QUESTION: Checking for Office Apps?

[Steve]

Hi out there...

This group looks like the best choice for my question... if I'm in the wrong
area, please tell me which group is best?

I've a VB app and it requires WORD, EXCEL and POWERPOINT. Since
Office/components are copyrighted... and I can't distribute... I want to set
up my InstallShield to CHECK the user's hard drive during CD installation...
and either install (with no comments) if Office is loaded... or abort with
an error message is NO Office.

So... my question is... rather than checking for WORD and then EXCEL and
then POWERPOINT... what's the "best" OFFICE file/folder/whatever that I
could check? I need to check for something that's in ANY/EVERY Office
product!

Thanks in advance
Steve

 

[DL]

Office can be custom installed (also to any folder you like) and as such
only required components might be present.
By default, since Office2k, version specific folders are created.
So if your app requires all three office components to be present I think
you would still have to search for the exe's or maybe registry entries.
Its a while since I used Installshield, but doesnt it have some options to
check if cetain 'items' are installed on the target PC?

 

[DL]

Office can be custom installed (also to any folder you like) and as such
only required components might be present.
By default, since Office2k, version specific folders are created.
So if your app requires all three office components to be present I think
you would still have to search for the exe's or maybe registry entries.
Its a while since I used Installshield, but doesnt it have some options to
check if cetain 'items' are installed on the target PC?

 

[DL]

Office can be custom installed (also to any folder you like) and as such
only required components might be present.
By default, since Office2k, version specific folders are created.
So if your app requires all three office components to be present I think
you would still have to search for the exe's or maybe registry entries.
Its a while since I used Installshield, but doesnt it have some options to
check if cetain 'items' are installed on the target PC?

 

[DL]

Office can be custom installed (also to any folder you like) and as such
only required components might be present.
By default, since Office2k, version specific folders are created.
So if your app requires all three office components to be present I think
you would still have to search for the exe's or maybe registry entries.
Its a while since I used Installshield, but doesnt it have some options to
check if cetain 'items' are installed on the target PC?

 

[Steve]

Hi...

Thanks for getting back to me.

My App needs ANY Office... so I was thinking of something Office-installed
that's constant for ANY version.

And YES... InstallShield has an option area where one can enter "items" to
look for... I'm not good enough at InstallShield to say whether it will scan
the entire hard drive for an item... or if it looks only in specific spots.
That part's easy tho... that takes a short time to enter (say) word.exe and
see if it'll find it anywhere.

Hadn't thought about some Office-related REGISTRY entry... chances are there
has to be something that's in the same spot regardless of Office version??

Thanks... you've given me some more things to think about!
Steve

 

[Steve]

Hi...

Thanks for getting back to me.

My App needs ANY Office... so I was thinking of something Office-installed
that's constant for ANY version.

And YES... InstallShield has an option area where one can enter "items" to
look for... I'm not good enough at InstallShield to say whether it will scan
the entire hard drive for an item... or if it looks only in specific spots.
That part's easy tho... that takes a short time to enter (say) word.exe and
see if it'll find it anywhere.

Hadn't thought about some Office-related REGISTRY entry... chances are there
has to be something that's in the same spot regardless of Office version??

Thanks... you've given me some more things to think about!
Steve

 

[Steve]

Hi...

Thanks for getting back to me.

My App needs ANY Office... so I was thinking of something Office-installed
that's constant for ANY version.

And YES... InstallShield has an option area where one can enter "items" to
look for... I'm not good enough at InstallShield to say whether it will scan
the entire hard drive for an item... or if it looks only in specific spots.
That part's easy tho... that takes a short time to enter (say) word.exe and
see if it'll find it anywhere.

Hadn't thought about some Office-related REGISTRY entry... chances are there
has to be something that's in the same spot regardless of Office version??

Thanks... you've given me some more things to think about!
Steve

 

[Steve]

Hi...

Thanks for getting back to me.

My App needs ANY Office... so I was thinking of something Office-installed
that's constant for ANY version.

And YES... InstallShield has an option area where one can enter "items" to
look for... I'm not good enough at InstallShield to say whether it will scan
the entire hard drive for an item... or if it looks only in specific spots.
That part's easy tho... that takes a short time to enter (say) word.exe and
see if it'll find it anywhere.

Hadn't thought about some Office-related REGISTRY entry... chances are there
has to be something that's in the same spot regardless of Office version??

Thanks... you've given me some more things to think about!
Steve