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OTSE
#1 / 26
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 ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables) I hope this isn't considered spam because although what I'm about to announce
*can* involve payment, it also has a totally *free* side to it; plus I think
it's good to announce alternatives to existing *expensive* commercial products
to save newbies paying high prices when they probably didn't have to; so I'll
take the chance of being flamed and announce it...
I have just released a small app called VBRunner which lets you distribute your
*simple* VB apps as though they were true standalone executables. That is, a
user without any VB runtimes can unzip your app and run it immediately, without
going through a setup + reboot routine. To the user, your VB app is used just
like any normal C++ or delphi standalone program. This means you could possibly
even run your VB app from a CD-ROM (although I haven't actually tested this).
Naturally there are limitations on which sorts of VB apps can use VBRunner, and
these are explained at VBRunner's web page. For simple VB apps, VBRunner is a
great alternative to the Setup & Deployment Wizard approach, so check it out:
http://www.*-*-*.com/
Regards, Otser.
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| Mon, 26 Apr 2004 12:45:04 GMT |
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Glev Zarrionta
#2 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
[snip]
Quote: >I have just released a small app called VBRunner which lets you distribute your >*simple* VB apps as though they were true standalone executables. That is, a >user without any VB runtimes can unzip your app and run it immediately, without >going through a setup + reboot routine. To the user, your VB app is used just >like any normal C++ or Delphi standalone program. This means you could possibly >even run your VB app from a CD-ROM (although I haven't actually tested this). >Naturally there are limitations on which sorts of VB apps can use VBRunner, and
>these are explained at VBRunner's web page. For simple VB apps, VBRunner is a
>great alternative to the Setup & Deployment Wizard approach, so check it out:
Quote: >http://cloud.prohosting.com/bowlay/vbrunner.htm
>Regards, Otser.
Moonlight's VB Power Wrap which does a similar task. I can not compare it
to Bit Art's Fusion as I do not have that.
PS: What happened to your normal index page?
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| Tue, 27 Apr 2004 17:47:23 GMT |
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OTSE
#3 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote: > PS: What happened to your normal index page?
I had a fight with my web hosts, so I had to drop them and get hosted by a
free service.
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| Tue, 27 Apr 2004 18:49:53 GMT |
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J Fren
#4 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables) Quote:
>I hope this isn't considered spam because although what I'm about to announce
Hi Otser, it looks as if you are only using the standard controls
which means that (generally) the App will only require MSVBM60.DLL
Does this mean that you have stuck a C bootstrap exe with MSVBVM60.DLL
compressed in with the App ? Or have you found a sneaky way of
loading EXEs and DLLs from within one large file ?
I have to confess distributing the MSVBVM60.DLL does not strike me as
a great hardship - but it sounds like a useful product.
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| Tue, 27 Apr 2004 18:53:03 GMT |
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OTSE
#5 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote: > Hi Otser, it looks as if you are only using the standard controls
> which means that (generally) the App will only require MSVBM60.DLL
Yes, that's the restrictions on your VB apps. Not a great solution, but
very handy for simplistic VB apps that need only the standard controls.
Quote: > Does this mean that you have stuck a C bootstrap exe with MSVBVM60.DLL
> compressed in with the App ? Or have you found a sneaky way of
> loading EXEs and DLLs from within one large file ?
You put MSVBVMx0.DLL in your app's folder, mark it as hidden (if desired),
and then rename your VB exe to app.exe. Then, my small ASM-compiled exe
is renamed to your original VB exe, and on running, it checks if the
runtime is in your System folder and if not, copies it there from your
folder and then launches app.exe (your actual VB app). So in effect,
a user with no runtime files can run your app without going through a
setup + reboot routine, but again, only for VB apps that use the standard
controls. I've tested it and it works fine, and should be the perfect
solution for those people here who keep asking about auto-running a VB app
from a CD-ROM. :)
Quote: > I have to confess distributing the MSVBVM60.DLL does not strike me as
> a great hardship - but it sounds like a useful product.
Thanks! :) The alternatives, like Fusion, do a similar job for all VB
apps but they have a hefty price tag for the luxury.
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| Tue, 27 Apr 2004 19:01:08 GMT |
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J Fren
#6 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables) Yes - I follow
- effectively one is distributing three files - the Bootstrap,
MSVBVM60.DLL and the actual App
Surely though if one is running from CD you just need MSVBVM60.DLL on
the CD and in the same path as the App - that is what I do.
However I fully approve that you are encouraging people to just use
the basic controls - OCXes sound a good idea ... at first ... but the
chaos and complication just ain't worth the gain.
Good Luck
Quote:
>> Hi Otser, it looks as if you are only using the standard controls
>> which means that (generally) the App will only require MSVBM60.DLL
>Yes, that's the restrictions on your VB apps. Not a great solution, but
>very handy for simplistic VB apps that need only the standard controls.
>> Does this mean that you have stuck a C bootstrap exe with MSVBVM60.DLL
>> compressed in with the App ? Or have you found a sneaky way of
>> loading EXEs and DLLs from within one large file ?
