Moe DeShong
asked on
Deployment issues
I am have trouble getting my data directory created in the Program Data directory. I have created a custom file in Target Machine File System and made its default location [CommonAppDataFolder] but that doesn't seem to work.
My second problem is getting the correct picture on the desktop and program files shortcut. They each get placed in the correct location but don't have the app default icon on them.
Everything else seems to deploy and work fine.
My second problem is getting the correct picture on the desktop and program files shortcut. They each get placed in the correct location but don't have the app default icon on them.
Everything else seems to deploy and work fine.
ASKER
James;
Just looking over your post to my other question. My first deployment build. UUUgh.
I have the commonappdatafolder as the default folder to create the new folder under but for some reason it doesn't get created when I run the install. I want to place the app database in this folder. My guess is there's some little tweak somewhere that I've failed to do. What I'm looking for is the database to be in [CommonAppData]\Plant Data. Hope that makes sense.
As a side note, why would app data be stored in a hidden file. Isn't that kind of hard to backup if the user can't see the folder? It would seem to make more sense to me to make a folder like [SystemDrive]\plants.
Just looking over your post to my other question. My first deployment build. UUUgh.
I have the commonappdatafolder as the default folder to create the new folder under but for some reason it doesn't get created when I run the install. I want to place the app database in this folder. My guess is there's some little tweak somewhere that I've failed to do. What I'm looking for is the database to be in [CommonAppData]\Plant Data. Hope that makes sense.
As a side note, why would app data be stored in a hidden file. Isn't that kind of hard to backup if the user can't see the folder? It would seem to make more sense to me to make a folder like [SystemDrive]\plants.
ASKER
AppData is not meant to be controlled by the user, only by the application or by administrators.
If you want something that the user has access to for any reason, the recommended location is the users Documents directory, unless it is some kind of media that would be better located in My Music, My Pictures and the likes.
Personnaly I do not really like that, because as a user, I think that My Documents should be reserved for documents that are actually created and Saved As by the user. That would prevent my own documents from being mixed up with a lot of stuff that is useless for me as a user. Unfortunately, I am not Microsoft, and I do not create the rules.
In your case, it is a database. It has been clear for a good 10 years now that Microsoft is becoming one-minded as far as databases are concerned: as a programmer, you should use a server database. And server databases have their own way of being installed and used that enables you to store them somewhere else than My Documents.
If you want something that the user has access to for any reason, the recommended location is the users Documents directory, unless it is some kind of media that would be better located in My Music, My Pictures and the likes.
Personnaly I do not really like that, because as a user, I think that My Documents should be reserved for documents that are actually created and Saved As by the user. That would prevent my own documents from being mixed up with a lot of stuff that is useless for me as a user. Unfortunately, I am not Microsoft, and I do not create the rules.
In your case, it is a database. It has been clear for a good 10 years now that Microsoft is becoming one-minded as far as databases are concerned: as a programmer, you should use a server database. And server databases have their own way of being installed and used that enables you to store them somewhere else than My Documents.
ASKER
After my latest attempt. The folders were not created but the database file did get copied to the ProgramData folder.
ASKER
I know the day's of using Access as the database are drawing to a close but I'm more of a hobbiest programmer and this will be my first attempt to commercialize my hobby. If I had a good reference to setting up a database server on a local machine I might give it a whirl but without a really good reference it's just to much research in the time I have available. Even trying to determine what would be the quickest and easiest to learn is difficult.
I'll take a look at your approach and see how it works out. I just assumed since this is not a mission critical app it would be best to make it available to everyone. Assumptions do get us in trouble.
I'll take a look at your approach and see how it works out. I just assumed since this is not a mission critical app it would be best to make it available to everyone. Assumptions do get us in trouble.
Installing a database server is now very easy if you to the SQL Server Express route. It lacks some of the features of the "big" SQL Server, but is adequate for most jobs... and its free. It integrates in Visual Studio and you can create, test and even use your database directly from the Server Explorer in Visual Studio.
This is what we use in most of the classes where I give my ADO.NET course. We rebuild the computers for each group of students, and we decided to go the SQL Express route because of its ease of installation. For the professional programmers that take my courses, they do not see the difference, since most of the options important for programmers are there. For hobbyists, that gives them an easy way into a database that is more powerful and around which the whole .NET system was built.
This is what we use in most of the classes where I give my ADO.NET course. We rebuild the computers for each group of students, and we decided to go the SQL Express route because of its ease of installation. For the professional programmers that take my courses, they do not see the difference, since most of the options important for programmers are there. For hobbyists, that gives them an easy way into a database that is more powerful and around which the whole .NET system was built.
ASKER
Does it have a front end so I don't have to learn command line. What about deployment. I've looked at it a couple of times and thought deployment must be a real pain.
Don't happen to teach anywhere around Indianapolis do you...?
Don't happen to teach anywhere around Indianapolis do you...?
ASKER
Tried the common files approach. Not enough user rights. Tried creating a folder in C:\, no go. What a pain.
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ASKER
James,
Thanks for the input. To bad my French is non-existent. Mixed feeling on the whole security issue. I just noticed MS has a new database product out "LocalDB" that appears to be the answer to people like me that don't want the complexities of sql server.
Thanks again.
Thanks for the input. To bad my French is non-existent. Mixed feeling on the whole security issue. I just noticed MS has a new database product out "LocalDB" that appears to be the answer to people like me that don't want the complexities of sql server.
Thanks again.
The icon for the application does not come automatically. You have to specify it through the Icon property of the shortcut.