Deploying applications, components, and supporting files
Regardless of the type of application you are deploying, you
must include any supporting files such as dynamic libraries, resources
like BMP and ICO files, online Help files, and initialization files.
Each application type requires a different set of supporting files.
Planning for deployment
Chapter 40, “Packaging an Application
for Deployment,” helps you make decisions about deploying
a PowerBuilder executable application, such as whether to use dynamic
libraries, Pcode or machine code, and resource files. It also provides
a checklist to make sure you install all the required pieces.
If you are deploying a Web application or a transaction server
component, you will find the information about PowerBuilder dynamic
libraries (PBDs) and PowerBuilder resource files (PBRs) in that
chapter helpful. You should also read the documentation for the
component or plug-in elsewhere in this book or in the DataWindow
Programmer’s Guide
.
Application type | Where to find information |
---|---|
EAServer components | “Deploying a component to EAServer“ |
COM components | “Deploying a PowerBuilder COM server” |
DataWindow plug-in applications | Chapter 32, “Using the DataWindow Plug-in” |
PowerBuilder window plug-in | Chapter 33, “Using the PowerBuilder Window Plug-in” |
PowerBuilder window ActiveX | Chapter 34, “Using the PowerBuilder Window ActiveX” |
Web DataWindow and DataWindow Web control for ActiveX |
DataWindow Programmer’s Guide |
Finding information in this chapter
This chapter is intended to help you write installation programs
using a third-party software package that creates installation
configurations. It tells you which files each computer needs, where
you can find the files, where they should be installed, and what
registry settings need to be made. PowerBuilder also provides a
tool, described in “PowerBuilder Runtime Packager”, to help you package the files
your application needs.
Use Table 41-2 to
locate information about the specific files you need to deploy with
your application.
Scenario | See these sections |
---|---|
All PowerBuilder client applications | “PowerBuilder runtime files” |
PowerBuilder client application accessing data on a database server |
“Database connections” |
PowerBuilder clients for EJBs, SOAP Web services, and XML services |
“PowerBuilder extensions” |
PowerBuilder clients that save data in PDF or XSL-FO format |
“PDF and XSL-FO export” |
Web application using the DataWindow Web control for ActiveX |
“DataWindow Web control for ActiveX” |
Web application using PowerBuilder plug-ins or the window ActiveX |
“Plug-ins and PowerBuilder window ActiveX controls” |
EAServer component created in PowerBuilder |
“PowerBuilder components on EAServer “ |
COM component created in PowerBuilder | “PowerBuilder COM servers” |
Web application using Web DataWindow with EAServer |
“Files required on the transaction server” |
Web application using Web DataWindow with ASP and COM+ or IIS |
“Files required on the COM+ or IIS server” |
Installed and deployment paths
The Installed path listed after some
of the tables in this chapter is the location where files are installed
when you install PowerBuilder and select the default installation
location. When you build an installation program for your application,
you can copy files from this location to your staging area.
The Deployment path tells you where these
files can be installed on the computer on which you install your
application or component.
App Path registry key
Some tables are followed by a list of the Registry
entries your installation program needs to make so that
your application or component can find the files it needs. When
an application runs on Windows, it looks for supporting files in these
locations and in this order:
- The
directory where the executable file is installed. - The Windows system and Windows directories (for
example, in C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32, C:WINDOWSSYSTEM,
and C:WINDOWS). - In an application path that can be specified in
the registry. - In the system path.
You do not need to specify an application path, but it is
recommended.
Specifying an application path
To specify the path the application uses to locate supporting
files, your installation program should create an App Path key for
your application in this registry location:
1 |
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindows<br /> CurrentVersionApp Paths |
Set the data value of the (Default) string value to the directory
where the application is installed and create a new string value
called Path that specifies the location of shared files. The following
example shows a typical registry entry for an application called MYAPP.EXE that
uses Adaptive Server Anywhere. The registry key is enclosed in square
brackets and is followed by string values for the key in the format “Name“=”Value“:
1 |
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows<br /> CurrentVersionApp Pathsmyapp.exe]<br />"Default"="C:Program FilesmyappsMYAPP.EXE"<br />"Path"="C:Program Filesmyapps;C:Program Files<br /> sybasesharedPowerBuilder;c:program filessybase<br /> SQL Anywhere 8win32;" |
About REG files Registry update files that have a .REG extension
can be used to import information into the registry. The format
used in registry key examples in this chapter is similar to the
format used in registry update files, but these examples are not
intended to be used as update files. The path names in
data value strings in registry update files typically use a pair
of backslashes instead of a single backslash, and the “Default”
string value is represented by the at sign (@).
Use the examples to help determine which registry keys your
installation program should add or update.
Deploying ActiveX controls
If your application uses ActiveX controls, OLE controls, or
OCX controls, you must:
- Deploy the control files with your application
- Make sure each control is registered
- Make sure required files are in the target computer’s
system directory
If your application uses a control that is not self registering,
your setup program needs to register it manually on each user’s
computer. To find out whether a control is self registering, see
the documentation provided with the control. Depending on the development
and deployment platforms and the controls you are deploying, you
might need to copy additional DLLs or license files to the Windows system
directories on the target computer.