Delivering your application to end users
When you deliver the executable version of your application
to users, you need to install all of the right pieces (various files
and programs) in the right places (such as on their computers or
on the network).
Deploying Enterpise Application Studio applications This section discusses the files you need to install when
you deploy a PowerBuilder executable application to users. For detailed
information about the files you need to install when you deploy
an application or component built using Enterpise Application Studio, see the Release
Notes.
Installation checklist
You can use the following checklist to make sure you install
everything that’s needed. For easy reading, the checklist
is divided into:
- Installing environmental
pieces - Installing application pieces
Installing environmental pieces
| Checklist item | Details |
|---|---|
| Install the PowerBuilder deployment DLLs | You should install all of these DLL files (which contain the PowerBuilder execution system) locally on each user computer. They are needed to run PowerBuilder applications independently (outside the development environment). This applies to applications generated in machine code as well as those generated in PcodeFor details on installing the deployment DLLs, see the deployment chapter for your platform later in this bookHandling maintenance releases If you’re using a maintenance release of PowerBuilder in your development environment, make sure you provide users with the deployment DLLs from that maintenance release |
| Install the database interface(s) | You should install on each user computer any database interfaces required by the application, such as the ODBC interface and other native database interfacesFor details on installing any database interfaces you need, see the deployment chapter for your platform later in this book. For more information about database interfaces, see Connecting to Your Database |
| Configure any ODBC drivers you install | If you install the ODBC interface (and one or more ODBC drivers) on user computers, you must also configure those ODBC drivers. This involves defining the specific data sources to be accessed through each driverFor details on configuring ODBC drivers, see Connecting to Your Database |
| Set up network access if needed | If the application needs to access any server databases or any other network services, make sure each user computer is properly connected |
| Configure the operating (windowing) system | A particular application may require some special adjustments to the operating or windowing system for performance (or other) reasons. If that’s the case with your application, be sure to make those adjustments to each user computer |
Installing application pieces
| Checklist item | Details |
|---|---|
| Copy the executable application | Make copies of the files that make up your executable application and install them on each user computer. These files can include:
Handling maintenance releases |
| Copy any additional files | Make copies of any additional files that the application uses and install them on each user computer. These files often include:
and possibly various others (such as text or sound files). |
| Copy any local databases to be accessed | If the application needs to access a local database, copy the files that comprise that database and install them on each user computerMake sure that you also install the appropriate database interface and configure it properly if you haven’t already done so |
| Install any other programs to be accessed | If the application needs to access any external programs, install each one in an appropriate location–either on every user computer or on a serverAlso, perform any configuration required to make those programs work properly. For example, you may need to register ActiveX controlsFor more information, see “Deploying ActiveX controls” |
| Ensure that the application can find the files it needs |
Make sure you install the various files that your application uses on paths where it can find them:
|
| Update the system registry with values for the application |
If you are deploying on a Microsoft Windows platform, you may rely on the Windows registry to manage certain information needed by the application (such as the application path). Be sure to update the registry with such values |
| Set up the application’s icon | To enable users to start the application, use the windowing system on each user computer to display the executable file’s icon where you wantAlternative Users can also start the application in any other manner provided for native applications under that windowing system |