>There are good reasons for using a real setup program. Yes, you can copy and
>register the controls manually but what about version checking? If there's one
>there already and the versions don't match you might destroy a bunch of other
>applications.
>
>Build a setup! Or at least make damn sure you check for versions before you go
>off registering controls.
>
>+++ Rick ---

Hi Rick (and Mike and George)! I figured it would be easiest to reply to all three at once :) I haven't had much time to deal with this issue the last few days.

First things first: Rick, thanks for your insight ... I wanted to clarify my own message to which you replied. I kinda 'misrepresented' myself. We do, of course, initially use a 'real Setup' for installation. What I'm dealing with right now is our "updater" program/process for the couple-hundred users we already have. Our updater checks the EXE's, DLL's, FONTS, etc. (and yes, checks versions :] ) and replaces/writes the appropriate files. The same will now be true for placing the OCX there in the first place. If it's there (or a NEWER one is there), it won't be overwritten. The same goes for checking the registry to see if said control (or newer version thereof) is already registered.

Sorry for the lack of clarity :) We strive not to be the hack-it-out-replacing-files-and-end-up-screwing-up-other-applications types of folks as sometimes is the case with small development companies :) Sounds like you have a personal loathing of this type of situation :) [We do as well.]

Mike and George, thanks for your suggestions. If I'm reading into the documentatino I could FIND for those options, they seem to be dealing w/ the same things, which is cool. I probably would tend to still go with the direct DECLARE as George mentioned, just as a preference.

We have yet to test this with our users directly, we've just done "in-house" tests, but it seems to work wonderfully! Thanks for your help, guys. I'm a little ashamed that I didn't think of the RegSvr32 myself ;-P [duh]

Thanks again! And Rick, I'll continue to keep in mind the things of which you reminded me. Again, sorry for the misrepresentation.

Jared M Anderson
Interactive Data Systems, Inc.
janderson@idevgroup.com