Rick, In some ultimate sense, Some general comments
> >> What's the current guidelines on where a VFP executable > should be installed, and where should the data be stored?<< > > I have installed apps on Vista and Windows 7 in Program Files > with absolutely no problems. I'm lucky, most of my apps > get installed on the server so this whole programming files > folder question is kind of a non-issue. We install on shares > on the server. On client OSes, and with few exceptions, I am > only installing read-only files in the app folder if they > are stored in under Program Files. You can also set the > administrative rights to subfolders to read-write and most > installers have tools to help you do that. This way you can > still have your data avoid the virtualization. > > The thing I like about Program Files folder is that is where > most people expect to find the application. Easier for IT > departments to set up shortcuts when they are helping the > users out who deleted the one optionally installed for them. > Saves them support time for them to locate the folder. > > I personally find apps automatically writing a new subfolder > off of the root system drive very frustrating. Makes me > crazy actually. While it definitely helps avoid the pitfalls > of better secured operating system installs, it clutters up > the drive I want clean and optimized. If they need the root, > they can have the D or F partition. Hardcoded to C:\ is > candidate for non-install. Regarding my installation requirement, of course the INNO installer will target to any location, and other then suggesting (setting the default) for the installation folder, I do not enforce this rule. It's actually just a standard that, so far, I've been able to get users to accept and is working just fine. So far no problems with several Windows 7 machines. On using Program Files, I did target it until Vista. With Vista I had problems, specifically when the product downloads it's maintenance from our server. It was able to downloaded a ZIP file okay, it disappeared because Windows decided to put it somewhere else as a protection measure. While studying the situation, I came across someone's suggestion of just installing in the root folder, and that would avoid Windows relocating these files, with whatever complications that entails and would have to be programmed for, so I side-stepped the issue and discovered that I had also made the doc (and tech support instructions) easier in the same stroke. Now when our rep or the doc says a file is stored as c:\prod\profs\somefile.txt, the customer doesn't have to translate that into a different place. If it's a different drive, that's not to hard to deal with, but translating c:\prod\profs\somefile.txt to \microsofts latest place\some desired subfolder\myprod\yyyy (or explaining how to translate some variable) is awkward by comparison. Small thing, but enough can't be said for the KISS mentality. There's also a negative effect on backup/restore. With program and data files in separate locations back and restore becomes more complicated then simply dealing with one folder and it's sub-folders. As for organization and cluttering the root. Since MS and I guess most vendors keep their stuff in the MS folder system, the root of most machines aren't cluttered like they were years ago (okay, I'm taking advantage of the situation) For security implications, whatever security product is being used has to look in all the nooks and crannies of the machine anyway, and from that standpoint it really doesn't matter where the code is. I'm not against standards really, just not a big fan of MS's methods. Bill > > Rick > White Light Computing, Inc. > > www.whitelightcomputing.com > www.swfox.net > www.rickschummer.com > > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/34F4A07EFC5142CC8D6CBEC4DEAF138C@bills ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
