Package Wizard/RunTime

[Homer]

I have used the package wizard successfully but quickly found short comings
in its ability to load updates without a process of unloading with the same
cd the first file that was loaded. Now I am trying to use a different
packaging program and like Installer2Go but I need to install my database as
a Runtime for users that don't have Access on their PC. Does anyone know the
files or process that needs to be included in a third party packager?

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

The simple approach I used four years and is

1) install the package system with wizard ....get the runtime on the target
machine.

2) From this point on, really, all you do for updates is copy a mde file to
the users machine.

I used to use a registered version of WinZip (www.winzip.com), but now days
I simply use inno scripts:

I now use the free inno installer here:

http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

So, just get the runtime installed (install a dummy .txt file to the persons
hard drive with the package wizard..and include the runtime). Once you got
the runtime installed, and after that point simply use a very nice
lightweight installer. the added bonus of this installer is not only is it
easier to write and setup and install, but you downloads and setups will be
extremely tiny as compared to quitting something with the runtime in the
first place.

A sample in a script to install file would be:

*---------
[Setup]
SourceDir=c:\program files\RidesXP
AppName=Rides Reservation System
AppVerName= Rides II
DefaultDirName={pf}\RidesXP
DefaultGroupName=Rides
Compression=lzma
SolidCompression=yes

DirExistsWarning=no
DisableDirPage=yes
DisableProgramGroupPage=yes
Uninstallable=no


[Files]
Source: "RidesXP.mde"; DestDir: "{app}"

*------------

Really, not much to it at all. Another added bonus is fact that the setup is
not a whole bunch of files that must be placed on a CD, but is one small
single executable file. This single file is far more suitable for download
then what the package wizard produces for MS access anyway....

So just use the package would have the initial war original runtime install,
then after that you something like the anno, or Installer to go ....

if you place your.executable on a web site and execute an
application.followhyperlink, and you can include an update button in your
software for about two lines of its access code. here is a series of screen
shots as to what my user sees when the upgrade my access application now :

http://www.kallal.ca/ridestutorialp/upgrade.html

 

[Homer]

The simple approach I used four years and is

1) install the package system with wizard ....get the runtime on the target
machine.

2) From this point on, really, all you do for updates is copy a mde file to
the users machine.

I used to use a registered version of WinZip (www.winzip.com), but now days
I simply use inno scripts:

I now use the free inno installer here:

http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

So, just get the runtime installed (install a dummy .txt file to the persons
hard drive with the package wizard..and include the runtime). Once you got
the runtime installed, and after that point simply use a very nice
lightweight installer. the added bonus of this installer is not only is it
easier to write and setup and install, but you downloads and setups will be
extremely tiny as compared to quitting something with the runtime in the
first place.

A sample in a script to install file would be:

*---------
[Setup]
SourceDir=c:\program files\RidesXP
AppName=Rides Reservation System
AppVerName= Rides II
DefaultDirName={pf}\RidesXP
DefaultGroupName=Rides
Compression=lzma
SolidCompression=yes

DirExistsWarning=no
DisableDirPage=yes
DisableProgramGroupPage=yes
Uninstallable=no


[Files]
Source: "RidesXP.mde"; DestDir: "{app}"

*------------

Really, not much to it at all. Another added bonus is fact that the setup is
not a whole bunch of files that must be placed on a CD, but is one small
single executable file. This single file is far more suitable for download
then what the package wizard produces for MS access anyway....

So just use the package would have the initial war original runtime install,
then after that you something like the anno, or Installer to go ....

if you place your.executable on a web site and execute an
application.followhyperlink, and you can include an update button in your
software for about two lines of its access code. here is a series of screen
shots as to what my user sees when the upgrade my access application now :

http://www.kallal.ca/ridestutorialp/upgrade.html


--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
(e-mail address removed)


Albert, thanks for your reply, I took your advice and tried both installer2go and Inno. I settled on Inno using a modified version of your sample script. I installed my icon and put my logo on the install screens, I even utilized the ready to load screen to display my update notes. Inno compressed it down to a few kb's so I now e-mail my updates saving time to burn cds and labeling. Thanks again