>>>>>>1. Is this version of InstallShield still usable?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>2. Will I have to buy a later version of InstallShield?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>3. Assuming I can still do this, is there a walk-through set of instructions for running InstallShield?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>This might help:
>>>>>http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa977154(v=vs.71).aspx
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I've seen this, so I guess the answer to question 3 is "No". If I print it out, it's 18 pages, with a lot of data that I might or might not need, and in any case is NOT a quick run-through, nor does it answer any of my first question, nor really my second.
>>>>
>>>>Is the version that I have still usable for VFP 9? Will I have to buy a later version?
>>>>
>>>>Does anyone use VFP and InstallShield anymore?
>>>
>>>I still use InstallShield limited version that came with VFP 9. And it does what I need.
>>
>>
>>It's been suggested that all I need to do is copy the new .exe file over the old one, where the program has already been loaded, rather than having to run the full installation for each (there are some 40-50 sites where the original has been loaded). The earlier version was not in VFP 9 (I believe it was in 6 or 7). Do you know if I can merely overwrite the older .exe, or will I have to reinstall?
>>
>>
>>Is there a short form instruction on how to run the InstallShield? I haven't used it in five or six years, and the Walkthrough to which I was pointed is 18 pages long if printed. Is there something that just explains the job more simply? I don't recall it being quite this complicated before, but it HAS been a few years.
>
>If the earlier version of .EXE was not VFP 9 simply overriding the .EXE will not work. You need to install VFP 9 run-time. Keep in mind that a simple way to run the new VFP executable is to copy to the same folder where you have the executable the following files:
>VFP9.EXE
>VFP9ENU.DLL
>Of course if you are using ActiveX controls they have to be installed separately.
>
>As far as using InstallShield, like you, I created mine many years ago. I have forgotten how I did it but it works.
>HTH.

I'm in the same boat - used InstallShield years ago (and Wise installer too) - got real good with it at that time - but it's been so long I've forgotten quite a bit. I've been doing what you suggested, simply copying the runtime .dll's (and any actvex's) to the .exe folder.