Clarion 7.x install detection

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

Got this from a customer "I was trying to install PowerToolBar in my C7.2
environment but it only sees my C7.3 install - what can I do?"

This install is set to detect all Clarion 7.x versions, see:

http://www.icetips.com/images/screenshots/PowerToolbar-SetupBuilder.png

This is how the screen looks like (background) compared to NetTalk
(foreground) which says that "Clarion versions NOT detected"

http://www.icetips.com/images/screenshots/IcetipsC73Install.jpg

BTW: Is there any way that you and SV can come to a conclusion on the
Clarion version detection past version 7.3? It's a bit of a PITA to _have
to_ release new builds _just_ because a new Clarion build comes along and
the installer needs to be updated<g> I don't have any C7 version dependent
code in any of my products so I do not need to make changes to the products
for each release (or at least I have not needed to so far)

Best regards,

--
Arnór Baldvinsson - Icetips Alta LLC
Port Angeles, Washington
www.icetips.com - www.buildautomator.com - www.altawebworks.com
Icetips product subscriptions at http://www.icetips.com/subscribe.php

[NewsArchive]

> It's a bit of a PITA to _have
> to_ release new builds _just_ because a new Clarion build comes along and
> the installer needs to be updated<g>

Your customers agree as well. This would be a big time saver for end users
(in Arnor's case, thats me).
--

Mark Riffey
http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/
Now a featured mentor on the Visa Business Network
If Guy Kawasaki, the staff of the Wall Street Journal,
Fast Company, Marketing Profs & Business Week read it,
maybe you should too.

Friend me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/MarkRiffey

[NewsArchive]

Mark,

>> It's a bit of a PITA to _have
>> to_ release new builds _just_ because a new Clarion build comes along and
>> the installer needs to be updated<g>
>
> Your customers agree as well. This would be a big time saver for end users
> (in Arnor's case, thats me).

Well, but if there is no Clarion specific build involved, why use the
Clarion auto-detection at all <g>

Most 3rd-party products are Clarion version dependent. When you build that
Clarion compatible product and the setup.exe for it then you have no idea
what the next Clarion version might be. The latest official Clarion build
is Clarion 7.3. But what is the next Clarion version? Is it Clarion 7.4,
or Clarion 7.5 or Clarion 8.0? And what is required in the next Clarion
version in order to detect the Clarion environment and to register
templates? Will the registration tool (name) or method change?

For example, quite a few 3rd-party vendors are doing this:

If System does have Clarion 7.1 Then
Install File "Clarion71Specific.lib"
End

If System does have Clarion 7.2 Then
Install File "Clarion72Specific.lib"
End


If System does have Clarion 7.3 Then
Install File "Clarion73Specific.lib"
End

How to handle the above if you have no idea what the next Clarion version
will be? Impossible mission <g>.

Yes, I know what we have to do (in theory) to detect Clarion 8 and it's
already included in the latest SetupBuilder 7.3. But that (C8) function is
still disabled because we have to test it (in practice) before 3rd-party
vendors can use it.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Hi Arnór,

> Got this from a customer "I was trying to install PowerToolBar in my C7.2
> environment but it only sees my C7.3 install - what can I do?"

If a Clarion version is detected, the "Allow user to search for Supported
Clarion Version root directory" functionality is disabled.

As I understand it, your customer has a valid Clarion 7.3 installation.

BTW, Clarion 7.3 "replaces" Clarion 7.2. From the technical point-of-view
(C7 deployment strategy), Clarion 7.2 does not exist any longer.

---
[X] Allow user to search for Supported Clarion Version root directory

If this checkbox is marked, the user can search for a Supported Clarion
Version for the case where no supported Clarion version is found. The user
can click the "Change" button and the folder selection dialog appears. The
user can navigate to a Supported Clarion Version "root" folder.
---

> BTW: Is there any way that you and SV can come to a conclusion on the
> Clarion version detection past version 7.3? It's a bit of a PITA to _have
> to_ release new builds _just_ because a new Clarion build comes along and
> the installer needs to be updated<g> I don't have any C7 version
> dependent code in any of my products so I do not need to make changes to
> the products for each release (or at least I have not needed to so far)

See my reply to Mark.

If you do not have any C7 version dependent code in any of your products,
why do you use the Clarion auto-detection at all <g>. Just create an
include script (.sbi), develop your own Clarion "detection" strategy and use
that .sbi in all of your products. But of course, the problem remains: how
do you write code today that can reliably (auto-)detect the future Clarion
version(s)?

