Deployment & Development on different OS

[retroman]

We have an application developed in VB5 Enterprise Edition (SP3) on a development machine with Windows 95. Apparently, we upgraded the OS to Windows 98 SE. The development environment was remained intact. However, the compiled exe works fine on new development machine (Windows 98), however, it can’t run on Windows 95 machines which users are still using.

I understand that it probably has to do with some dependency on a newer OS. I was told to always develop on the lowest common denominator. That is if you want you program to work on 98 don't develop on 2k, develop on 98 (or in your case 95).

The users can’t afford to upgrade their PCs to Windows 98 either do I want to revert the development machine to Windows 95 again. Anyone encountered this before? Any advice is much appreciates.

 

[SemperFiDownUnda]

Often controls like some of the new windows common control are not backward compatible. This is because the OCX is not an actual control but just a wrapper around the API. Thus since the underlying API's are not there the application will not work. So you are correct you should work with your lowest version of OS and patches. That will ease the problem but you still have to watch what you do as some API's are different for different platforms.

 

[vb5prgrmr]

Yes, you will want to develop on 95.

Good Luck

 

[retroman]

Thanks for your replies.

I just realized that application won’t run because of “ActiveX component can’t create object” error. Looks like the application can’t locate certain .dll or .ocx files used. Some says repackage the setup files, others says install MDAC download from MS. Any comments?

If any of that helps. Does that mean I don't have to develop in Windows 95?

 

[CCLINT]

Install:

1. DCom95
2. If you are using ADO, then MDAC 2.5 on the 95 machines.
[/b][/i][/u]_{*******************************************************
General remarks:
If this post contains any suggestions for the use or distribution of code, components or files of any sort, it is still your responsibility to assure that you have the proper license and distribution rights to do so!}

 

[chiph]

Retroman -

Seeing as how Windows 95 will be EoL'd soon (End of Life) by Microsoft, I'd do as CCLINT suggests and redistribute the components needed to bring Windows 95 up to the latest standard -- if anyone in your customer base is still using Win95.

Chip H.