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How to Use the Visual Basic SetupWizard

Overview

How to Use the SetupWizard

Commands

Commands


How To Use Setup Wizard
Overview

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The Visual Basic SetupWizard is a tool used with the Visual Basic Setup Toolkit.  The SetupWizard takes you through six steps to create master distribution disks for your Visual Basic application.

The first time you run the SetupWizard, you are prompted for the location of several important files.  This information is then kept in the SETUPWIZ.INI file in your Windows directory.  The SetupWizard creates a standard SETUP1.EXE file based on the information in your .MAK file and the information you provide in the SetupWizard.  The SetupWizard supports multiple disks and can split large files to fit on your disk media.

To move forward in the SetupWizard, choose the Next button.  To move backward in the SetupWizard, choose the Back button.  Once you have specified the .MAK file, you can choose the Finish button to complete the process.

Choosing the Exit button closes the SetupWizard.

Choosing the Help button brings up online Help for the current step or task.

Note   The SetupWizard is geared toward Visual Basic developers and is not a general Windows Setup Tool.  Use the GUI Setup Toolkit provided in the Windows SDK.

The SetupWizard is designed to handle most setup scenarios that a Visual Basic developer may encounter.  Some scenarios may require you to create a custom SETUP1.EXE file.

The SetupWizard is not a diskcopy tool.  Use MS-DOS's DiskCopy or File Manager's Disk Copy Disk menu choice to make copies of your master distribution disks.


OverviewSee
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How to Use the SetupWizard


How To Use Setup Wizard
How to Use the SetupWizard

See Also

Follow these steps when you are ready to create the master distribution disks for your Visual Basic application.

Step 1 [image] The SetupWizard collects initial information

Choose the Select MAK File button.  The SetupWizard asks for the location of your Visual Basic application's .MAK file.  Or, instead of choosing the Select MAK File button, you can type in the full path to the .MAK file.

Choose the Next button to continue.

The SetupWizard tries to determine all files needed for distribution.  For best results, project files such as form files (.FRM) and code modules (.BAS) should be saved as ASCII.

The SetupWizard automatically builds your Visual Basic application's executable file if it cannot be found as specified in the project (.MAK) file or if you select the "Rebuild the project's EXE file" check box.

Step 2 [image] The SetupWizard collects additional information

Select any features that your application supports.  You can choose to have the SetupWizard include support files for:

Data Access

OLE Automation

Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)

Crystal Reports for Visual Basic

Financial Functions

Choose the Next button to continue.

Choose the Back button to return to Step 1.

Step 3 [image] The SetupWizard collects data access information

Select one or more of the non-native data formats that your application supports.  For example, if your application uses FoxPro data files, then select that option from the list.  You can make multiple selections from this list.

Choose the Next button to continue.

Choose the Back button to return to Step 2.

Note   Step 3 is skipped if you do not select Data Access from the list.

Step 4 [image] The SetupWizard collects floppy disk information

Select the disk drive and disk type that you want the SetupWizard to use in creating the master distribution disks.

Choose the Next button to continue.

Choose the Back button to return to Step 2.

Step 5 [image] The SetupWizard allows the user to add and remove files before building disks

The SetupWizard cannot determine all files or special files required by your application.  You can add these files to the distribution list from this step.

Choose the Add Files button to add files such as data files, bitmaps, or INI files.  You can make multiple selections from the Add Files dialog box.

Select any files in the Distribution File list box that you do not want included on your distribution disks.  Then choose the Remove Files button to remove them.  You can make multiple selections from the Distribution File list box.

Choose the Next button to continue.

Choose the Back button to return to Step 4.

Step 6 [image] The SetupWizard builds disks

The SetupWizard compresses files into a temporary directory.

The SetupWizard creates disk layouts.

The SetupWizard creates SETUP.LST.

The SetupWizard creates a SETUP1.EXE file by modifying SETUP1MAK -> SETUP1A.MAK and SETUP1.FRM -> SETUP1A.FRM.

The SetupWizard creates disks.

The SetupWizard notifies you of the number of blank formatted disks needed.

The SetupWizard prompts you to insert each blank formatted disk.

The SetupWizard notifies you when the master distribution disks are completed.

Note   The SetupWizard is not a diskcopy tool.  Use MS-DOS's DiskCopy or File Manager's Disk Copy Disk menu choice to make copies of your master distribution disks.


