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depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

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    #16
    Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

    Some things I just discovered about shortcuts:

    1. There IS a Windows limit to the length of the shortcut "target" field. (For those who use Astrum, this is in regard to the WINDOWS "target" in the icon - not the "target" field in Astrum.)

    2. The default paths for the -icon, -splash, and -include arguments are first the folder the Alpha5.exe file is in and then the folder the .adb file is in. THEREFORE, it is not necessary to include the path in these arguments if you put the file in one of those folders. (I prefer the .adb folder because it just seems more logical to me - the icons are part of the application not part of A5.)

    WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

    A. If you use an Include file (startup.txt, etc.), then you can leave off the path in those command lines and the user can install your application to any folder and the desktop icon will still work properly. Based on my limited testing, A5 includes the path by default so you will probably have to delete it manually.

    B. If you don't use an Include file and simply put the arguments in the command line, leaving off the path in those arguments means that you are less likely to run into the length issue in #1 above.
    (FWIW, Astrum allows you to put the actual install path into the arguments by using a variable for the <InstallDir> which is what I've been doing in the past. I won't do it that way in the future.)

    Comment


      #17
      Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

      YES

      I have three apps I have converted to V10 and deployeed them with great success. I sell apps develpped in V10 on the web and through dealers and have deployeed humdreds of them without any problems. I use Astrum and install on Windows 7, Windows XP coputers all day and the set up in Astrum does work for registering all the DLL's without any problems, as CAL says you just have to learn it. I hated having to move from V8 to V10 for apps but its a great platform and I have made some really good money with these apps built in V10

      Chill

      Slow down and it will come to you. It does work!

      Comment


        #18
        Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

        I've seen the same thing Cal mentioned; the path shown in the shortcut properties can get truncated as compared to the path specified in the command line in Astrum.

        While whittling down the command line so that doesn't happen is a pain in the neck in its' own right, I find it even more troubling when I see things like "OLE object..." errors on one install and then they're gone on the next.

        I use Astrum's advanced properties to register the eight dll/ocx files with Shared + ActiveX checked off but it seems like something goes awry if I open the app between install attempts (whether in v10 full or runtime). The way Astrum is structured I don't get the sense that I need to remove the files then re-add them but maybe I'm wrong.

        Oh well, off to spend another hour of my life to attempt another install. In this one maybe I'll add pausing and praying for divine intervention into the routine.

        Comment


          #19
          Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

          Hi Mike,
          If you still need any help... let me know. Feel free also to download my DEMO which gives you an idea of how my initial install works. Doing updates is even easier. I'll echo Martin's comment that I learned most from Cal's previous posts on using Astrum to install. The one issue I do have is if a user does not turn UAC off. In that case, not all controls get registered. Even with explicit instructions on the install screens some people just won't read it.

          Don

          Comment


            #20
            Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

            echoing Don,

            UAC off and install as administrator.

            2 biggest problems anybody has with installs, I think.

            Now, I need to search for something that will temporarily kill uac? we had no problem with that in an app I helped build in VB, but they won't share how thay did it. I think they are using something to kill or bypass UAC.

            .
            Dave Mason
            [email protected]
            Skype is dave.mason46

            Comment


              #21
              Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

              Hi,

              I have installed hundreds of .exes and offer 'Free' downloads using Astrum installer, and never yet come up with any UAC problems (Plenty of other headaches) maybe because I never install to Program Files.

              Michael

              Comment


                #22
                Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                Hmmmm - will have to try installing on my W7 machine up all the way, since I never install in program files either.
                Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                972 524 8714
                [email protected]

                ____________________
                "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                Comment


                  #23
                  Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                  Martin,

                  With Vista, we do have to advise to right click and run as administrator for the first execution of Alpha.

                  Michael

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                    thanks
                    Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                    972 524 8714
                    [email protected]

                    ____________________
                    "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                      Vista and Win 7 including 64bit - we have to advise to right click and run as administrator for the first execution of Alpha.

                      I wish there was a command to do this on install!!!

                      I was getting a launch error with Win 7 64bit with Alpha 10, but I followed Michael Humby advice and now I am good!!!

