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Installing Visual Basic Components on PC's

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MnM

Programmer
Nov 1, 2000
47
US
I have a VB application I have written that is located on our network. Therefore it is not loaded onto everyone's PC they just make a shortcut to the VB app on the network. My question is, what would be the best way to install all of the components (.dll, .ocx, ect) needed to make this work on everyone's PC? If I was putting this application on everyone's PC I would just use the Package Wizard. Any Advice???
 
MnM,

If your original intent was to have your components on the network you should have made them Remote Server components.

If your users are creating shortcuts to the network application you will have to register the components on each client in order for the application to work properly.

Another option would be to run setup.exe from each client this will automatically register the compenents.

Hope this helps

reidfl



 
I understand I need to run a setup.exe to get the compenents on everyone's PC, so I guess my question is what is the best way to go about writing this .exe to install and register the compenentson the clients PC?
 
MnM - Fortunately you do not have to write your own setup program.

Like you, I have VB apps that only reside on a server and are accessed by a desktop icon on several PCs. This method works fairly well for me.

You can use the Package & Deployment wizard (it's a part of VB 6) to create your setup executable. I deploy that to my Install-server.
At each PC, I browse into the Install server and run the setup for my new app. This (most of the time) installs and registers the .dlls, ocxs that are needed by the app.

Many of the VB experts (I'm not one yet) that participate in this forum recommend using a more robust installer... such as InstallShield. I think it depends on the complexity of your VB app. I would suggest trying the P & D wizard which you already have. My experience has been that it is common to encounter problems when installing apps on several PCs and that the app may run fine on all but 1 of the machines.

If you run into problems like that, post back to this forum and someone will help you.

Good luck, John


 
One more thing.... the Wizard will by default create a .exe for your VB app on each PC you run the setup from.

I always delete it, because we want the user to run the app on the server/network. If the exe is left on individual PCs, it is likely that sometime they will attempt to run it.

john
 
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