>I have an app I am working on that I needed to get into the hands of the end user prior to completion....
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>I used the SETUP WIZARD to create the distribution diskettes and used them at the clients office.
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>The client has begun using the portions that are finished and installing data.
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>Here is the question(s)....
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>1) Is there a surefire - easy way to upgrade code at a clients office after the installation and use has begun? Obviously you can't use the SETUP WIZARD because that uses the DB files.
Actually, you can - you need to create an update distribution that doesn't include the things you don't want to refresh. Specify the same default directories, and don't makrk things as PM items if you've already got shortcuts that you don't want modified. You can use a post-setup executable to perform some work for you once the Setup Wizard install does its thing.
I take a different approach, since I use a launcher; I maintain a central repository of files and updates to systems on a network folder, and the launcher checks the components there to see if the workstation needs anything updated. Since I use the WSH as a part of my applications, I've got the WSH and VBScript or JScript available to server as a lightweight installer that can be fired from the launcher to perform more complex operations like registration of updated components.
If you haven't planned for it in advance, it's pretty much too late to try to shoehorn this type of process in after the fact without manual intervention at each PC.
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>2) I did a form update and so I just sent them the revised form SCT & SCX files. Is that correct?
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As long as the old SCX/FRX were there as separate files originally, and all the changes were encompassed in the updated files, then dropping them in place in the rgith directory should work. If you had ActiveX components involved, some additional work (like making sure the right versions were installed on each PC) needs to be done. If the SCX was built into the project, you're probably hosed.
>3) For report updates - do I send both the FRT & FRX files?
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Again, if the FRX files are not compiled into the executable, yes.
>4) When I update the actual "code" of the main program, that compiles into the EXE... do I need to send anything else to the client other than the EXE for that to work (any additional files that I don't know what they do that are in the directory??!!!)
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If you've changed the runtime (ie you went from original VFP6 to SP3 for example) you need a new copy of the runtime for each system. I you'd added ActiveX components, they need to be installed and registered.
>5) Should I send the DBC file? That doesn't have any file data in it correct?
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No, but it has file references in it. Only send the database container if it needs to be updated. I rely on SDT to handle data file and database updates for me.
>6) If I make table structure changes - I need to write a program to update the table structure at the client to match - right? I would NOT send the file DBF or SCX, correct? Is this when I'd use the DBC file?
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You need to do something programmatically to update the structures, and update the .DBC. If you have views that reference the table, they'll most likely be affected. if you have new indexes, they're in for some changes, too. And if new or revised forms are needed to work with the new tables, they're needed, too.
If you anticipate changes in the database (tables, indexes, views), I'd strongly advise investing in SDT; it provides a mechanism to update the database on a customer site programmatically using metadata tables - you send out new metadata and trigger a method in SDT code which will make the necessary changes for you based on the new metadata.
>Thanks...
