program not working after setup

[thegame8311]

I was testing out how to make my program setup and run using installshield express

I created the exe from foxpro, then I tried to use install shield to make it a setup, which it did, but when I click on the file nothing happens

If the forms are in the VFP.exe that I made and I added the databases to the DatabaseDIR, then what I am i missing for it to work, I did not do any Registry files.

If you need to know step by step what I did let me know

 

[Dan Freeman]

You're missing READ EVENTS, most likely.

You main program can be as simple as:

DO main.mpr
READ EVENTS

although most of us put a lot more in there to establish our preferred environments.

The code that executes on application exit should issue CLEAR EVENTS.

 

[thegame8311]

So i am missing a menu file?

because I just have a prg that contains the following

DO FORM lp2
READ EVENTS

 

[thegame8311]

BTW I'm using vfp 9

 

[TamarGranor]

What you're showing should work, as well. What happens when you double-click the EXE on your development machine?

Tamar

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Have you spent any time looking over the free on-line VFP tutorial videos at:

http://www.garfieldhudson.com/FreeVideos.aspx

You might want to take particular note of:
Building a Simple Application - Pt. 1
Building a Simple Application - Pt. 2
Building a Simple Application - Pt. 3
Building a Simple Application - Pt. 4
Building a Simple Application - Pt. 5
Building a Simple Application - Pt. 6

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[thegame8311]

you mean what happens before or after I use Install shield

before, just building the exe it's fine, but after using installshield, building the setup.exe, installing the program using the setup exe, then trying to run the exe...Nothing

 

[thegame8311]

Are there any videos on install shield express?

 

[JRB-Bldr]

I am not aware of any InstallShield tutorial videos, but it does not sound like that is where your problem is.

Instead it sounds as though, like mentioned above, you are missing something within your application.

One way to help debug the app, while tedious, when running is to insert WAIT WINDOW's to mark when certain parts of the code are executed. You would want to remove them later, but at least you would know which parts of your app are running.

Perhaps the VFP tutorial videos will help you find what you are missing.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Dan Freeman]

Is the program containing READ EVENTS marked as main? (Right click it in the PM.)

Unless it was the first thing added to your project, unusual given your trajectory here, it needs to be set as main.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Let's get this right. Are you saying that if you try to run the EXE on the development machine, it works OK? If so, then it's got nothing to do with READ EVENTS or the presence or absence of a menu.

Could you confirm that point before we go any further.

If that's the case, create a very simple application (a "Hello World" program), and use InstallShield to install it on the target machine. If that works, we'll know there's something wrong with the InstallShield project for your main app. If it doesn't work, that points to something in the environment of the target system.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips, training, consultancy

 

[Olaf Doschke]

So i am missing a menu file?

No, if you only call a main form that's sufficient, too.

If your prg is:

DO FORM lp2
READ EVENTS

Then is it set as main project file? It will display bold in the project manager. If not, rightclick and "Set Main". Otherwise it will not be the entry point starting when you start the EXE.

If form lp2 is modal you don't even need a READ EVENTS, but it won't hurt actually.

What are you including in the setup? Your exe and something else? Are you providing the C++ and VFP Runtimes?

Garfieldhudsons videos on installshield could surely help seeing how that is added as merge modules within installshield.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[thegame8311]

In the setup I include the EXE and some databases?, no runtime files, I though that was already part of the FoxPro EXE, that's built

 

[Dan Freeman]

Well, there's your problem.

Please see the topic "Walkthrough: Creating a Visual FoxPro Application Setup Program Using InstallShield" in the help file.

You haven't read the basics yet.

 

[thegame8311]

I actually have looked at it but I obviously missed something in it

 

[Dan Freeman]

Wait, something isn't adding up here.

If you're missing (or improperly installing) necessary files you'd get a dialog when you try to run your exe yet you say nothing happens.

That sends us right back to READ EVENTS not being in you main program.

 

[Olaf Doschke]

dan, READ EVENTS is in his main.prg

thegame8311, no runtime dlls are not linked into the exe you create, in fact foxpro has no linking, the runtime dlls remain seperate.

Using installshield you add several merge modules for C++ runtime, gdiplus and foxpro runtimes. And if using activex merge modules for that, too. Eg there is a merge module for mscommon controls.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms917481.aspx

...

Selecting Objects/Merge Modules

A merge module (.msm file) contains all of the logic, registry entries, and files needed to install an application or run-time files successfully. For example, the Visual FoxPro run-time files must be copied to the target computer, and they must be registered. The Microsoft Visual FoxPro 7.0 Run-Time Libraries merge module will copy and register the run-time files properly, if the merge module is selected for the InstallShield Express Setup.

To select objects/merge modules to be installed

In the Specify Application Data node, navigate to the Objects/Merge Modules view.
Select the Object/Merge Modules check box.
In the list of merge modules, select the check boxes of each one you want to install. At a minimum, you should select the Microsoft Visual FoxPro 7.0 Run-Time Libraries and, if you are installing a Visual FoxPro application, the Microsoft Visual C++ 7.0 Run-Time Library.
You can install a merge module on a feature-by-feature basis by selecting or clearing the check boxes in the Conditional Installation pane.

...

Bye, Olaf.

 

[thegame8311]

Ok so now I have put a read event in my program but it does not end the program, I have to cancel it to get back to the code and the will cause problems once I build the setup program and try to run it after installation

here's my main program:

DO FORM lp2
READ EVENTS

now in the form there is a done button that has this:

thisform.release
CLEAR EVENTS

so something is missing from my main prg but I can't see what that might be. I have been trying to follow the tutorials

 

[thegame8311]

well I added C++ runtime and VFP 9 runtime files, so I thought that at a minimum that should work, not sure if anything else is needed for it to work.

 

[TamarGranor]

Let's try one thing at a time. What happens when you build the EXE and then double-click the EXE in Explorer? Does your app run?

Tamar