Program deployment

[ccosmin]

I've just finished working to a program, compiled it and i want to copy it to another computer, but i'm getting errors on other computers like "Class not registred. You need the following to install file to be installed on your machine. MSSTDFMT.DLL"
How can i find all the files i need to copy or install onto other computers in order to make my program work?
I've also installed vb6runtime but i'm still getting errors.

[ccosmin]

some details i forgot to post:
-my program was developed under WinXP Professional
-i'm using *.mdb files

-recently, i've installed MDAC and VBRUN60 from the Visual Studio 6 Pro CD and now i'm getting this error:
"Run-time error: '91'
Object variable or With block variable not set"

[hspc]

I don't know why doesn't P&D wizard detect MSSTDFMT.DLL automatically
but follow these steps to solve the problem:
in the P&D wizard do the same thing you did when you added the *.mdb file.
when you select files add the file MSSTDFMT.DLL (you'll find it in the c:\windows\system32 folder as i remember)

I hope this will help

[ccosmin]

Actually, the P&D Wizard does "know" that msstdfmt.dll is required for the application. BUT: i make the deployment kit, a nice and quite bic *.cab file is made and i try to install it...and it won't work...i;m recieve this error:

"C:\WINDOWS\SETUP.LST
Invalid line in setup information file!
Section: Setup1 Files
@MDAC_TYP.EXE,$(AppPath),,$(Shared) ,...bla bla bla"

so now i'm shocked and terrified...

[ccosmin]

by installing from the visual studio 6 CD1 only "ADO, RDS and OLE DB Providers" from Data Access option the program works fine. Can i found this component in a sepparate place. I want to install it from a different location, other than VC6.0 cd's.

[hspc]

I don't understand where the problem is now..
But you can search microsoft for (MDAC) and download the last redistributeables.

[ccosmin]

well the problem is this: i cannot install software from the Visual Studio 6.0 CD's on every computer i need to run my application cause i don't have licences for all of them. this is why i'm looking for an alternative.

I've installed the latest MDAC software but still my application won't work.

I'm looking up for some free software to replace the "ADO, RDS and OLE DB Providers" component from the VS6 CD's.

[hspc]

Originally posted by ccosmin
I've installed the latest MDAC software but still my application won't work.

I'm looking up for some free software to replace the "ADO, RDS and OLE DB Providers" component from the VS6 CD's.

ADO is a part of MDAC
latest Jet (access) providers can be also found on MS site for free.

[Twodogs]

mdac_typ.exe is the bane of my existance....it has caused me no end of problems.

Anyway, a very quick tutorial on mdac & installation follows...

Win2K & XP have something called "Windows File Protection", which basically means that you cannot update certain "protected" files without using a service pack. this is especially relevant on XP, because MDAC is NOT considered (by the operating system) to be a service pack (Good on ya Micro$oft )

If you are to install a program that requires MDAC components (msado15.dll, msadoxxxx.dll etc) OR Jet components onto an XP machine, you will have problems. You MUST ensure that the installation target is on the same service pack level (or better) than the build machine, otherwise the mdac components will be dissimilar.

MDAC will install fine on Win2K machines, however you must ensure that the mdac you are installing is actually the one that is installed on your machine AND NOT THE ONE FROM THE CD WHICH IS PICKED UP BY DEFAULT!!!!. I cannot stress this enough. (Search your machine for mdac_typ.exe and see how many and where they are...make sure you pick the correct one to add to your installation.)

My personal thoughts on installations to XP & Win2K, is to create 2 installation packages. XP Service pack 1 will have a minimum of mdac 2.70.9001 REFRESH. XP without the service pack is (I think) 2.70.2xxxx which is definately NOT compatible if you built on xp sp 1. Anyway, I would NOT include the mdac_typ.exe file with the XP installation, but would do so with the W2K installation.

I would also throw the P & D wizard out the window, preferably from an extremely high place!!!!! I prefer to use the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer (freely available to licence holders of Visual Studio) which creates a .msi package. The benefits of the .msi over .cab is that a .msi will repair an installation if certain critical parts are removed from a machine. For example, if you decide that a .dat file is absolutely critical to the operation of your program, you can mark it as critical in the installation package - that way, if a dopey user deletes the file, the .msi will automatically detect that the program will not run correctly and will repair the installation.