Confused! File paths

[TheGov]

Hi,

I have read all the threads on running the setup wizard, and distributing .exe, but I am still a bit confused about having live, development and distributed apps.

Basically, I have Visual Studio installed on my PC at work and at home (yes, they are both licensed!) I have a removable D: drive, and when I ran the application wizard, I set up a directory structure on the D: drive to hold my app. I was able to take my D: drive home and carry on working on the development.

I am now ready to go live, and want the tables on the server, the users to get just the .exe, and I still want a development copy on my D: drive with dummy data.

I have tried various combinations of setting Tools\Options file paths and clicking default, changing the home location and data location in options and hard coding paths in my main prog, but I get various file path errors depending what I am running and where.

This is where I need an idiot's guide to file locations.

Do I copy my whole app directory structure to the server, or just the data folder?

Where do I point the file locations to when I compile, a copy on the server, my development copy on my D: drive or do I need to create the folder structure on my C: drive. (the C: drive is where the exe will be installed to)?

Which files do I include in the distribution, apart from the system and exe, do I have to copy all the other files in my app to the workstation?

Sorry about the length of this post, but everything I have read seems to be full of contradictions.

Hopefully,
Pete

 

[Mike Gagnon]

Which files do I include in the distribution, apart from the system and exe, do I have to copy all the other files in my app to the workstation?

You should use the Setup Wizard to distribute your application, and the Wizard "knows" which files (runtime) are required to run your app.

Technically, your application should be able to run from any drive letters. Its called relative pathing. You shouldn't use hardcoded paths, because if you client decides to have you move the application, you have a lot of work on your hands.
Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first or check this link

http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

[ramani]

Hi

If data files are referenced using path in a variable, you will never face this problem.

In the start of your aplpication, you should SET PATH TO your data files. This data files location should be the first and then the rest of the other path.

A common mistake made is to
SET PATH TO myPath where myPath=existingPath+DataPath..
Think of putting it..
myPath=DataPath+myPath

VFP will take the database files by searching first in its default drive and then along the search path.

Hope this solves your problem

ramani
(Subramanian.G),FoxAcc, ramani_g@yahoo.com