>Alex,
>
>>Consider a system whereby VFP runtime files are downloaded on demand, but only once per machine, if at all possible. In other words a system similar to the one used to distribute the Flash player. The reason to choose that system as an objective is that as more machines have the VFP runtimes installed it becomes easy to deploy VFP applets.
>
>As Craig correctly pointed out elsewhere in this thread, such system doesn't resove the problem with VFP runtime versions conflict.

I presume you are talking confusion about the service packs, not the VFP versions, since I run exe's compiled with VFP6 in same machine as ones compiled with VFP8. To resolve the SP issue the downloaded bundle (maybe a zip file) can have contain information on what dll version was required, using the dll date as surrogate for the SP number, which apparently is otherwise unavailable. If the wrong SP was installed, then the new dlls would be installed in same directory as app.

>Do you think the following scenario is feasible? A downloaded standalone exe (which contains a VFP app) checks to see if VFP runtime files are available and if not asks for permision to download and install them. It it cannot install them because of permissions then it uses a less restrictive method. Upon installing the runtimes it unpacks the VFP app and runs it. The next time the app is called the VFP app runs directly.
>
>It may work as long as it installs VFP runtimes in the application directory.

That defeats the purpose here. The goal would be to VFP runtime files reuse among applications.

Alex