[RESOLVED] Package and Deployment Disaster

Hi Folks,
I'm in the process of trying to port my first VB6 application to a stand-alone computer.

Background:
- Development Computer: Dell Laptop (brand new D630 - running XP).
- Target Computer: Dell GX1 Pentium2 running Win98 (not SE). Only has a floppy and a Read-Only CDROM along with a USB 1.0 port.

Plan A:
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My first attempt at running the Package and Deployment (P&D):
-Load VB6
-Load my program located in C:\Myapp
-Ran the Pack/Deploy - followed all prompts which ends up creating the following directories on my harddisk "c:\Myapp\Package\Support"

I burned a new CD and copied only the "Package and Support" directories to the CD.

Before I get into the gory details of how it went downhill from there, are these the Directories that are normally created when running (P&D)? Are all these directories/files needed to load Myapp.exe on another computer?

I took the new CD out to the Target computer and ran the Setup.exe file that was in the Package directory(there is also a Setup.exe in the Support directory).

It started the process but hung up and reported a problem with the OLEAUT32.DLL. I had to reboot the Target computer but the OLEAUT32.DLL must have gotten corrupted causing Windows98 to not work anymore. I found another Win98 computer and re-copied the OLEAUT32.DLL and got Win98 working again. edit: I went through this routine twice.

Went to Plan-B.

Plan B:
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I loaded VB6 onto a different Win98 computer(Read Only CD, Floppy and USB 1.0) - ran the Pack/Deploy and attempted to target the floppy as where the Package and Support files were to go (CAB file was almost two Meg) which would cause multiple floppies to be created.

Well that didn't go well either - Pack/Deploy Wizard reported "An unknown error occurred while building Cab File". Tried another new floppy - got the same error.

I didn't think I would have this much trouble. Maybe I should go back to C++ under DOS. :cry:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

try using this tool
Not sure if is compatible with Win98

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa718352.aspx

I moved your thread to here.

BTW, not that it caused your problem, but you only need to copy three files to your CD and they are the cab file, setup.exe and setup.lst.

Please read Installer Problems for more help

Success!!! Looks like I got it...

After trying to absord everyones suggestions, I managed to get it working.

The PDW was indeed pulling in all the "updated files" from the XP windows/system directory and putting them into the CAB. Once I manually replaced all the "newer" files with the "older" files, everything started working.

Thanks for your help... I'd still be spinning my wheels if it weren't for you folks.


PS: I have a minor problem with screen size now. It seems they run the Target pc in 800x600 mode and my App was developed on a pc running 1280x1024. When the program runs, it exceeds the screen size. Is there any way to adjust that at run-time so it fits their screen?

Thanks again.

You should always develop at the smallest resolution that you need to support, or use the "form size guidelines" (I forget what they're called), but having said that here is a project you may be able to use.

Thanks for the info.