Clarion auto-detection is there to make the life of Clarion accessory
vendors easier. If a new Clarion version comes out, they can be sure that
SetupBuilder is there to support and auto-detect the latest Clarion build
and accessory registration method. Just enable the new Clarion version in
the SetupBuilder project and recompile, that's it :)

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

> Well, but if there is no Clarion specific build involved, why use the
> Clarion auto-detection at all <g>

I think the idea is "find clarion root folder, move along" :)
--

Mark Riffey
http://www.rescuemarketing.com/blog/
Now a featured mentor on the Visa Business Network
If Guy Kawasaki, the staff of the Wall Street Journal,
Fast Company, Marketing Profs & Business Week read it,
maybe you should too.

Friend me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/MarkRiffey

[NewsArchive]

>> Well, but if there is no Clarion specific build involved, why use the
>> Clarion auto-detection at all <g>
>
> I think the idea is "find clarion root folder, move along" :)

Yes, and this can already be done :)

Of course, you can't do this with the "Clarion Environment Detection" dialog
because this can only auto-detect the "known" Clarion versions. You can
even "mix" different methods. Use an automated or a manual detection
mechanism and the user can decide what to use. Of course, not recommended,
but if Arnór does not have any Clarion specific programs, then this should
work fine.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

> As I understand it, your customer has a valid Clarion 7.3 installation.

He had both 7.2 and 7.3. I know developers are doing this (installing
multiple 7.x versions) to be able to compile projects in whatever versions
they need.

> [X] Allow user to search for Supported Clarion Version root directory
>
> If this checkbox is marked, the user can search for a Supported Clarion

It is so they should be able to do that.

> vendors easier. If a new Clarion version comes out, they can be sure that
> SetupBuilder is there to support and auto-detect the latest Clarion build
> and accessory registration method. Just enable the new Clarion version in
> the SetupBuilder project and recompile, that's it :)

I released 20+ builds last year that are _just_ that, because my users had
to have installs that were 7.2 and 7.3 compatible. SV _should_ be able to
come up with a version detection that is reliable for more than one
version<bg> I'm not saying it is YOUR job, but perhaps _you_ could push for
it:) It's not really about me doing it, because then I'll just be
duplicating your code as I have no more reliable way of doing this than you
do.

Best regards,

--
Arnór Baldvinsson - Icetips Alta LLC
Port Angeles, Washington
www.icetips.com - www.buildautomator.com - www.altawebworks.com
Icetips product subscriptions at http://www.icetips.com/subscribe.php

[NewsArchive]

Hi Arnór,

>> As I understand it, your customer has a valid Clarion 7.3 installation.
>
> He had both 7.2 and 7.3. I know developers are doing this (installing
> multiple 7.x versions) to be able to compile projects in whatever versions
> they need.

Yes, I also know that developers are doing this, but it works against the
deployment strategy for C7.x <g>. It was expected that Clarion users would
only have a single version of the Clarion 7.x environment installed. All C7
versions share the same settings, and that is by design!

> I released 20+ builds last year that are _just_ that, because my users had
> to have installs that were 7.2 and 7.3 compatible. SV _should_ be able to
> come up with a version detection that is reliable for more than one
> version<bg> I'm not saying it is YOUR job, but perhaps _you_ could push
> for it:) It's not really about me doing it, because then I'll just be
> duplicating your code as I have no more reliable way of doing this than
> you do.

It's possible that there will be a change in the deployment strategy for the
next major Clarion version.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

> Yes, I also know that developers are doing this, but it works against the
> deployment strategy for C7.x <g>. It was expected that Clarion users would
> only have a single version of the Clarion 7.x environment installed. All C7
> versions share the same settings, and that is by design!

Which is why I use VMs;)

Best regards,

--
Arnór Baldvinsson - Icetips Alta LLC
Port Angeles, Washington
www.icetips.com - www.buildautomator.com - www.altawebworks.com
Icetips product subscriptions at http://www.icetips.com/subscribe.php

[NewsArchive]

Hi Arnór

>> Yes, I also know that developers are doing this, but it works against
>> the deployment strategy for C7.x <g>. It was expected that Clarion
>> users would only have a single version of the Clarion 7.x environment
>> installed. All C7 versions share the same settings, and that is by
>> design!
>
> Which is why I use VMs;)

So do I ;-) Best thing since sliced bread <g>.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

NO : since sliced bread without the crust (for my son) <vbg>

--
Merci
Cordialement - Best regards
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[NewsArchive]

>
> NO : since sliced bread without the crust (for my son) <vbg>
>

I know what you mean <g>

Friedrich