Deploying VB6 App and Office Web Components

[SJ]

Hi, I have a Visual Basic 6 application that is currently deployed throughout
an organisation using Citrix. The organisation uses Microsoft Office,
although the versions in use vary and the application is currently deployed
via Citrix.

We want to use the Office Web Components to do some charting within the
Visual Basic App without interactivity ie. just display some charts, however
have come across the licensing blurb.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/developer/platform/owcfaq.asp
and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555094/en-us

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft website
etc and to download. But the above licensing doesnt appear to let us do this.
Am I correct? Is there an alternative apart from going with a third party
component that we can give to the client to include in their citrix setup.)?
Whats the reasoning behind Microsoft not allowing this component to be
distributed, even without interactivity?

So many questions I know, but thanks in advance for any help provided

 

[Alvin Bruney]

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of the

Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft website
etc and to download.

You can but it's not legal. MS specifically forbids this.

Anyway, it would make more sense to not go this route. Probably an easier
route would be to write some sniffer code to detect the version of Office
being used and provide a link to the download site (sniffer code is
presented in this newsgroup).

This approach is done with flash shockwave for instance. Flash is not
deployed by third party vendors to client machines, instead, a link pops up
informing the client to go to the download site and download the required
component. It works well because it is a one-time setup cost and you do not
have to maintain any assemblies on the client since it is done thru the
download site. You can use the same approach or choose a different chart
component.

In anycase, all industrial grade charting software comes with licensing
restrictions and the OWC is no exception.


--

________________________
Warm regards,
Alvin Bruney [MVP ASP.NET]

[Shameless Author plug]
Professional VSTO.NET - Wrox/Wiley
The O.W.C. Black Book with .NET
www.lulu.com/owc, Amazon
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/blogs/alvin
-------------------------------------------------------

 

[SJ]

thanks for the info Alvin,
I've tried to find references to the 'sniffer code' you mentioned in your
reply but to no avail. Can you (or anyone) point me in the right direction?

Most appreciated
SJ

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft website
etc and to download.

You can but it's not legal. MS specifically forbids this.

Anyway, it would make more sense to not go this route. Probably an easier
route would be to write some sniffer code to detect the version of Office
being used and provide a link to the download site (sniffer code is
presented in this newsgroup).

This approach is done with flash shockwave for instance. Flash is not
deployed by third party vendors to client machines, instead, a link pops up
informing the client to go to the download site and download the required
component. It works well because it is a one-time setup cost and you do not
have to maintain any assemblies on the client since it is done thru the
download site. You can use the same approach or choose a different chart
component.

In anycase, all industrial grade charting software comes with licensing
restrictions and the OWC is no exception.


--

________________________
Warm regards,
Alvin Bruney [MVP ASP.NET]

[Shameless Author plug]
Professional VSTO.NET - Wrox/Wiley
The O.W.C. Black Book with .NET
www.lulu.com/owc, Amazon
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/blogs/alvin
-------------------------------------------------------

Hi, I have a Visual Basic 6 application that is currently deployed
throughout
an organisation using Citrix. The organisation uses Microsoft Office,
although the versions in use vary and the application is currently
deployed
via Citrix.

We want to use the Office Web Components to do some charting within the
Visual Basic App without interactivity ie. just display some charts,
however
have come across the licensing blurb.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/developer/platform/owcfaq.asp
and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555094/en-us

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft
website
etc and to download. But the above licensing doesnt appear to let us do
this.
Am I correct? Is there an alternative apart from going with a third party
component that we can give to the client to include in their citrix
setup.)?
Whats the reasoning behind Microsoft not allowing this component to be
distributed, even without interactivity?

So many questions I know, but thanks in advance for any help provided

 

[Alvin Bruney]

search for owc sniffer code, second link
http://www.ureader.com/message/1186171.aspx

--

________________________
Warm regards,
Alvin Bruney [MVP ASP.NET]

[Shameless Author plug]
Professional VSTO.NET - Wrox/Wiley
The O.W.C. Black Book with .NET
www.lulu.com/owc, Amazon
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/blogs/alvin
-------------------------------------------------------

thanks for the info Alvin,
I've tried to find references to the 'sniffer code' you mentioned in your
reply but to no avail. Can you (or anyone) point me in the right
direction?

