a music app, so is likely to be of interest to >many people, including young people, who only use a computer as a tool >and don't necessarily know much about computers or Windows. > >Now I realise that I've kinda answered my own question, haven't I !! > >MM for unzipping the files into if a ZIP file is utilised? XP: in C:\Program Files? or: in C:\My Documents? or: in C:\Documents and Settings\YourName? Vista: ? Windows 7: ? MM
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"MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message For these platforms check out KnownFolderIDs...news:crm5q4dbskqqvtf7qn2madp47rna8nlh5q@4ax.com... > On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:50:57 +0000, MM <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > > Further related question: Where should the user create the app folder > for unzipping the files into if a ZIP file is utilised? > > XP: in C:\Program Files? > > or: in C:\My Documents? > > or: in C:\Documents and Settings\YourName? > > Vista: ? > > Windows 7: ? > http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378457(VS.85).aspx For home users these folders will be the default, ie, the same place they have likely been putting their stuff anyway. Power Users may have defined different physical locations, and corporate users might have profiles configured with again completely different physical locations - but the same IDs will ferret them out. Of course it is always wise to offer the customer an alternative. So yes it is best to always include some kind of install package - if only to show a flash screen to let them know what is going on. -ralph
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"Ralph" <nt_consultin***@yahoo.com> wrote in ......if it really just needs to be unzipped somewhere, it would be good news:#Ra#h6elJHA.1340@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl: > > "MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message > news:crm5q4dbskqqvtf7qn2madp47rna8nlh5q@4ax.com... >> On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:50:57 +0000, MM <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: >> >> >> Further related question: Where should the user create the app folder >> for unzipping the files into if a ZIP file is utilised? >> >> XP: in C:\Program Files? >> >> or: in C:\My Documents? >> >> or: in C:\Documents and Settings\YourName? >> >> Vista: ? >> >> Windows 7: ? >> > > For these platforms check out KnownFolderIDs... > http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378457(VS.85).aspx > > For home users these folders will be the default, ie, the same place > they have likely been putting their stuff anyway. Power Users may have > defined different physical locations, and corporate users might have > profiles configured with again completely different physical locations > - but the same IDs will ferret them out. > > Of course it is always wise to offer the customer an alternative. So > yes it is best to always include some kind of install package - if > only to show a flash screen to let them know what is going on. to offer the option to create a Desktop icon and a Start Menu entry if they wish. I don't pick either one of those, but novice users may not know how to launch the program if it's just un-zipped into a "Folder" somewhere. Oh, and to create an uninstall link in the Start Menu for it. Come to think of it, it wouldn't then show up in in Add/Remove programs either. My thoughts are an install package over plain zip is the way to go, if the OP is sure novice users will want to use the app, even if nothing needs to be registered. That would take care of the install location options, Start Menu/Desktop stuff, and an entry into Add/Remove Programs. On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:53:47 +0000 (UTC), DanS
<t.h.i.s.n.t.h.a.t@r.o.a.d.r.u.n.n.e.r.c.o.m> wrote: Show quoteHide quote >"Ralph" <nt_consultin***@yahoo.com> wrote in I don't see that an uninstall procedure is needed any more if all that>news:#Ra#h6elJHA.1340@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl: > >> >> "MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message >> news:crm5q4dbskqqvtf7qn2madp47rna8nlh5q@4ax.com... >>> On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:50:57 +0000, MM <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: >>> >>> >>> Further related question: Where should the user create the app folder >>> for unzipping the files into if a ZIP file is utilised? >>> >>> XP: in C:\Program Files? >>> >>> or: in C:\My Documents? >>> >>> or: in C:\Documents and Settings\YourName? >>> >>> Vista: ? >>> >>> Windows 7: ? >>> >> >> For these platforms check out KnownFolderIDs... >> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378457(VS.85).aspx >> >> For home users these folders will be the default, ie, the same place >> they have likely been putting their stuff anyway. Power Users may have >> defined different physical locations, and corporate users might have >> profiles configured with again completely different physical locations >> - but the same IDs will ferret them out. >> >> Of course it is always wise to offer the customer an alternative. So >> yes it is best to always include some kind of install package - if >> only to show a flash screen to let them know what is going on. > >.....if it really just needs to be unzipped somewhere, it would be good >to offer the option to create a Desktop icon and a Start Menu entry if >they wish. I don't pick either one of those, but novice users may not >know how to launch the program if it's just un-zipped into a "Folder" >somewhere. > >Oh, and to create an uninstall link in the Start Menu for it. Come to >think of it, it wouldn't then show up in in Add/Remove programs either. > >My thoughts are an install package over plain zip is the way to go, if >the OP is sure novice users will want to use the app, even if nothing >needs to be registered. That would take care of the install location >options, Start Menu/Desktop stuff, and an entry into Add/Remove Programs. is required is to delete the application folder (assuming all the files were placed in a single folder, which is what I would recommend). If one created a spreadsheet and then had no further use of it, one wouldn't expect an uninstall procedure for it. One would just delete the spreadsheet file. Even if there were a Dependencies folder inside the reg-free-COM app folder to contain ActiveXs and other bits and pieces, deleting the main folder would get rid of the lot. Surely even the greenest user must learn how and when to delete files and folders! Once we start in once again on Add/Remove Programs etc, complying with the whole mind-blowing Windows malarkey, we've kind of lost the benefit of "instantaneous installation and running" through reg-free COM? MM