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                        The "Run as Administrator" is a protection for windows. Its not possible for us to program around it. If a program could opt to run as administrator then it could wreak havoc with windows. But thanks for posting your solution on the forum. Many people get answers here and dont actually let everyone know what actually worked.

                        Comment


                          #27
                          Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                          Originally posted by Bill View Post
                          ... I find it even more troubling when I see things like "OLE object..." errors on one install and then they're gone on the next.

                          ... it seems like something goes awry if I open the app between install attempts (whether in v10 full or runtime). The way Astrum is structured I don't get the sense that I need to remove the files then re-add them but maybe I'm wrong.
                          Not sure if this is what you are having trouble with or not ...

                          If you run a test install and then delete that installation, you can expect errors when starting your development version of A5 the next time. The reason for this is that the registration of, for example, A5Controls.dll applies to everything on the computer - not just the application you are installing. When those files are deleted, the "registration" points to something that doesn't exist anymore.

                          If you run a test install on your development computer and then delete it, you should build a .bat file to run the appropriate regsvr32.exe commands to re-register the files from you development copy of A5.

                          Here's the batch file I use for v8. NO GUARANTEE OF ACCURACY. But it works for me. Since I run it from within the A5 exe folder itself, there is no need for paths. Also, I just let it try to install everything - if the file isn't there it won't get registered. (As you can see, it hasn't been updated for v10.)

                          regsvr32.exe A5controls.dll
                          regsvr32.exe A5ContextEval.dll


                          rem Version 7/8
                          rem regsvr32.exe Codejock.PropertyGrid.9700.ocx
                          regsvr32.exe Codejock.PropertyGrid.v9.81.ocx
                          regsvr32.exe Codejock.SuiteCtrls.9700.ocx


                          rem version 9
                          regsvr32.exe Codejock.PropertyGrid.v11.1.3.ocx
                          regsvr32.exe Codejock.ReportControl.v11.1.3.ocx
                          regsvr32.exe Codejock.SuiteCtrls.v11.1.3.ocx
                          regsvr32.exe Codejock.TaskPanel.v11.1.3.ocx

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                            Originally posted by magnus View Post
                            Vista and Win 7 including 64bit - we have to advise to right click and run as administrator for the first execution of Alpha.

                            I wish there was a command to do this on install!!!

                            I was getting a launch error with Win 7 64bit with Alpha 10, but I followed Michael Humby advice and now I am good!!!
                            I don't know what installer you are using but with Astrum you can tell it to open a file after installation. See attached screenshot.

                            You can also set up a warning message that the user cannot choose to close but that takes a bit more work. It isn't hard once you've done it but it's complicated enough that I won't try to explain it here since I don't even know if you are using Astrum.

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                              Its not possible for us to program around it. If a program could opt to run as administrator then it could wreak havoc with windows
                              It is possible....but even if I spent the time to figure out how the hackers do it when creating their virus, I would not post or give that info out.

                              My wife's computer just proved this to me as the virus she obtained used admin privileges to change every conceivable way to circumvent it to try to get rid of it...including even the Task Manager, System Restore, and Folder permissions....even from command prompt. No data lost but reformat was the only choice this time.

                              So "wreck havoc" is definitely an apt description of what can happen!
                              Mike
                              __________________________________________
                              It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                              It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                              Henry David Thoreau
                              __________________________________________



                              Comment


                                #30
                                Re: depoying an A5 application is a nightmare

                                My wife's computer just proved this to me as the virus she obtained used admin privileges to change every conceivable way to circumvent it to try to get rid of it...including even the Task Manager, System Restore, and Folder permissions....even from command prompt. No data lost but reformat was the only choice this time.
                                Sounds like the one the kids got 2 weeks ago. Could not run anything.

                                From another computer, downloaded malwarebytes, did not install it(couldn't). Ran it from a thumb drive. It still took 2 times before I installed it and ran a complete scan. It cleared all but 1 problem.
                                The virus had messed up the inet so that explorer would not run. I finally found the change and reset it and then all was good.

                                We should have a place where we can all discuss things like this.

                                The girls were on facebook when it happened.

                                .
                                Dave Mason
                                [email protected]
                                Skype is dave.mason46

                                Comment

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