>>Yes, they call it a "template". You can also create templates (classes) of your own custom controls. WinDev is fully object oriented and basically everything is an object.
>>


>A few questions, how do you distribute an application ?

There are several options depending on what you need to achieve. The choices are not different from distributing a VFP application.

I should first mention that when you develop your application you test it inside the WinDev environment (like in VFP) and when you are ready to distribute you can create the exe file which you can run externally from the IDE. When you create the exe it creates it in your chosen application folder and includes in that folder all the WinDev DLL files that your application will require on the client machine. So already you have the exe and the required DLL files in one place.

The first screencap shows the dialogs involved in creating an exe file - there are many cool options – NB: This is ONLY creating the exe, not a setup package (also I have not included every dialog in the process, just the most important ones).

Now you can do several things:

1. WinDev Setup Packager:

Built into WinDev is a setup package maker. This is like InstallShield or Wise. It is very professional and presents a good interface to your end-user. It can create a 32bit install package, a 64 bit install package or a combined 32bit + 64bit package (which is obviously larger since it will include both 32bit and 64bit WinDev DLL files).

To use it is very simple – you just start it up, it asks you some questions, you can choose various options and it compiles the project and creates a setup package which you can distribute to the client. See the second screencap attached for that process (NB: I have not included every dialog in the process, just the most important ones).

The downside – the setup package is branded with PC Soft logos and “powered by…” images.

2. External Setup Packager:

Use a 3rd party setup packager like InstallShield or Wise or whatever. We use InstallShield and are quite happy with this.


3. Copy to end-user:

Just copy your application folder to the end-user machine. Not sure if WinDev DLL files need to be registered or not – have not tried it.


> One exe file in each computer of the network or an exe at the server where all users connect ?

This is your choice. You can either let all users load the same exe from the network server or make them each install a local copy of it. This is a design issue, not a WinDev issue. I prefer having everything on the server and, where necessary, I make a small setup package to only register those DLL files that must be registered on the local computer.


> How do you manage updates of the application at the client's network?

WinDev has a patch management solution built-in but I have not tried it yet. We have developed in VFP our own automatic application update system over the years which we use to release new versions. I will investigate the WinDev patch management solution in time but truthfully we are quite happy with our application upgrader as it is – works over http port 80, runs automatically for the user, does everything.