Creating an .exe for Windows 98

[JBD2]

I have made an application and I have made a dependency file that looks like this:

Uses1=MSVBVM60.DLL
Uses2=oleaut32.dll
Uses3=olepro32.dll
Uses4=asycfilt.dll
Uses5=stdole2.tlb
Uses6=COMCAT.DLL
Uses7=EventVB_H.dll

(For the .dll part)

I have been able to make my app work for XP easily, but what .dll's do I need to include other than EventVB_H.dll to make it work properly for windows 98? Thanks.

[cssriraman]

checkout this link:

http://www.***********/support.html

[JBD2]

I'm a little confused what do I do?

[baja_yu]

In any case be sure to know that you can not simply include the files from your own system and copy them to another. You need to obtain redistributable versions of the components. Otherwise you most likely WILL permanently damage the system you copy the files to and will probably need to reinstall Windows.

[baja_yu]

Other than the standard VB runtime files, you need to distribute any extra component that you might have used (Windows Common Controls, Inet etc.)

[MartinLiss]

Moved.

[JBD2]

So what should I do?

[baja_yu]

Find out what extra components you used and download redistributable versions and use them in your installer.

[randem]

JBD2,

Read Installation Problems in my signature for a quick start. It should help you sort out a few things.

[JBD2]

Thanks for the info, my other question (hopefully my last) is with Inno Setup when I add a .dll that registers itself to {sys} (system dll folder) will it automatically detect whether its putting it in xp's: drive:\windows\system32 or 98's: drive:\windows\system ? Thanks.

[JBD2]

Which one(s) of the .dll's isn't a VB runtime file? Is it only Event_VB_H.dll? The rest are all included in the "Winodows 9x (23 mb) - Last Updated 5/27/05" Automatic OS Updater here: http://www.***********/support.html ? How do I use the os updater? (I'm using Inno Setup, is there a script I type in)

[Al42]

Thanks for the info, my other question (hopefully my last) is with Inno Setup when I add a .dll that registers itself to {sys} (system dll folder) will it automatically detect whether its putting it in xp's: drive:\windows\system32 or 98's: drive:\windows\system ?

"Register" means "add the dll file name and its location to the registry", so it doesn't matter where it is when it registers - it registers as being at that location.

[JBD2]

Yeah but I want it to register itself to the windows system folder where windows .dll's are stored, and Inno Setup has a command where you can register it to {sys} which is the sytem folder but Windows 98 and Windows XP have differen't system folders (where the .dll's are stored).

[randem]

JBD2,

All the information on how to use the updater in Inno Setup is on the web page you mentioned. There is a app that can put it in your script automatically but I don't know the names of it

[Al42]

Yeah but I want it to register itself to the windows system folder where windows .dll's are stored, and Inno Setup has a command where you can register it to {sys} which is the sytem folder but Windows 98 and Windows XP have differen't system folders (where the .dll's are stored).

The point is that, to Windows, it doesn't matter where the file ends up - it gets listed in the registry as being in that directory. {sys} is whatever Windows says is the system directory - in Win98, in Win XP and in whatever future version of Windows MS creates - as long as they don't break that. The installer asks Windows for the system directory and copies files for {sys} to that directory, whatever its name is. (You can install Windows to C:\Foo, so the system directory in Win XP would be C:\Foo\System32.)

[JBD2]

Ok randem, hopefully that means this right:

[Files]
Source: "..\Support\MDAC\Scripts\Output\VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup.exe"; DestDir: "{tmp}"; Flags: ignoreversion deleteafterinstall
[Run]
Filename: "{tmp}\VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup.exe"; Parameters: /NORESTART /VERYSILENT WorkingDir: {tmp}; Flags: skipifdoesntexist

Do those things go first before anything else?

[JBD2]

I mean the "Run" part, does it go before the running of the main executable file?

[randem]

Yes, it would have to because if you do not have the proper MDAC's etc install your main app probably won't run. So you would want to install the MDAC's first.

[randem]

BTW the Source location of "..\Support\MDAC\Scripts\Output\" would be whereever you place the VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup.exe file.

[JBD2]

Yeah thanks.

[JBD2]

I tried it but when my application went to run it said the .dll:

MSVBVM60.DLL

Was missing. Isn't this a VB runtime? Shouldn't it have worked? My code also is using windows API's, so maybe they won't work with 98?

[randem]

You tried what???? be specific... can't read minds yet.

yes, it is a vb runtime file. post script. give some background info.

