One way or another FoxPro has to know about the runtime files in order to run. The runtime loader itself is built into the EXE, so it knows a few places where to look for the runtime files:
* Local Folder - if runtimes exist in local that's used
* Registry - when you register vftpr.dll that path is stored in the registry and used for runtime location
* System Path - if the runtimes live on the OS path they can be found there
I don't know offhand which order is used - I suspect paths first, registry last, but I'm not sure and it's probably not that important.
Personally I think it's always best to properly install the runtimes on the target machine with an installer and put them into the proper common path. This way if there are many applications they all share the same runtime and you're not dumping extra files all over the place. Less of an issue now that VFP is done and static but even so still a good idea IMHO.
+++ Rick ---
>Hi,
>
>In my deployment of the VFP 9 application all necessary DLLs are placed/copied to the application folder. I am talking about these DLLs:
>msvcp71.dll
>msvcr71.dll
>vfp9r.dll
>vfp9renu.dll
>vfp9t.dll
>
>So the above files are in the folder
>\\servername\appl_name\
>
>So far so good.
>
>But I need to run a small .exe in another folder (e.g. \\servername\appl_name\error_log). And, unless I copy the above DLLs to this folder, the EXE won't run.
>
>I would prefer not to have to copy the same DLLs in various folders. So, my questions. Can I set the Path to the required DLLs into the config.fpw file? Or some other way to make the .EXE "look" in another folder for the DLLs?
>
>TIA
>
>UPDATE. I think I don't have to use config.fpw. I can use another text file where the Path will be stored. And in the small EXE app open and use this Path. I will try this.
>
>UPDATE 2. Using my own configuration file where the Path is stored didn't work. The problem is that VFP 9 app does not even run to begin with. So, it cannot open and read configuration file. It has to be done differently. This is why I thought that config.fpw should provide the answer. But I don't know how to set Path in this file. Or if it is possible.
