Re: Optional Deployment

From: Gary Shell (gshell_at_fuse.net)
Date: 12/14/04 

Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 14:06:09 -0500

Well, well, well. VB.NET was most helpful with this.

I was able to create an "optional deployment" scenario very easily. In my
Setup Project, I used the Launch Conditions Editor to create a File Search
to the "Search Target Machine" folder. This file search looks for
VISOCX.DLL in the ProgramFilesFolder to a depth of 10 sub folders. It then
sets a property named VISIOINSTALLED to true or false. Then in the File
System Editor I clicked on my interface dll named VisioInterface.DLL and set
its condition property to VISIOINSTALLED. Now if the installer finds the
VISOCX.DLL it installs my VisioInterface.DLL and if the ocx is not found, my
dll is not installed.

Now the GREAT part. Even if the VisioInterface.DLL is not installed on the
users machine my main form will still load just fine. The form load event
code looks for the VisioInterface.DLL and if it is not found the "Diagram"
menu option is hidden. (Note this only works because the main form does not
have a reference to the VisioInterface.DLL. That reference is in a
secondary form only instantiated if the user selected the "Diagrams" menu
option.)

I must say I am quite impressed with how much we can tailor or installs with
Vb.net. No real need for a third party tool anymore. (Well not YET anyway.
Grin)

Gary

"Gary Shell" <gshell@fuse.net> wrote in message
news:O6KMS6I3EHA.1144@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> But I am not trying to start VISIO per se. I am using the VISIO interop
OCX
> and instantiating it on a form. If VISIO is not installed, the OCX will
> not exist and the program will immediately die. Actually, I doubt if it
> will even load.
>
> I am going to have to set up a test environment for this and play around
> with it.
>
> But my biggest concern is not at run time. It's the install time issues
(if
> there are any). Again I haven't tried this yet, I am just investigating
> what the pitfalls might be before I jump into it.
>
> Gary
>
>
> "Al Edlund" <edlund@ameritech.net> wrote in message
> news:O9ibMrI3EHA.1152@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> > you might try to start it and test for the return , this is an example
of
> > starting the app and some testing that might be done. You can also
> consider
> > trying to start it "invisible"
> > al
> >
> > 'Get the open instance of Visio
> > Set visApp = GetObject(, "Visio.Application")
> >
> > If (visApp Is Nothing) Then
> > 'there is no open instance of Visio, Create one
> > Set visApp = CreateObject("Visio.Application")
> > 'Add a new blank drawing page
> > Set visDoc = visApp.Documents.Add("")
> > Else
> > 'There was an open instance of Visio
> > If visApp.Documents.Count = 0 Then
> > 'if there are no open documents in this instance of Visio,
> > 'Add a new blank drawing
> > Set visDoc = visApp.Documents.Add("")
> > Else
> > 'otherwise, get the currently active document
> > Set visDoc = visApp.ActiveDocument
> > End If
> > End If
> > "Gary Shell" <gshell@fuse.net> wrote in message
> > news:eK$3sXI3EHA.824@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > But what if VISIO is not installed at all? In my instance, if the user
> > > does
> > > not even have VISIO I want to be able to install and run the
application
> > > and
> > > just disable the VISIO required functionality.
> > >
> > > Your code is helpful in determining if the user has the correct
version.
> > > But I am struggling with what to do if they have NO version.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Gary
> > >
> > >
> > > "Al Edlund" <edlund@ameritech.net> wrote in message
> > > news:OhHVgSG3EHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > >> this snippet from one of the sample projects in the v2003 sdk (works
> fine
> > > in
> > >> mine)
> > >> Al
> > >> Try
> > >>
> > >> If (vsoApplication Is Nothing) Then
> > >>
> > >> vsoApplication = CType(application, _
> > >>
> > >> Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.Application)
> > >>
> > >> majorVersion = CType( _
> > >>
> > >> Convert.ToDouble(vsoApplication.Version), Short)
> > >>
> > >> ' Make sure that we're running against the correct version of Visio.
> > >>
> > >> If (0 = majorVersion Or _
> > >>
> > >> majorVersion < MinVisioVersion) Then
> > >>
> > >> If (vsoApplication.AlertResponse = 0) Then
> > >>
> > >> applicationName =
StringUtils.funcLoadString(StringUtils.SampleAppName)
> > >>
> > >> System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show( _
> > >>
> > >>
> String.Format(StringUtils.funcLoadString(StringUtils.ErrorVisioVersion),
> > >> _
> > >>
> > >> applicationName), _
> > >>
> > >> applicationName, _
> > >>
> > >> System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
> > >>
> > >> System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon.Error)
> > >>
> > >> End If
> > >>
> > >> Else
> > >>
> > >> "Gary Shell" <gshell@fuse.net> wrote in message
> > >> news:O1dDk0B3EHA.3596@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > >> >I realize this may be more of a VB.NET question but I have a feeling
> no
> > > one
> > >> > there will know the specifics of Visio so here goes. My VB.NET app
> > > which
> > >> > is
> > >> > using the VISIO Interop OCX will be installed in various
> environments,
> > >> > some
> > >> > of which may or may not have VISIO 2003 installed. The VISIO OCX
is
> > >> > instantiated on only one form. This one form resides in a separate
> > >> > project
> > >> > inside my VB.NET Solution. The rest of the app resides in multiple
> > >> > forms
> > >> > in
> > >> > three other projects under the same solution.
> > >> >
> > >> > At install time, how can I determine if the user does not have
VISIO
> > > 2003
> > >> > and instruct them to try again after they have installed Visio 2003
> or
> > >> > offer
> > >> > to install the rest of the application without the VISIO files. I
> > > assume
> > >> > at
> > >> > run time I can then check for the presence or absence of the VISIO
> > > related
> > >> > form and disable that functionality.
> > >> >
> > >> > Gary
> > >> >
> > >> > I
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>