-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Howard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list delphi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, 21 October 1999 21:35
Subject: [DUG]: Requirements for application upgrade D3 to D5
Hi guys
OK - a more carefully considered question!
This is the first time I have tried to update my application from on
version of Delphi to another.
I have recompiled the application in D5 and sent it to one user. They
have told me, however, that the system won't run, giving a message that
reads
"Error when opening database files. Interface mismatch. Engine version
different."
from which I assume that I have to re-distribute the BDE.
1st question - Is this assumption correct?
Correct. You need to go up to at least 5.01 I haven't bothered with 5.10,
but I experienced this problem when I started compiling with BDE5.01.
>From someone not very familiar with these issues, it seems to be a bit
of an imposition on users of a system to require them to re-install the
BDE (particularly on a multiuser system where the BDE has to be
re-configured on each workstation) just because the system developer has
upgraded - ie there is no particular benefit to them.
Dont waste time on this issue. It is, so you must. Life is full of
impositions.
2nd question - Out of interest, how do people normally distribute their
software (and the BDE with it) by CD, email or what?
I use Both. I initially give them a CD with My App, and BDE, and Interbase
Client all built into a Wise Install Utility.
Subsequent Updates I prefer to handle by RAS in because it is faster for
me, and I can slide the Exe into the correct place on the network. There are
more complex scenarios you can employ as well like for instance tying it
into your database as a blob field, and letting your program deploy the new
exe itself. Email is not as good as RAS, but better than cutting a CD every
time. I use a Private and Shared Inifile so that the database Connection
stuff can be stored for the entire network in 1 inifile, and the personal
settings in the users own machine.
Do you find there is resistance from clients to gratuitous upgrades?
NO. Quite the opposite as long as it is smooth.
I'm sorry if the answers to these questions seem self evident to most of
you. Its just that before I go sending off almost 20 copies of the
latest BDE to people and talking through configuration and stuff with
many of them on the phone, I just want to make sure that it is all
necessary and that there are no short-cuts that I am unaware of.
If you build your BDE correctly into an Install utility, then there should
not be a bunch of wierdo questions to harras you. The problem is that
niether Wise nor IS standard BDE scripts do the job properly, so it is up to
you to sort that part out. Just 2 tips though, when you make your install
Utility Make SURE that you install all of the SQL links as well. Also, you
must ensure you merge any existing BDEConfig file correctly. Get iether of
thee two parts wrong, and you coujld have an unhappy future.
You could take the easy way out and just download the BDE Update Exe from
Borland and apply that at every site. The 5.01 Update worked well for me in
your situation to get me over the initial surprise situation, but since then
I have made a new BDE install CD.
It a complex and interesting subject. The BDE is at the end of its life
cycle now, but We will still have to live with it for a number of years to
come.
Good Luck,
Tony.
Thanks
Mark
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