Package installation location and VISTA

[Stonewall]

I have a 2003 application I package with the 2003 Deveoper Package Wizard and
include the runtime version of access 2003. Since \program files is
considered a "sensitve" location on VISTA I need to find another location to
install my application but none of the choices in the package wizard suit my
needs.

My app needs to be installed for use by ALL USERS. The only choices I have
that will install the apap for all users are these:

program files - which is out for VISTA - since it's "sensitve" all kinds of
message appear during application use.

userappdata - which I initially liked but it installs to the the application
data folder and it is a hidden folder so it makes troubleshooting with the
client difficult.

commonfiles - this one is also out because it installs to the c:\program
files folder as well.

All I really want to do is install my application to the root of c:\ which
will make VISTA happy AND I can easily direct my end users to it during tech
support.

How can i do that with the developer packaging wizard or is there a better
solution?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I have a 2003 application I package with the 2003 Deveoper Package Wizard and
include the runtime version of access 2003. Since \program files is
considered a "sensitve" location on VISTA I need to find another location to
install my application but none of the choices in the package wizard suit my
needs.

Actually this standard has existed since at least Windows 2000.
However in Win XP and previous most home users were running as
administrator which is not a good thing. And it's not a good idea
for developers to be running as admins either as they won't find these
kinds of problems.

My Auto FE Updater got caught in such a problem a number of years ago
when I was trying to do a needless open for update on a registry key.
All I needed to do was a open for read only.

My app needs to be installed for use by ALL USERS. The only choices I have
that will install the apap for all users are these:

program files - which is out for VISTA - since it's "sensitve" all kinds of
message appear during application use.
Agreed

userappdata - which I initially liked but it installs to the the application
data folder and it is a hidden folder so it makes troubleshooting with the
client difficult.
Agreed

commonfiles - this one is also out because it installs to the c:\program
files folder as well.
Agreed.

All I really want to do is install my application to the root of c:\ which
will make VISTA happy AND I can easily direct my end users to it during tech
support.

Which might work except that some IT departments don't allow users to
create folders at the root of C.

What about All Users?

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Stonewall]

I am sorry but did I still do not know which option in the packing wizard to
pick that will solve my problem. Using the packaging wizard, which location
should I pick that will install the application in a folder for all users
that will work with Vista?

At the end of your reply your wrote "what about all users?". I went back to
the packing wizard, and as I mentioned in my original post, there are three
options for ALL USERS. None of which will work on VISTA.

common files - all users
installs in a sub folder under program files

programfiles - all users
installs in a sub folder under program files

commonappdata - all users
installs in a hidden folder called application data

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I am sorry but did I still do not know which option in the packing wizard to
pick that will solve my problem.

At the end of your reply your wrote "what about all users?". I went back to
the packing wizard, and as I mentioned in my original post, there are three
options for ALL USERS. None of which will work on VISTA.

I finally started up the applicable Virtual PC session which is where
I have all my installers execute out of.

common files - all users
installs in a sub folder under program files

Not acceptable.

programfiles - all users
installs in a sub folder under program files

Not acceptable.

commonappdata - all users
installs in a hidden folder called application data

Yes, I see that option in mine as well. However in your original
posting you stated

userappdata - which I initially liked but it installs to the the
application data folder and it is a hidden folder so it makes
troubleshooting with the client difficult.

I've switched to using Inno setup to install the Access runtime setup
and my application FE's and MDE/MDBs. I'm going to make some
modifications shortly to keep the demo files in the %appdata% folders
and the live data file in %user% folders so it's easier for the user
to work with and backup the data and other files.

See
http://groups.google.ca/group/micro...read/thread/5ef7b2085a0cf5ff/e39f8e024f1ea09e
for more information on Albert's approach.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/