Readme Dialog Questions

[NewsArchive]

Is there a limit to the size of RTF files that can be displayed in the Readme
and License dialogs?

Also, the online help for the Readme dialog is missing a description for the
"Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF only)" I assume it is the same
description for the equivalent box on the License dialog.

Can anyone tell me how using local://%_SB_INSTALLDIR%\Readme.rtf interacts with
the "Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF only)" checkbox on the Advanced
tab?

Peter Gysegem
Beaver Creek Software

[NewsArchive]

Hi Peter,

> Is there a limit to the size of RTF files that can be displayed in the
> Readme and License dialogs?

Yes, the compiler limit for RTF files is 100K. Beautiful, this is not
documented. Done now!

RTF files larger that 100K "should" be possible if you use the local://
solution.

> Also, the online help for the Readme dialog is missing a description for
> the "Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF only)" I assume it is the
> same description for the equivalent box on the License dialog.
>
> Can anyone tell me how using local://%_SB_INSTALLDIR%\Readme.rtf interacts
> with the "Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF only)" checkbox on the
> Advanced tab?

It's "documented" (not really) a few lines before under "in Text Resource"

Should read:

"local:// instructs the installer to read the readme text from a file
located on the target machine. For example: local://%TMPDIR%\readme.txt"

Does this help?

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Thanks Friedrich,

I read the section in the manual you mentioned but I'm still unclear about the
interaction of local://... and the "Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF
only)" checkbox. What happens if you use local://... and DON'T check the box
versus when you DO check the box? What happens (checked and unchecked) if you
use file:// instead?

Peter Gysegem
Beaver Creek Software

[NewsArchive]

Hi Peter,

> Thanks Friedrich,
>
> I read the section in the manual you mentioned but I'm still unclear about
> the interaction of local://... and the "Read Readme File from Absolute
> Path (RTF only)" checkbox. What happens if you use local://... and DON'T
> check the box versus when you DO check the box? What happens (checked and
> unchecked) if you use file:// instead?

Aha, I see. First of all, if you do not use the above checkbox option and
not the local:// macro then the compiler will link in a specified RTF at
compile time and displays it at runtime. One RTF dialog can display a
specific file.

You can check the "Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF only)" checkbox
*AND* use local://... to display a RTF that is available on the TARGET
machine. Means, there is no need to link in that file at compile time. Of
course, you can still distribute text files and copy them into a temporary
folder before you display them using local://...

This feature makes it possible to decide at runtime which RTF file to
display.

Does this help?

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

Thanks for the information. Just to be sure I understand correctly, if you
want to display a file that was installed to (or already exists on) the target
computer, I have to do two things: check the "Read Readme File from Absolute
Path (RTF only)" checkbox *AND* use local://...

If I skip the check box or use file:// SB will link in the file at compile
time. Do I have it right?

Peter Gysegem
Beaver Creek Software

[NewsArchive]

Hi Peter,

> Thanks for the information. Just to be sure I understand correctly,
> if you want to display a file that was installed to (or already
> exists on) the target computer, I have to do two things: check the
> "Read Readme File from Absolute Path (RTF only)" checkbox *AND* use
> local://...
>
> If I skip the check box or use file:// SB will link in the file at
> compile time. Do I have it right?

Absolutely correct!

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Thanks Friedrich,

For some reason, I cannot get it to work. Attached is a small example that
won't show the readme.rtf. I have "hard coded" the path to find the file.

Peter Gysegem
Beaver Creek Software

[NewsArchive]

Hi Peter,

Definitely a bug :-( Item in review.

Thanks,
Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder 6.5
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[NewsArchive]

Hi Peter,

As a workaround, do *not* directly enter the path in the "Readme Text"
field.

Instead, use the original #DLG_README_READMEINFO# text resource and set that
text resource to, say, local://%_SB_INSTALLDIR%\ReadMe.rtf

Does this help?

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

Yes, your workaround helps a lot and works like a charm.

Peter Gysegem
Beaver Creek Software

[NewsArchive]

Peter,

Fixed! Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Friedrich