HowToUseSetupWizardSee
See Also

Overview


Commands

This section contains information about commands in the SetupWizard.

Help Button

Exit Button

Back Button

Next Button

Finish Button

Select MAK File Button

Add Files Button

Remove Files Button

Summary Info Button

File Details Button

Save Template Button

Open Template Button


Select MAK File Button

This section contains information about the Select MAK File button.

The SetupWizard works from your Visual Basic application's project file, also known as a .MAK file.

When you choose this command, you are prompted for the location of the .MAK file for the Visual Basic application that you want to distribute.  The SetupWizard reads the .MAK file for information on which custom controls (VBX) or Windows dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) need to be included, the location of your .EXE file, and the name of the application to be used in creating the SETUP1.EXE file.


Exit Button

This section contains information about the Exit button.

You can choose the Exit button from any step to stop and exit from the SetupWizard.


Summary Info Button

This section contains information about the Summary Info button.

From Step 5, you can choose the Summary Info button to get information about the number of distribution files and the uncompressed bytes needed by the files.


Remove Files Button

This section contains information about the Remove Files button.

From Step 5, you can choose the Remove Files button, which works with the Distribution File list box.  If you add a file by mistake, select the file and choose the Remove Files button.  You can make multiple selections from the Distribution File list box.


SETUP.EXE

SETUP.EXE is the bootstrap program provided by the Visual Basic Setup Toolkit in the KITFILES subdirectory.  SETUP.EXE pre-installs files listed in SETUP.LST and then runs SETUP1.EXE.

SETUP1.EXE

SETUP.LST


SETUP1.EXE

SETUP1.EXE is the Visual Basic setup program created by the SetupWizard. The source files for the Visual Basic Setup Toolkit's SETUP1.EXE file are in the SETUPKIT\SETUP1 subdirectory.


COMPRESS.EXE

COMPRESS.EXE is the compression program provided by the Visual Basic Setup Toolkit in the SETUPKIT\KITFILES subdirectory.


SETUP.LST

See Also

SETUP.LST is a file required by SETUP.EXE.  It allows files needed by your Visual Basic setup program to be pre-installed into the Windows System directory.  SETUP.LST lists the files to be pre-installed by the SETUP.EXE bootstrap.  Each line contains a single file.  The Visual Basic setup program (SETUP1.EXE) must be the first entry.  SETUP.LST is created automatically by the SetupWizard.  The files in SETUP.LST can be compressed.  Here is a sample SETUP.LST file:

SETUP1.EX_

VBRUN300.DL_

SETUPKIT.DL_

GRID.VB_


SETUPLSTSee
See Also

SETUP.EXE


Add Files Button

This section contains information about the Add Files button.

From Step 5, you can choose the Add Files button to add file(s) to the Distribution File list box.  You can make multiple selections from the Add Files dialog box.


Help Button

This section contains information about the Help button.

The Help button is available from any step in the SetupWizard and from any of the dialog boxes.


Back Button

This section contains information about the Back button.

The Back button is available from any step in the SetupWizard except Step 1.  Choosing the Back button from Step 4 will take you to Step 2; choosing the Back button from any other step takes you to the previous step.  The Back button is grayed in Step 1.


Next Button

This section contains information about the Next button.

The Next button is available from any step in the SetupWizard except Step 6.  Choosing the Next button takes you to the next step in the SetupWizard.  The Next button is grayed in Step 6.


Finish Button

This section contains information about the Finish button.

The Finish button is available from any step in the SetupWizard after you enter the name of your .MAK file.  When you choose the Finish button, the SetupWizard attempts to complete the setup process with the given information.  The Finish button is grayed in Step 6.


File Details Button

This section contains information about the File Details button.

From Step 5, you can choose the File Details button to display information for a file you select in the Distribution File list box.  Version information is also displayed if available.  If you select more than one file, only the information for the first file is displayed.


Save Template Button

This section contains information about the Save Template button.

The Save Template button is available from any step in the SetupWizard except Step 1.  The SetupWizard template is a handy way to save information for often used disk images.  When you are satisfied with the distribution files listed, you can save the information in a template file (*.VBZ).  You can then open this template file anytime you would like to rebuild the same disk images.  The Save Template button is grayed in Step 1.


Open Template Button

This section contains information about the Open Template button.

