How to package and distribute template into an executable file?

[Joyce]

Hi,

Did anyone know is there a way to make an executable file
(like using VB6 code) that includes the template files in
the .exe such that when the user double clicks the .exe
file will install templates into a specific folders? Any
clues and help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Joyce

 

[martinique]

I do it this way:

1. Create a trivial VB app for the VB Package and Deployment wizard to work
on. (Doesn't matter what the app does, but the P&D wizard won't work without
one.)

2. Work through the detail of how VB's setup works: Setup.exe loads the code
need to make a VB app work, then runs setup1.exe to do your target
installation. The source code for setup1.exe is provided under the P&D
folder, and it gets recompiled for each installation.

3. Modify the source code of setup1.exe to install your templates (and
anything else, like fonts, add-ins, and so on). The code provides utility
calls so that -- if you do it properly -- the user can UNinstall your app
and the templates will be removed.

One of the tricky parts is deciding where to put the templates. This is in
the registry only if the user has changed from the default location; but the
default location varies according to operating system and configuration. You
really need to query Word directly.