CHM Support over a network, making UNC Registry Entries

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

I am considering switching to SetupBuilder (SB).

I want to know if SB has tackled the problem of using .CHM over a network.

As you probably know, .HLP files are being deprecated by Microsoft. They
will not be supported out of the box on Vista, and we as software developers
will be barred from shipping the HLP component. It is recommend that we
convert to .CHM. However because CHM is HTML it and HTML has secuirty
holes, Microsoft has clamped down on CHM's. As a result when you try to use
CHM over a network it will fail unless you have made some Registry entries.

This is discussed at http://www.helpandmanual.com/products_hhreg.html which
in turn points to a number of microsoft pages including:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896054

As you can see, we are required to make a number of registry entries, I'm
sure SB can do that.
The sticking point however is that the entries need to be in UNC notation.
*** How can I ask SB for the UNC equivalent of the install folder? ****

TIA,
Mark Goldberg

[NewsArchive]

Hi Mark,

Very good question. I have to think about it tonight and get back to you.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

On 31 Aug 2006 12:21:24 -0400, mark goldberg wrote:

> This is discussed at http://www.helpandmanual.com/products_hhreg.html which
> in turn points to a number of microsoft pages including:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896054
>
> As you can see, we are required to make a number of registry entries, I'm
> sure SB can do that.
> The sticking point however is that the entries need to be in UNC notation.
> *** How can I ask SB for the UNC equivalent of the install folder? ****

Mark,

SB5 is an absolutely great product and a must have IMHO.

However keep in mind that if you install to the server - then a user runs
your app from the server (from a different PC), it would need to be your
app that makes the changes to the Registry.

Now you could (and maybe should) create a secondary installer to setup the
"client" portion of your software.

If so - SB5 is the logical best choice again of course.

But you'll need to still take into consideration that the user needs to
have the privileges to make changes to the registry on their PC.


Just some details to keep in mind - but of course your in good hands with
Friedrich<g>


Charles


--
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Charles Edmonds

www.clarionproseries.com - "Serious imaging tools for Clarion Developers"
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www.lansrad.com - "Intelligent Solutions for Universal Problems"
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[NewsArchive]

Hi Charles,

Yeah that's true, however do have a "client install" in order to add
hardware drivers, short cuts and some INI files (yes we still use .INIs).

I've heard nothing but praise for SB and Friedrich, which of course is very
promising.

I haven't looked but does SB have an optional ZIP interface into the
installs it builds?
Wise can be configured to allow: ** C:\> pkunzip setup.exe ** as another
way to extract the files in the install without running the install.

[NewsArchive]

On 31 Aug 2006 15:18:48 -0400, mark goldberg wrote:

> Yeah that's true, however do have a "client install" in order to add
> hardware drivers, short cuts and some INI files (yes we still use .INIs).

I'm guessing you forgot to type the "we" before "do have a" and therefore
you DO have a client install.

;-)

As for INI's - no problems in them from me.

I say you use what works for your needs<g>


> I've heard nothing but praise for SB and Friedrich, which of course is very promising.

Yes - Friedrich has worked his behind off on this stuff and knows what he
is doing. The results speak for themselves.



> I haven't looked but does SB have an optional ZIP interface into the
> installs it builds?
> Wise can be configured to allow: ** C:\> pkunzip setup.exe ** as another
> way to extract the files in the install without running the install.

Not sure on that one.

I have not had a need for it and have not looked at it, but I am sure
Friedrich can weigh in with the right answer.

;-)

Charles


--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Edmonds

www.clarionproseries.com - "Serious imaging tools for Clarion Developers"
www.ezround.com - "Round Corner HTML tables with matching Banners, Buttons
and Forms!"
www.lansrad.com - "Intelligent Solutions for Universal Problems"
www.fotokiss.com - "World's Best Auction Photo Editor"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[NewsArchive]

< see below >

> > Yeah that's true, however do have a "client install" in order to add
> > hardware drivers, short cuts and some INI files (yes we still use
..INIs).
>
> I'm guessing you forgot to type the "we" before "do have a" and therefore
> you DO have a client install.
>
> ;-)
>

Hey Charles, you read badly edited rambling programmer pretty well <BSEG>

mark goldberg

[NewsArchive]

On 31 Aug 2006 22:47:00 -0400, mark goldberg wrote:

> Hey Charles, you read badly edited rambling programmer pretty well <BSEG>

"Been there - wrote that way myself<g>"



;-)

Charles


--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Edmonds

www.clarionproseries.com - "Serious imaging tools for Clarion Developers"
www.ezround.com - "Round Corner HTML tables with matching Banners, Buttons
and Forms!"
www.lansrad.com - "Intelligent Solutions for Universal Problems"
www.fotokiss.com - "World's Best Auction Photo Editor"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[NewsArchive]

Out of interest Mark, why is the help file called from the server, and not
installed on each workstation? I only ask as I use SB5 and it installs our
CHM help files into a SYNC folder on the server, FM3's autonet then copies
the contents of this folder to the workstation running the app. Works a
charm

Colin Wynn

[NewsArchive]

That's not a bad way to get around the limitation.

I could write the same sort of logic that FM3's autonet must be using (I
paid for FM2 years and years ago, I supposed I could download it someday).
In any event, when I launch my app I could look for the .CHM on the local
drive, if the file doesn't exist, then I could copy it from a folder on the
server.

Which makes me wonder what logic is used when my app looks for a .CHM, IOW
where does it look? Oh, I guess that's under my control. I set the
HelpFile name inside of my ctCWHH.INIT (a wrapper class I wrote to clean up
SV's CWHH class). Currently I'm just passing in a relative path, so I guess
I could alter that logic to specifiy a local hard drive.

Q: Where does convention say I'm supposed to put the .CHM file?
Is it supposed to go in %windir%\help ?

If it goes there, then how will find that folder on the server (to copy the
file from)?
I suppose I could just duplicate the .CHM on the server leaving one in the
same folder as the .EXE and another in the servers %windir%\help folder.

FYI: The .EXE's location is retrieved via COMMAND('0')

-- Mark

[NewsArchive]

Not sure there is a convention for help files, but I've always kept mine in
the same folder as the application (and from product's I've install this
seems to be the norm too), the path to our help file is just the help file
name, no drive or folder prefix.

You could just use the FM2 autonet, which is what I used to do before
upgrading to FM3

Colin Wynn [Administer Software Ltd]