The Open Template button is available from any step in the SetupWizard.  The SetupWizard template is a handy way to save information for often used disk images.  When you are satisfied with the distribution files listed, you can save the information in a template file (*.VBZ).  You can then open this template file anytime you would like to rebuild the same disk images.


Other Information Sources

All help and text files included with the Standard Edition are also included with the Professional Edition.

Standard Edition

Help Files

Text Files

Professional Edition

Help Files

Text Files

Note   When Visual Basic is installed, as each Help file is installed, it is listed in WINHELP.INI, located in your Windows directory.  If you move a Help file to a different directory, be sure to change the path in WINHELP.INI.  If a Help file does not exist, is not in your path, or is not in the directory specified in WINHELP.INI, WinHelp displays an appropriate message.


Standard Edition Help Files

You can click on any help file to go to the main table of contents of that file.  If the file is not available, an error occurs.

Visual Basic Help [image] Documents Visual Basic for Windows.

SetupWizard [image] Documents the SetupWizard application.  For information about the Setup Toolkit, search for Setup in the Visual Basic help file.

Data Manager [image] Documents the Data Manager application.

Note   When Visual Basic is installed, as each Help file is installed, it is listed in WINHELP.INI, located in your Windows directory.  If you move a Help file to a different directory, be sure to change the path in WINHELP.INI.  If a Help file does not exist, is not in your path, or is not in the directory specified in WINHELP.INI, WinHelp displays an appropriate message.


Professional Edition Help Files

In addition to the help files provided with the Standard Edition, these help files are included with the Professional Edition.  You can click on any help file to go to the main table of contents of that file.  If the file is not available, an error occurs.

Crystal Reports [image] Documents the Crystal Reports application.

Custom Control Reference [image] Documents each of the cusom controls provided with the Professional Edition.

Help Compiler Reference [image] Documents the Windows Help application for Help writers and programmers.

Hotspot Editor [image] Documents the segmented hypergraphic editor for creating hotspots within graphics for use in authoring Help files.

KnowledgeBase [image] A collection of articles from Microsoft Technical Support with tips, ideas and solutions.

ODBC Installation Help [image] Documents the installation tools for ODBC.

Oracle ODBC Driver [image] Documents the ODBC driver for Oracle databases.

SQL Server ODBC Driver [image] Documents the ODBC driver for SQL Server databases.

Visual Basic API Reference [image] Documents the Custom Control Development Kit.

Windows 3.1 API for Visual Basic [image] Declarations, structures, and constants for the Windows API as used in Visual Basic.

Windows 3.1 SDK Help [image] Documents Windows functions as used in the C programming language.

Note   When Visual Basic is installed, as each Help file is installed, it is listed in WINHELP.INI, located in your Windows directory.  If you move a Help file to a different directory, be sure to change the path in WINHELP.INI.  If a Help file does not exist, is not in your path, or is not in the directory specified in WINHELP.INI, WinHelp displays an appropriate message.


Standard Edition Text Files

You can click on any of these files to launch Notepad and load the file.

README.TXT [image] Information on last minute changes to Visual Basic, as well as additional information.

CONSTANT.TXT [image] Global symbolic constants for Visual Basic properties, events, functions and statements.

DATACONS.TXT [image] Global symbolic constants for the data access features of Visual Basic.

EXTERNAL.TXT [image] Additional README information about connecting to external databases.

PACKING.LST [image] List of all files on the distribution disks provided with Visual Basic.


Professional Edition Text Files

In addition to the text files provided with the Standard Edition, these text files are included with the Professional Edition.  You can click on any file to launch Notepad and load that file.  If the file is too large for Notepad, you may have to use a different word processor.

BTRIEVE.TXT [image] Supplementary information on importing, exporting, or attaching Btrieve tables with Visual Basic.

ORACLE.TXT [image] Setup information for the ODBC Oracle driver to run with your ORACLE RDBMS software.  If you installed ODBC, this file is in your Windows\SYSTEM directory.

PERFORM.TXT [image] Performance tuning tips for Visual Basic version 3.0 and Microsoft Access (TM) Relational Database System for Windows version 1.1.

SAMPLES.TXT [image] List of applications written in Visual Basic that demonstrate techniques discussed in the printed documentation.

WIN30API.TXT [image] Global symbolic constants for Windows 3.0 API functions.

WIN31API.TXT [image] Global symbolic constants for Windows 3.1 API functions.

WINMMSYS.TXT [image] Type declarations and global symbolic constants for Windows 3.1 multimedia API functions.