Using Paradox 9 Runtime and Full Software on Vista 1

[JFW]

I have only just got my first machine with Vista Business onboard. I got it as an experiment to see how Pdox 9 Runtime would run on it. My first experience is that I can't even install it successfully - it tells me that there are certain files that it cannot find during the process. I have also tried installing Paradox 9 itself and although that seems to install ok it does not start as there are some apparent conflicts with the Network and the BDE Administrator. To create Runtime programmes I use Paradox Distribution Expert and my programmes install and run perfectly on Windows XP sp2.
I don't doubt this has come up in all of the various Newsgroups, which I also use for expert help, but I wonder if there is a particular place to find what the problems are and how to find the way round the presumably numerous problems?
I would appreciate advice on this.

John Wright
John F Wright Consultants

 

[TonyMcGuire]

Network/BDE.

Make a copy of the idapi32.cfg file in a directory OUTSIDE the program files directory.

Start the BDE Admin by going to the bde directory in Windows Exploder, and right-clicking - 'as Administrator'. Do NOT use the Control Panel icon to start the BDE Admin!

Open configuration on that cfg you copied. Make changes, if necessary, particularly to the netdir (CAN NOT reside in c:\ root under Vista), and save.

When you exit, you should be asked if this is to be your default config file. Answer YESYESYES.

Away you should go!

If not, *please* let us know what your results are.


Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[JFW]

Tony,

I am most grateful for your help on this. The solution was much easier than I had expected. I have successfully installed both the full programme (Pdox version 9)and my Runtime programme. Just a bit more tinkering required to finalise, then document.

John Wright
John F Wright Consultants

 

[TonyMcGuire]

Glad to have helped.

I know about this since I am CURRENTLY battling the same war.

300 users, and more getting Vista computers every day.

A real pain, since they are only users; no technophiles in the bunch.

Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[JFW]

Tony,

Just one other point to clear please. What is the origin of the file idapi32.cfg. Fortunately I found I had this file in my working directory (on one machine only) so could utilise it. Is it generated at the time of initial installation as I cannot find it on the orginal programme CD. I realise it is a configuration file but what is its significance please and where does it 'arrive' from?

Your comments in due course will be appreciated.

John Wright
John F Wright Consultants

 

[TonyMcGuire]

It is the file that configures the Borland DataBase Engine.

Your table settings (block size, caching, and many more) are stored there, as are your aliases. Date format and others.

It also stores the network directory.


Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[TonyMcGuire]

I believe the config file is probably stored compacted in the BDE installer.
Haven't tried it, but the BDE probably creates a 'default' version if there is none to be found. (Kinda like pdoxusrs.net; but I'm guessing.)

I replace the default file with one of my own that I configure with my BDE Admin and save specifically for distribution.

If you do that, you probably want to answer 'No' to 'Do you want to use this file as the default?' question on exiting the BDE Admin.



Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[JFW]

I see! Now this could be that the idapi32.cfg. or other *.cfg, has a bearing on the fact that in my Runtime programme experiments with setting the programme to run on Vista and having to run it in a subfolder of C:\ that my script (in "INIT") that creates aliases at startup does not now work at First Install, ie when there is no previous BDE (Aliases) installed! I have had no problem with this before but have been trying to solve this over the last couple of days. I usually save my aliases at the end of the INIT - see below..

========================================================
enumAliasNames(arAliasNames)

if not arAliasNames.contains("APL") then
strPath = "C:\\APL"
;Sets the path for the Alias
if not addprojectalias("APL","standard", strPath) then ;This sets a PROJECT Alias
msgStop("Oops!","Could not set project alias for:
"+string(strPath)+"...Go to <Tools> <Alias Manager> to set it!")
endif
endif
saveCfg(":APL:JFWruntime.cfg")
; Saves the above Aliases
; to the File shown in the ":APL:" Directory
=========================================================

Having absorbed your info. above I now find that if I set the Alias manually and save the BDE on exit then copy the IDAPI.BDE that is generated (to my "C:\AplIdapi\" folder) (and delete the idapi32.cfg) that my INIT script now works! In other words - I start the programme - delete the Alias and then restart and the Alias in generated as it should be.

By the way if I replace the idapi32.cfg with my saved ":APL:JFWruntime.cfg" file it does not work so your information above about what the idapi32.cfg stores is obviously correct and needs this info too, to work!

Undoubtedly, the fact that I have 'diverted' the BDE to look at my subfolder "C:\AplIdapi\" for the *.cfg file, because of Vista, is causing the issue.

Any ideas of how to get over this little problem as I don't want to have to ask users to set the alias(es) themselves if a reinstall is ever necessary!

John Wright
John F Wright Consultants

 

[TonyMcGuire]

Under hkey_local_machine\Software\Borland\Database Engine

Set CONFIGFILE01 to the location where you have a .cfg file that you want the BDE to use as the default.

I believe the OPAL code to do this would look something like:

setregistryvalue("Software\Borland\Database Engine","CONFIGFILE01","
Path_to_configfile",regKeyLocalMachine)

Note that this would be in an INSTALL script, rather than a STARTUP script, since the change wouldn't take effect until you exit and restart Paradox. And this doesn't tell the BDE to use a .cfg file with a different name. That info is located in a different registry key.

Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[TonyMcGuire]

As to project aliases, they are a different animal.

I don't believe they are stored in the .cfg but in an .ini file in each directory they are used from WORK.

This is why adding them manually 'works' and adding them in code doesn't.

And if you ever create one manually as a 'regular' alias, and then use one created/stored in code, your system will have FITS. At least Paradox 9 does. I did this and it took days to figure out; then days again to recreate my aliases the way I wanted (not understanding what had happened) since they were all wiped blank.

Tony McGuire
"It's not about having enough time; we have the rest of our lives. It's about priorities.

 

[JFW]

I am grateful for all your help on this Tony. It is all working well now.

John Wright
John F Wright Consultants