Running from a CD without setup

Hi Everyone,

I have developed a small setup utility for a small application developed for WinNT, I had to do it due to the unique things needed to be done at setup time also I did not want it in the programs on the start menu. The deployment wizard was not flexible enough.

The Utility uses system files such as common dialog control and file system object. How can I run the complete utility from a CD ROM.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

:) Thanx :)
Needaname16

Do you mean how do you get it to run automatically when the CD is put in?

Thanks for the replies however...

Honeybee:

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Did you try running the EXE from the CD?

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I did however on different computers it sometimes ran into troubles of the DLLs not being the recent version required by this application.

Kzin:

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Do you mean how do you get it to run automatically when the CD is put in?

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Sorry No but thanks for the reply.

Has anyone got a suggestion of how to put an application installed onto a CD so the user can just run the application from the CD?

Please?!

Thanks:)

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Originally posted by needaname16
Thanks for the replies however...

.

Has anyone got a suggestion of how to put an application installed onto a CD so the user can just run the application from the CD?

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You need all the dls merged into the exe - there was an app that did this talked about on VBFourums - can't remember its name though

Thanks Kzin,

Anyone else know of this application, I really need it in this case.

It's called Fusion. I had bad luck with it, others seem to like it.

Run the VB application wizzard, but don't finsh it completely. When it gets to the part where it shows the dependancy files, copy down all the files names and extensions. Then cancel the application wizard. Find all the needed files and put them on the CD with your application. No Problem.

When the user launches your program, it should just use the files on the CD. This solves the "need a newer version of .dll problem". They'll just use the one on the CD.

FRAIL_KNIGHT:D

That approach is likely to fail, because the DLLs on the CD will not be registered on the client's machine and the EXE will try to access them from the registry.

Another way is to create a setup package that installs all the DLLs and OCX and such files onto the user's computer. Then you put a copy of the EXE on the CD itself. When the installation is run, the package will only install the DLLs and OCXs involed, not the main EXE. And then when the EXE is run from the CD it should work fine.

I have never tried it, so it may not be foolproof.

And in case you decide to follow it, create a setup like a normal setup in the P&DW, and then you will probably need to edit the Setup.lst file and comment out / delete the entry about the EXE so the EXE is not installed.

.

Well...

I tried fusion and found that it worked a treat for what I needed. The only problem is that I have to pay to use this software and it really is a once off in this case. I was wondering if anyone knows what the process is that this software is doing in the back ground to include all the dlls and ocx code into one executable.

Otherwise I will just have to put up with the P&DW and have a program for the setup of this software.

Thanks a mill for the replies :)