>After spending a day on this problem I found a different solution. Instead of registering the database folder with ISE as a 'DATABAEDIR" I added the database folder as a regular folder and registered it as a new "feature". Now users can choose not to include this folder in their installtion. Even if they do, they can delete it safely without the installer popping up to reinstall it. It seems the installer does its auto re-install for files in the "Always Install" feature. I guess its thinking since its "Always Install" it should always be there!

That's probably what makes it Microsoft compliant - it uses the same terms but gives them a different meaning, or uses the same things but names them differently. Once you grasp their logic (or whatever it's called now or replaced with) you can say you "mastered the skills required to use the product".

They surely overloaded the word "always".

>So you think the 'un-limited' edition of Express is better? From what I've seen its mostly adding billboards, text messages, and other useless stuff. The only feature that seemed useful is the dependencies scanner.

That's exactly what I think. If dependencies scanner was already in ISLE, I'd never think about wishing to buy full version. My feeling is that VFP as a package should come with a sufficient set of features, which would mean that any beginner should be able to build a hello-world app, with a couple of forms, menus and help, and fry installation CDs from that. This one doesn't even include the two help files in foxwhatever.msm.

> I wonder if the full version still takes 10 minutes to build the installtion each time? Maybe the builder is smarter and stops when it encounters an error so you don't have to wait the full 10 minutes before you can correct the prolem!

The building time is the only time I have available to play a little solitaire :). OTOH, slow stuff like that make me smoke more.