getting a vb6 program to run on w95 without a installation

hiya all,

I'm making an email program for a small company that will install a catalogue on the person’s computer when run.

I have the catalogue zipped in a self-extracting zip file that will install the catalogue in the right directory, then I make the vb6 program run that self extracting zip file as well as creating an icon on the desktop to run that catalogue.

I got the vb6 exe, the self extracting zip file and the dll's needed to run the program and again zip all that in a self extracting zip file that would run the program.

Now this system works well for windows 98 and above, but this method will not work win win95.
Is there a way of running a vb6 program file without having to go though updating the windows files (like when vb6 makes a installation package)??????

Please any ideas should be good.

P.S. my current method of placing a shortcut on the desktop doesn’t let me add an icon to it, does anyone know how to do that too??

Thank you for your time and help.

.

If you are making setup kit style stuff, then try InnoSetup (from http://www.innosetup.com ) which will allow you to run exe's (such as a self extracting zip file, and doesn't go through all the crap that the P&D wizard does installing files etc. It's also much quicker.

If you just want a simple exe that the punters can run, then you are probably better off coding the small app in delphi which makes fully standalone exes

- gaffa

Well,

there are some programs like Fusion (www.bit-arts.com for a free trial) and vb-powerwrap(www.moonlight-software.com for free trial) which allow you to run your vb-programs without runtime and additional -ocx, hence without installation.

All the functionality is wrapped into your .exe, at least, that's what they are supposed to do.

I tried them, and both of them work fine with simple, straightforward programs. Once your program becomes more complex they fail miserably, at least, that's what happened here.

But then, I'd give it a shot if I where you.

thanks for the help.
any idea about how to assign a icon to a short cut?

How about a right click on the short cut and change the icon in the properties in the shortcut tab?

umm no, i have the program creating a short cut on the desktop but i dont know how to identify the icon