What if target machine has MDAC version higher than 2.5? 2

[Bojangles]

I am using VS Installer 1.1 to Package and Distribute my VB6 Application using ADO, Jet4, and an Access 2000 generated database. My developer machine has MDAC 2.5 and I have already discovered that for a successful installation, I need to install MDAC 2.5 on some targets (with earlier versions of MDAC on them).

I have 2 questions.

1 - What if a target machine has a HIGHER MDAC version than 2.5? Will that target's higher version cause installation problems for me? If so, what must I do?

2 - If I personally am installing my application on the target machine, then having to install MDAC 2.5 on it is not a big problem. But if an inexperienced USER is installing the application, having to stop and install another version of something he/she has never heard of can be annoying to say the least. Is there an easy way to check during installation to see if the MDAC version needs to be changed and then automatically install the desired version?

Thanks,
Bojangles

 

[Norris68]

A higher version of MDAC should not affect your installation of application. It should be backwards compatible.

Microsoft realised the problams associated with distributing MDAC and posted a utility called Wrapper.exe on their website. This puts a MDAC installation wrapper around your standard installation. The MDAC installation will detect the current version and automatically install if needs be. Obviously this is going to make your distribution package bigger.

You could always put a test in your software and advise them if they need to upgrade MDAC. Create a Connection object and look at the Version property.
e.g.

Dim C As ADODB.Connection
Set C = New ADODB.Connection
MsgBox C.Version
Set C = Nothing

The version returned will be the current version of MDAC installed on the client machine - not the version of the typelib you reference in your application. For example, the above code was run with a reference to the ADO 2.0 typelib but returned "2.6".

 

[Bojangles]

Thank you so much Norris68 for such a prompt and helpful response.

Bojangles

 

[TheKing]

Norris68 I am dying to see that Wrapper.exe you were talking about, but can't seem to find it on Microsoft's website. Do you remember the link?

TheKing

 

[CCLINT]

As for ADO -Norris is right in that you shouldn't have a problem - as long as you developed with 2.5.

However, please note: Jet is not included in MDAC 2.6+.
Your installation program will already try to install the version of Jet that is on the developer's PC. You shouldn't have too many problems though. Just update the developer's PC with MDAC 2.6 and the latest Jet4 version and you should be OK.

Include MDAC into the setup program - just add it to the list of files in the P&D. The Setup1 checks for the MDAC and installs it automatically.

 

[Monguse]

The experance I've had with MDAC is not as good as yours, I put the newest version 2.7 on a couple of systems and had to reinstall v2.5 as with 2.7 installed the software would not run... and if you read the doc's for 2.7 the way I understood them it is for use only on an XP system.. "The beauty of the second amendment is, that it will not be needed until they try to take it." - Thomas Jefferson

WebMaster:

http://www.firearms-for-us.com

 

[Monguse]

To: TheKink

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257604

Try this link for the Wrapper.exe "The beauty of the second amendment is, that it will not be needed until they try to take it." - Thomas Jefferson

WebMaster:

http://www.firearms-for-us.com

 

[CCLINT]

Oh boy. I guess yesterday wasn't my day. My mind seemed to replace VS Installer with P&D.......
I had made reference to the P&D when the question was concerning the Win Installer......

Here is another reference: Q320788