how to fins out in what map an xxx.exe exists

[Nifrabar]

Hi!
VFP9 CD includes (limited)installshield.
In my app I do use dongles which need an exe to run to install them.
The limited version of installshield does not allow to run an exe as part of the setup of my VFP exe.
Now I do look for a way to create an VFP-app which runs directly after I installed VFP app. (All required VFP-files are installed at that time.)
I think of a batchfile that first launch my VFP-app and than my -dongle.exe
As the users can change destination-map of my VFP I need to know where they installed it for the dongle.exe needs to know.
Can I figure out where my VFP.exe is installed?

Is using a batchfile good way to proceed and will that still run using Vista (which I don't own yet).

Tia.
-Bart

 

[markros]

Try justpath(sys(16,0))

 

[Nifrabar]

Markros, thanks for your suggestion. But your suggestion brings up the path in which a VFP-app is running.
I am looking for a solution to find out, by using a VFP-app (my dongle.exe) is running where on the HD another exe (my VFP-app.exe)is running.
-Bart

 

[bborissov]

Bart,
Why you do not combine both applications into one?
Just run you dongle routine one when the application is first time executed.

Borislav Borissov
VFP9 SP1, SQL Server 2000/2005.
MVP VFP

 

[Olaf Doschke]

or use another setup tool. Installshield - at least the version that comes with vfp9 - isn't vista ready anyway.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[markros]

I see the problem. I guess you would need to read the registry then for the other application.

 

[dgrewe]

VFP_Install_dir = HOME(1)



David W. Grewe Dave

 

[Nifrabar]

Borislav,
Thanks, I think it's a good possibility!

Olaf,
What happens using this installshield setup?

-Bart

 

[Imaginecorp]

Elaborating on Borislav’s suggestion, we do this, include both Exes in installshield, but set the one that calls your “dongles.exe” as the target exe. Installshield will copy both in a single directory and your app when run will start the other one.
We run an exe that checks for updates on the server, if it finds one it replaces the main exe with the new one then runs the new exe.
By the way what is a “dongle”?

 

[Nifrabar]

Thanx for your explanation.
For dongles have a look at

http://www.matrixlock.de/techndat.htm

-Bart

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Hi Bart,

What happens when using that installshield with Vista? It will ask for elevation to Administrator rights. That's okay.

But depending on your setup, if you for example have data in a subdir of your app, it will install there, as at install time you have Admin rights, but the user does not have access to the data. That's one issue.

Havent tested in detail what happens, but Macrovision reports Installshield is Vista-ready from Version 12 on.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Nifrabar]

Hi Olaf,
Thanks for informing me.
Up to now I don't have a Vista machine so I can't figure out myself.
Do you probably know other good install-progs suffering not from Vista?

-Bart

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Inno Setup:

http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

Nullsoft Scriptable Install System:

http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page

I'd say pretty much any Installer is now Vista ready in it's newest version. The problem is just, the ISX version coming with VFP is limited and does not update for vista compatibility.

The developer creating the setup has to be vista ready too, know about UAC and the consequences. Your best bet is to test the installer on several OSes anyway.

One problem for example is, if you offer a checkbox "Run after Setup" or "view readme", those still work but will run notepad or the app with full administrative rights (as needed for the setup), which is a security risc. Don't offer these options in Vista.

A Vista ready setup should know such things and warn you at least, if not restricting you to use such options or spawn the app or notepad as the normal user.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[Nifrabar]

Olaf,
Thanks for explanation.
Furtheremore I am going to give Inno Setup a try.
-Bart