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In-place install?

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sfsdfd
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In-place install?

Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:30 am

Folks:

I have a challenge for you.

First, some background. I tend to keep the GameBase collection not on the primary drive of any machine, but in my digital archives. It's one of many files and applications that I like to keep around for spontaneous use, but not one that I use frequently, so I need the space on my primary drive for other purposes.

(As an added bonus - the hard drive letter assigned to this archive changes, depending on which drive I'm using.)

Now, this creates a problem for me. Every time I try using GameBase - say, every six months or so - I find that I have to install the GameBase application on my primary drive in order to get any part of it working. If I don't - if I just try to run it from its current directory, without actually having it installed in Windows - then it complains a lot about not being able to find ActiveX components, etc.

This is a bummer. In fact, it sometimes prevents me from messing around with GameBase, because I just don't want to deal with the hassle of the installation process. I really just want it to run in place.

So, I turn this over to you. Is it possible to configure GameBase to run from a specific folder without being installed, and without really caring where the folder is located? If so, how?

- David Stein
Judd
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Sure...

Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:52 pm

Just creat a batch file in which you specify the drive letter and re-register the ActiveX components at their current locations using regsvr32.

Any other registry settings can be changed with an appropriate .reg file.

Shouldn't be too difficult.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx
sfsdfd
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Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:09 am

I guess my question is: What's the point of the ActiveX control and reg file settings? Don't these things contribute to nonportability of the Gamebase install? And if so, are there overarching reasons to keep them than to go with a more portable solution?

- David Stein
Judd
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Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:53 am

I suppose the point is convenience. VB has never been the most portable language. If I remember correctly, there are a few custom controls in the Gamebase code, so even if it doesn't use any third-party controls (which it probably does) there would still be some registering to do.

I'd be very surprised if you could convince anyone to re-write the code with full portability in mind. There aren't very many applications these days that work in a copy-files-and-run manner....
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx
sfsdfd
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Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:17 am

Judd wrote:If I remember correctly, there are a few custom controls in the Gamebase code, so even if it doesn't use any third-party controls (which it probably does) there would still be some registering to do.
Hmm. Can't ActiveX controls be bundled into a DLL and stored in the same folder as GameBase? I seem to recall that being an option for ActiveX control deployment. And if that's feasible, then it should be easy to implement - really just a compiler linking option.
Judd wrote:There aren't very many applications these days that work in a copy-files-and-run manner....
On the contrary- I have a large folder containing a lot of emulators: MAME (arcade), Daphne (laserdisc arcade), Atari800Win, SNES9x, NESticle, ePSXe, some Gameboy emulators, etc., etc. Every one of these operates just fine as an in-place and portable configuration. Literally, the only one that does not, that requires some kind of system install/registration, is GameBase (which is heartbreaking, because the C64 is my favorite platform of all time!)

I do not, in the slightest, mean to sound pushy or ungrateful. GameBase is one of my favorite projects, and I've followed its development closely for, oh, about six years now. This is just one feature that I'd really like to see implemented - because it would allow me to use GameBase more often.

- David Stein
Judd
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OK...try this...

Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:04 am

OK, the portability isn't inherent, but the batch file is simple...

Add the following to a batch file, and place it in your GB directory:

Code: Select all

echo off
regsvr32 /s %~dp0PNGlib.dll
regsvr32 /s %~dp0Gemus.dll
regsvr32 /s %~dp0GBSql.dll
regsvr32 /s %~dp0GBFuncs.dll
%~dp0GameBase.exe

I think that should allow your to move your GB directory around without installing it.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx
sfsdfd
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Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:26 am

That's cool. :) Thanks, Judd. I'll give it a shot, maybe this weekend, and will report back.

- David Stein
Judd
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Location: NZ
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Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2003 7:26 am

Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:06 am

David,

You might also want to note this thread:

http://www.gb64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1516&start=30

which might also help.

Dan
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx

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