[JBD2]

The script looks like this: (of course it has other stuff too, I just edited out the unimportant text)

[Files]
Source: "C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop\MyApp.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"; Flags: ignoreversion
Source: "C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop\EventVB_H.dll"; DestDir: "{sys}"; Flags: regserver
Source: "C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop\VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup_9x.exe"; DestDir: "{tmp}"; Flags: ignoreversion deleteafterinstall
; NOTE: Don't use "Flags: ignoreversion" on any shared system files

[Run]
Filename: "{tmp}\VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup.exe"; Parameters: /NORESTART /VERYSILENT WorkingDir: {tmp}; Flags: skipifdoesntexist
Filename: "{app}\MyApp.exe"; Description: "{cm:LaunchProgram,My Security App}"; Flags: nowait postinstall skipifsilent

My program hides the start bar, desktop icons etc... so nothing is visible but my app, which is a security app which "locks your computer" or keeps it secure while you're gone until you type your password etc...I'm using API's to hide the start bar and desktop icons etc...which I don't know if it works with Windows 98. Tell me if you need more information.

[randem]

yes, the complete script would help. if you are doing something else like deleting or overwriting files can't be seen here... is your app only for 98? did you check your system to see if the file was actually missing?

[JBD2]

Well I use the app on xp only, but I want to try it on a 98 computer. The system (98) doesn't have VB so I don't think it has any of the VB Runtime Files, how do I get them? Does that program add the runtimes or only update them to their proper version? And I used the script wizard then modified it, so I don't think I need to post all of it.

[randem]

JBD2,

You are the one that has the problem so if YOU decide what's not important we have another problem. Don't inhibit help, lend to it. Post the whole script. The automatic updater does put the universal vb runtime files on the system.

The Inno Setup Wizard is not good for completing a script just for starting one. It also does not find any dependencies for your project so your script must be incomplete.

[JBD2]

; Script generated by the Inno Setup Script Wizard.
; SEE THE DOCUMENTATION FOR DETAILS ON CREATING INNO SETUP SCRIPT FILES!

[Setup]
AppName=My Security App
AppVerName=My Security App 1.0
AppPublisher=JBD2
DefaultDirName={pf}\My Security App
DefaultGroupName=My Security App
AllowNoIcons=yes
OutputDir=C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop
OutputBaseFilename=setup
Compression=lzma
SolidCompression=yes

[Languages]
Name: "eng"; MessagesFile: "compilerefault.isl"

[Tasks]
Name: "desktopicon"; Description: "{cm:CreateDesktopIcon}"; GroupDescription: "{cm:AdditionalIcons}"; Flags: unchecked
Name: "quicklaunchicon"; Description: "{cm:CreateQuickLaunchIcon}"; GroupDescription: "{cm:AdditionalIcons}"; Flags: unchecked

[Files]
Source: "C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop\MySecurityApp.exe"; DestDir: "{app}"; Flags: ignoreversion
Source: "C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop\EventVB_H.dll"; DestDir: "{sys}"; Flags: regserver
Source: "C:\Documents and Settings\JBD2\Desktop\VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup_9x.exe"; DestDir: "{tmp}"; Flags: ignoreversion deleteafterinstall
; NOTE: Don't use "Flags: ignoreversion" on any shared system files

[Icons]
Name: "{group}\My Security App"; Filename: "{app}\MySecurityApp.exe"
Name: "{group}\{cm:UninstallProgram,My Security App}"; Filename: "{uninstallexe}"
Name: "{userdesktop}\My Security App"; Filename: "{app}\MySecurityApp.exe"; Tasks: desktopicon
Name: "{userappdata}\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\My Security App"; Filename: "{app}\MySecurityApp.exe"; Tasks: quicklaunchicon

[Run]
Filename: "{tmp}\VB_DCOM_MDAC_JET_AutoSetup.exe"; Parameters: /NORESTART /VERYSILENT WorkingDir: {tmp}; Flags: skipifdoesntexist
Filename: "{app}\MySecurityApp.exe"; Description: "{cm:LaunchProgram,My Security App}"; Flags: nowait postinstall skipifsilent

[randem]

Things seem to be missing from that script. You do not have any dependencies as VB must have amongst other things.

[JBD2]

So I have to add the VB .dll's then run the .exe?

[randem]

VB dll's???? If you mean dependencies then yes, If you mean the VB runtime files then No.

[JBD2]

So what .dll's do I add from my first post? I don't know the difference.

[randem]

All of them except MSVBVM60.DLL and there maybe more... You have to do the research to find out.

[JBD2]

If it's almost all of them except MSVBVM60.DLL, then how would I fix the error message I had earlier?

[Al42]

Does that program add the runtimes or only update them to their proper version?

The way installation programs usually update files is to add them. If the same file, with an earlier date, exists, it's overwritten. If it doesn't exist there's nothing to overwrite. It's only if a file of the same name, but with a later date, exists that a good installation program notices.

[randem]

JBD2,

You need all the other components and referenced dll's that are required for your app to work in 98.

If you want to do it the hard way use Depends.exe to find the dependencies.