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"MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> skrev i meddelandet Plz do not install in "X:\Program Files\" in a swedish computer, we use news:crm5q4dbskqqvtf7qn2madp47rna8nlh5q@4ax.com... > On Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:50:57 +0000, MM <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > >>I am now about to issue a beta test version of my VB6 app. The tests >>of Reg-free-COM have been successful so that I need the user to merely >>copy an application folder containing the application and its support >>OCXs and other support files to a hard drive or USB stick, then create >>a shortcut to the .exe. >> >>However, users who are NOT computer-savvy may not even know what >>"copying a folder" means, so should I still provide an installation >>file (e.g. SetupMyApp.Exe) or would a ZIP file plus a detailed Readme >>file suffice for most users? >> >>Note that the app is a music app, so is likely to be of interest to >>many people, including young people, who only use a computer as a tool >>and don't necessarily know much about computers or Windows. >> >>Now I realise that I've kinda answered my own question, haven't I !! >> >>MM > > Further related question: Where should the user create the app folder > for unzipping the files into if a ZIP file is utilised? > > XP: in C:\Program Files? > > or: in C:\My Documents? > > or: in C:\Documents and Settings\YourName? > > Vista: ? > > Windows 7: ? > > MM "X:\Program\". We already have the troubble with apps in "Program Files" autorunning. They will launch explorer opening folder "Program". /Henning With Windows 7 Microsoft is establishing a new standard folder location that
may be of interest here. It is meant for the special case of a program that is to be installed per-user without elevation, which for VB6 implies reg-free COM if not totally stand-alone. While this folder doesn't seem to have a KnownFolderID assigned (let alone a CSIDL) and currently doesn't exist prior to Windows 7, I'd imagine you might just create it if not present under XP, Vista, etc. [LocalAppData]\Programs is the place. You'd treat it much like [Program Files], and create a company and/or application folder under that for your program to live in.. Windows Installer 5 supports this via Property values ALLUSERS=2 and MSIINSTALLPERUSER=1. I also expect Installer 5 to be released for Vista as part of Vista SP2 or as a separate update around that time. The advantage of using an installer/setup of some kind even with reg-free COM is that you can still have the option of alowing either an elevated per-machine install or an unelevated per-user install, and of course to create those shortcuts (Start Menu for example). Installers are also useful for things like creating the necessary data folders, setting permissions, and moving the data into them. For a program meant to be portable you might want some sort of utility for "installing" in XCopy fashion to removable media such as flash drives. You'd "install" onto the desktop machine by installing the utility along with your XCopyable package. Along these lines you might consider U3 and its competitors for a pattern to follow or a technology to embrace. See: http://www.u3.com/developers/default.aspx Show quoteHide quote "MM" <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message news:9dk5q45g3jtp05rs3esbvlens684gufspl@4ax.com... >I am now about to issue a beta test version of my VB6 app. The tests > of Reg-free-COM have been successful so that I need the user to merely > copy an application folder containing the application and its support > OCXs and other support files to a hard drive or USB stick, then create > a shortcut to the .exe. > > However, users who are NOT computer-savvy may not even know what > "copying a folder" means, so should I still provide an installation > file (e.g. SetupMyApp.Exe) or would a ZIP file plus a detailed Readme > file suffice for most users? > > Note that the app is a music app, so is likely to be of interest to > many people, including young people, who only use a computer as a tool > and don't necessarily know much about computers or Windows. > > Now I realise that I've kinda answered my own question, haven't I !! > > MM On Feb 23, 10:50 am, MM <kylix***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Show quoteHide quote > I am now about to issue a beta test version of my VB6 app. The tests Have you tried using iexpress? It is a simple install builder that is> of Reg-free-COM have been successful so that I need the user to merely > copy an application folder containing the application and its support > OCXs and other support files to a hard drive or USB stick, then create > a shortcut to the .exe. > > However, users who are NOT computer-savvy may not even know what > "copying a folder" means, so should I still provide an installation > file (e.g. SetupMyApp.Exe) or would a ZIP file plus a detailed Readme > file suffice for most users? > > Note that the app is a music app, so is likely to be of interest to > many people, including young people, who only use a computer as a tool > and don't necessarily know much about computers or Windows. > > Now I realise that I've kinda answered my own question, haven't I !! > > MM built into windows. Just do Start > Run > iexpress and follow the wizard. Perhaps that will work for you. Chris 
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