>You put MSVBVMx0.DLL in your app's folder, mark it as hidden (if desired),
>and then rename your VB exe to app.exe. Then, my small ASM-compiled exe
>is renamed to your original VB exe, and on running, it checks if the
>runtime is in your System folder and if not, copies it there from your
>folder and then launches app.exe (your actual VB app). So in effect,
>a user with no runtime files can run your app without going through a
>setup + reboot routine, but again, only for VB apps that use the standard
>controls. I've tested it and it works fine, and should be the perfect
>solution for those people here who keep asking about auto-running a VB app
>from a CD-ROM. :)
>> I have to confess distributing the MSVBVM60.DLL does not strike me as
>> a great hardship - but it sounds like a useful product.
>Thanks! :) The alternatives, like Fusion, do a similar job for all VB
>apps but they have a hefty price tag for the luxury.
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| Tue, 27 Apr 2004 20:35:23 GMT |
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OTSE
#7 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote: > Surely though if one is running from CD you just need MSVBVM60.DLL on
> the CD and in the same path as the App - that is what I do.
I'll take your word for it -- I've never experienced this myself.
Quote: > However I fully approve that you are encouraging people to just use
> the basic controls - OCXes sound a good idea ... at first ... but the
> chaos and complication just ain't worth the gain.
I hate OCXs so much. I've seen people distribute a 100k OCX with their
app just so they can write to the Registry... :(
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| Wed, 28 Apr 2004 04:51:35 GMT |
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J Fren
#8 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote:
>> Surely though if one is running from CD you just need MSVBVM60.DLL on
>> the CD and in the same path as the App - that is what I do.
>I'll take your word for it -- I've never experienced this myself.
It works for VB5 - I stick just behind the bleeding edge of technology
Quote: >> However I fully approve that you are encouraging people to just use
>> the basic controls - OCXes sound a good idea ... at first ... but the
>> chaos and complication just ain't worth the gain.
>I hate OCXs so much. I've seen people distribute a 100k OCX with their
>app just so they can write to the Registry... :(
Totally agreed
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| Wed, 28 Apr 2004 17:46:35 GMT |
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#9 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
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| Wed, 18 Jun 1902 08:00:00 GMT |
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OTSE
#10 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote: > Surely though if one is running from CD you just need MSVBVM60.DLL on
> the CD and in the same path as the App - that is what I do.
I just realised that my app VBRunner is totally obsolete due to the above
tip. Can you believe I never tried running my VB apps with MSVBVM50.DLL in
the same path? :( Stupid me. Sorry for the ill-formed idea.
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| Fri, 30 Apr 2004 04:55:31 GMT |
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#11 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
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| Wed, 18 Jun 1902 08:00:00 GMT |
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Mauree
#12 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables) That's okay, Otser. I still love you!
Maureen
Quote:
> > Surely though if one is running from CD you just need MSVBVM60.DLL on
> > the CD and in the same path as the App - that is what I do.
> I just realised that my app VBRunner is totally obsolete due to the above
> tip. Can you believe I never tried running my VB apps with MSVBVM50.DLL
in
> the same path? :( Stupid me. Sorry for the ill-formed idea.
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| Fri, 30 Apr 2004 05:36:13 GMT |
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#13 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
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| Wed, 18 Jun 1902 08:00:00 GMT |
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J Fren
#14 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote:
>> Surely though if one is running from CD you just need MSVBVM60.DLL on
>> the CD and in the same path as the App - that is what I do.
>I just realised that my app VBRunner is totally obsolete due to the above
>tip. Can you believe I never tried running my VB apps with MSVBVM50.DLL in
>the same path? :( Stupid me. Sorry for the ill-formed idea.
Nuts - you are on an very interesting track - imagine three files
packed into one - your ASM bootstrap - a zipped MSVBVM60.DLL and the
App itself.
I'll bet someone knows how to load an EXE/DLL from within another -
failing that the TempDir would be a bodge. Of course App.Path would
have to be replaced with Environment variables.
There is mileage in this one.
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| Fri, 30 Apr 2004 22:02:07 GMT |
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OTSE
#15 / 26
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ANN: VBRunner v1.00 (Creates standalone executables)
Quote: > Nuts - you are on an very interesting track - imagine three files
> packed into one - your ASM bootstrap - a zipped MSVBVM60.DLL and the
> App itself.
But my point is: if your VB exe and MSVBVM60.DLL are in the same folder,
then you don't even need the bootstrap... that's what I overlooked. :)
Quote: > There is mileage in this one.
What I could do is make the bootstrap check for MSVBVM60.DLL in their
System folder, and if not, offer to download/install before launching
the VB app. That way, the large runtime DLL doesn't need to be included
in the author's zip file, and he's guaranteed that a newbie won't get
confused by the "Missing MSVBVM60.DLL file" error message... what do you
think? Worth doing?
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| Sat, 01 May 2004 04:55:52 GMT |
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