Deploying Visual FoxPro solutions / Rick Schummer, Rick Borup, Jacci Adams.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schummer, Rick.

Borup, Rick., Author.

Adams, Jacci., Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Visual FoxPro for Windows.

Database management.

Application software--Development.

Application software.

Computer software--Marketing.

Computer software.

Selling--Computer programs.

Selling.

Physical Description:

xxxviii, 486 p. : ill.

Place of Publication:

Whitefish Bay, WI : Hentzenwerke Publishing, c2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Ship it Music to your ears or words that cause a cold sweat as you realize you now need to deploy the solution you have worked on for so long? Have you planned the deployment? Do you have the proper language in your contract with your customer? Do you have the proper install package? Do you even know what features your installer needs or how to use one of the many installers? What media is the package going to be shipped on to the client? How will it be distributed? Is the customer even ready? What happens after Setup.exe finishes? Do you have the support infrastructure in place? How are you going to handle updates and changes? There s a lot to think about, and deploying a solution requires careful planning. These questions and many more are answered based on real world experience within the pages of this book."

Contents:

Intro

Our Contract with You, The Reader

List of Chapters

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

About the Author

How to Download the Files

Introduction

Chapter 1 Deployment Fundamentals

What is deployment?

Installation is only part of deployment

Pre-implementation

Implementation

Post-Implementation

Why you should care (why it is so important to get it right!)

Do I need a Setup?

A basic checklist for deploying Visual FoxPro apps

VFP Source Code issues

Customer environment

Application specific testing

Network and Operating System issues

General hardware requirements: What do you need physically besides VFP to deploy a solution?

Can't avoid this: What you must include for deployment

Can't touch this, or can you?

Conclusion

Chapter 2 Planning for Success

Computing Environment

Workstation inventory

OS Platforms

Networking

Database platforms

Integration with other applications and technologies

Internet connectivity

Physical office layout

Need to order new equipment

Dealing with the unexpected

Clients

Dealing with customers

Working with subject matter experts

Talking to the real or end users

Handling those "special case" customers

Preparation

Images

EXE version details

Training materials for end users

Training materials for support staff

Duplication

User communications

Determining ship readiness

Requirements

Feature sets

Prototypes

Preparing customers for testing

Delivery dates

Sign-on

Chapter 3 Packaging the Installation

When is it ready?

Getting ready for delivery

Testing

Executable components

Help

Data conversion

Visual FoxPro runtimes and dependencies

Third party controls and libraries

Organizing the setup

Directories.

Installation schemes/feature sets

How do you package the install?

OS and third party components

Utilities to consider shipping

Delivery mechanisms

Diskettes

Zip/Jaz/SuperDisk disks

Memory sticks

CD-ROM and DVDs

E-mail

FTP

Web site downloads

Symantec's pcAnywhere

Terminal Services and Citrix

Chapter 4 Setup Tool Roundup

What is a setup?

What features are available?

What tools are available?

ActiveDelivery

Ghost Installer Studio

Inno Setup

InstaFox

InstallShield

Setup Factory

Tarma Installer

Wise Solutions

Why are the current installer tools better than the VFP Setup Wizard?

Deployment Tool Selection Process

Products Considered

Making the choice

Chapter 5 Windows Installer Inside and Out

Overview of Windows Installer

The evolution of software installation

The arrival of Windows Installer

Windows Installer Design Objectives

Working with Windows Installer

Structure of a Windows Installer setup package

Features and components

Merge Modules

Inside an MSI file

GUIDs, GUIDs, everywhere a GUID

Updates, upgrades, and patches

New bits for old

Small updates

Minor upgrades

Major upgrades

Patches

What happens when I run setup.exe?

The setup launcher program

MSIEXEC - the Windows Installer executable program

Install sequence

Caching the MSI file

Versioning rules during installs

Some common problems and what to do about them

Another version of this product is already installed

The feature you are trying to use is unavailable

I want my application to be available to all users

The Windows Installer Clean Up Utility

Chapter 6 Workstation and Traditional LAN Applications Step-By-Step

Single workstation-Single-user

Single workstation with multiple-users.