Most appreciated
SJ

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft
website
etc and to download.

You can but it's not legal. MS specifically forbids this.

Anyway, it would make more sense to not go this route. Probably an easier
route would be to write some sniffer code to detect the version of Office
being used and provide a link to the download site (sniffer code is
presented in this newsgroup).

This approach is done with flash shockwave for instance. Flash is not
deployed by third party vendors to client machines, instead, a link pops
up
informing the client to go to the download site and download the required
component. It works well because it is a one-time setup cost and you do
not
have to maintain any assemblies on the client since it is done thru the
download site. You can use the same approach or choose a different chart
component.

In anycase, all industrial grade charting software comes with licensing
restrictions and the OWC is no exception.


--

________________________
Warm regards,
Alvin Bruney [MVP ASP.NET]

[Shameless Author plug]
Professional VSTO.NET - Wrox/Wiley
The O.W.C. Black Book with .NET
www.lulu.com/owc, Amazon
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/blogs/alvin
-------------------------------------------------------

Hi, I have a Visual Basic 6 application that is currently deployed
throughout
an organisation using Citrix. The organisation uses Microsoft Office,
although the versions in use vary and the application is currently
deployed
via Citrix.

We want to use the Office Web Components to do some charting within the
Visual Basic App without interactivity ie. just display some charts,
however
have come across the licensing blurb.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/developer/platform/owcfaq.asp
and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555094/en-us

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of
the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft
website
etc and to download. But the above licensing doesnt appear to let us do
this.
Am I correct? Is there an alternative apart from going with a third
party
component that we can give to the client to include in their citrix
setup.)?
Whats the reasoning behind Microsoft not allowing this component to be
distributed, even without interactivity?

So many questions I know, but thanks in advance for any help provided

 

[SJ]

thanks Alvin...just had to use google and the right search parameters!
(I was using the forum search on support.microsoft.com and 'office web
component sniffer' under google...)

search for owc sniffer code, second link
http://www.ureader.com/message/1186171.aspx

--

________________________
Warm regards,
Alvin Bruney [MVP ASP.NET]

[Shameless Author plug]
Professional VSTO.NET - Wrox/Wiley
The O.W.C. Black Book with .NET
www.lulu.com/owc, Amazon
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/blogs/alvin
-------------------------------------------------------

thanks for the info Alvin,
I've tried to find references to the 'sniffer code' you mentioned in your
reply but to no avail. Can you (or anyone) point me in the right
direction?

Most appreciated
SJ

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft
website
etc and to download.
You can but it's not legal. MS specifically forbids this.

Anyway, it would make more sense to not go this route. Probably an easier
route would be to write some sniffer code to detect the version of Office
being used and provide a link to the download site (sniffer code is
presented in this newsgroup).

This approach is done with flash shockwave for instance. Flash is not
deployed by third party vendors to client machines, instead, a link pops
up
informing the client to go to the download site and download the required
component. It works well because it is a one-time setup cost and you do
not
have to maintain any assemblies on the client since it is done thru the
download site. You can use the same approach or choose a different chart
component.

In anycase, all industrial grade charting software comes with licensing
restrictions and the OWC is no exception.


--

________________________
Warm regards,
Alvin Bruney [MVP ASP.NET]

[Shameless Author plug]
Professional VSTO.NET - Wrox/Wiley
The O.W.C. Black Book with .NET
www.lulu.com/owc, Amazon
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/blogs/alvin
-------------------------------------------------------

Hi, I have a Visual Basic 6 application that is currently deployed
throughout
an organisation using Citrix. The organisation uses Microsoft Office,
although the versions in use vary and the application is currently
deployed
via Citrix.

We want to use the Office Web Components to do some charting within the
Visual Basic App without interactivity ie. just display some charts,
however
have come across the licensing blurb.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/developer/platform/owcfaq.asp
and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555094/en-us

We would like to give the client the OWC11.DLL to install as part of
the
Citrix configuration rather than them having to go to the Microsoft
website
etc and to download. But the above licensing doesnt appear to let us do
this.
Am I correct? Is there an alternative apart from going with a third
party
component that we can give to the client to include in their citrix
setup.)?
Whats the reasoning behind Microsoft not allowing this component to be
distributed, even without interactivity?

So many questions I know, but thanks in advance for any help provided