Question with regards to Deploying an application

[Phenomenon]

I have created my first application using VB6. It uses a Jet db(created in access).

The application works perfectly. I then used the "Package and Deployment wizard" to create a setup program. It then adds in all the dll's that it needs and creates the cab
files that will be needed to run the setup program.

When i run the setup program it installs the files needed on my pc and updates any dlls that need to be overwritten.

Here is my problem/question...

I am scared of updating one of my suppliers computers as i am not sure that if i update their computer with the vb6.0 dll files this will cause problems with other applications that exist on their pc.

Is their any way i can ensure that all these dll's are not updated? And rather than updating system files can i place these dll's with my program folder and somehow
rename them so that they will always be used instead of system32 dll's???

If u can help I would appreciate it otherwise thanks for listening anyway...

[mcleran]

You have to update their dlls and add dlls that they don't already have, if your application needs them. Reason: your application is instantiating objects from those dlls that it needs to function. Also, your application looks at the computer's registry to find out where a certain dll is located and then instantiates the object that your application needs. If you haven't updated/added the dll, your users will get an error message like 'Active X Component Could Not Create Object' or something and the app will die.

Solution: Buy a good package and deployment software package. I use Wise InstallMaster. This package allows you to have total control over the installation and does a far better job than the MS package and deployment wizard. It also can create an uninstall program and allow you to save the user's dlls as duplicates incase you wish to undo the installation and go back to the original dlls.

You could put the files in your program directory then windows will find them there before looking in the registry.

But i beleive the are some exceptions(like the oleaut32.dll)



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Vincent van den Braken
EMail: azzmodan@azzmodan.demon.nl
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