Local Area Network-multiple-user

Stories

General implementation issues

Security

Executables

Data

Configuration file (FPW)

Temporary files

Other configuration settings and Registry

Runtimes

Shortcuts

ActiveX controls and COM objects

Automation

ODBC DSN

FoxTools and other FLLs

Help files

Reports

Native Visual FoxPro (FRX)

Crystal Reports

Generating a setup, step-by-step

Step 1-Organizing your setup

Step 2-Specifying files deployed

Step 3-Configuring the target computer

Step 4-Customizing the setup steps

Step 5-Defining setup requirements and actions

Step 6-Building the install package

What can go wrong during a deployment?

Application

Environment

Chapter 7 Client/Server Applications Step-By-Step

Performance is king

Indexes still matter

Security fundamentals from school of black and blue

Installing a new backend database

Restoring a backup

Running a script to create the database and database objects

Using SQL-DMO

Data Transformation Services (DTS)

MSDE vs. SQL Server

Installing MSDE

Database Administrators and security

The rest of the story

Chapter 8 Release and Post-Release Tips

Checklist/Instructions

Test area

Backups

Configuration files &amp

registry

Update structures and indexes

Test

Notify the customer

Technical support

Communication mechanisms

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Help file

Training

Web site.

Considerations for small shops

Post implementation

Post-mortem review

Customer follow-up

Bug tracking

Developer review

Post release party

Bonus pool

Chapter 9 Support and Ch-Ch-Changes

Support

Recovering corrupt or lost data

Visual FoxPro database structures and maintenance

SQL database structures and maintenance

Runtime command window

Ch-Ch-Changes

What needs to be updated?

Update architecture

Version numbers

Upgrade installs

Uninstalling

Chapter 10 Security

Data security

Application security

Source code security and decompilers

How we tested the decompilers

ReFox MMII

yRecover

Others

HTML Help files

Chapter 11 The What and Why of 'Wares

What is shareware?

What is freeware?

Demoware

Crippleware

Nagware

What is vertical market?

What is custom?

Prototype-friend or foe?

What is limited licensing?

Deployment and support considerations

Chapter 12 Legalese

Computer Law Terminology 101

Intellectual property

Copyright

Creative/Original work

Derivative work

Work for hire

Exclusive rights

Copyrights for software developers

Securing copyright

Length of protection

Transfer of copyright

Fair Use

Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998

Display the copyright in the software and during installation

The contract

What is a contract?

Why do we need a contract?

Who should supply the contract?

What could go wrong with a handshake?

Contract clauses

The static contract clauses

Parties

Ongoing support

Ownership-who owns what?

The five types of program code

Source code options

What are my licensing options?

Confidentiality

Non-Compete

Guarantees

Client responsibilities

Acceptance clause.

Contract termination methods

Settling disputes

Severability

Extension conditions

Governing law

The dynamic contract clauses

Definition of services

Project scope

Payment schedule

Exceptional expenses

Support clause

Licensing issues

Licensing your product

Per user license

Per machine license

Volume licensing

License enforcement

Licensing third party products

Summary

Top 5 lessons learned

Links

Appendix A How To: InstallShield Express

What is InstallShield Express?

How do I install InstallShield Express?

Installing ISX VFP LE

Installing the VFP runtime redistributable files

Upgrading from ISX VFP7 LE to ISX VFP8 LE

InstallShield Express-Visual FoxPro Limited Editions

VFP 7 Edition

VFP 8 Edition

InstallShield Express-Full Version

Creating a setup package with InstallShield Express

The Sample Application

Creating a new InstallShield Express project

Using the InstallShield Express IDE

Building the setup package

Deploying the application

Creating a patch with InstallShield Express 4.0

Overview

The QuickPatch project wizard

The QuickPatch IDE

Deploying the patch

Appendix B How To: Wise for Windows Installer

What is Wise for Windows Installer?

Creating a setup package with Wise for Windows Installer

Creating a new Wise for Windows Installer project

Using the Installation Expert

Project Definition group

Feature Details group

Release Definition group

Building the deployment package

Compiling the project

Testing the setup

Running the setup

Distributing the setup

Upgrades and patches

Creating an upgrade

Creating a patch

Appendix C How To: InstaFox

About InstaFox

What is the InstaFox Wizard?.

What is the InstaFox Installer?.

Notes:

Title from title screen.

Includes bibliographic references and index.

Digitized and made available by: Books 24x7.com.

ISBN:

1-280-54427-9

9786610544271

1-930919-33-6

OCLC:

62784869