ActiveX Documents :-(

[Nikos Dimopoulos]

Dan,

Having read your books (API VB5 and VB6, Puzzle API and COM/ActiveX) I realized
that for every design decision there is a drawback but there are advantages
as well. So I managed to start developing my new application using ActiveX
docs.

Everything worked fine on my box but as soon as I tried to deploy it it failed
dramatically. Tried all sorts of things and found some other good tips from
the MS KB.

I even tried your examples on the COM/ActiveX book but failed on the target
machines (Clean box just for testing - NT)

The question is (the good part): Are you aware of any books (prefferably
good ones) regarding ActiveX Documents?

BTW: Thanks for your contribution to the developing world. I trully think
that you broadened my views in terms of programing and design. :-)

BR Nikos

[Robert Scoble]

BR,

I'm sure Dan will confirm my opinion, but I would +not+ invest any time in
learning to use Active Documents. Microsoft has basically made those a
dead-end technology. (They've said as much at the VBITS conferences that I
help organize). Most book authors have known that Microsoft would not be
improving or developing that technology further for several years, which
explains the dearth of books available on that topic.

What are you trying to do? Maybe we can help you find a better way to do it.

Robert Scoble
http://conferences.devx.com
###



"Nikos Dimopoulos" <nikos@dimopoulos.screaming.net> wrote in message
news:38f1816a$1@news.devx.com...
>
> Dan,
>
> Having read your books (API VB5 and VB6, Puzzle API and COM/ActiveX) I
realized
> that for every design decision there is a drawback but there are
advantages
> as well. So I managed to start developing my new application using ActiveX
> docs.
>
> Everything worked fine on my box but as soon as I tried to deploy it it
failed
> dramatically. Tried all sorts of things and found some other good tips
from
> the MS KB.
>
> I even tried your examples on the COM/ActiveX book but failed on the
target
> machines (Clean box just for testing - NT)
>
> The question is (the good part): Are you aware of any books (prefferably
> good ones) regarding ActiveX Documents?
>
> BTW: Thanks for your contribution to the developing world. I trully think
> that you broadened my views in terms of programing and design. :-)
>
> BR Nikos

[Dan Appleman]

Consider your opinion confirmed.

Dan


Robert Scoble wrote:

> BR,
>
> I'm sure Dan will confirm my opinion, but I would +not+ invest any time in
> learning to use Active Documents. Microsoft has basically made those a
> dead-end technology. (They've said as much at the VBITS conferences that I
> help organize). Most book authors have known that Microsoft would not be
> improving or developing that technology further for several years, which
> explains the dearth of books available on that topic.
>
> What are you trying to do? Maybe we can help you find a better way to do it.
>
> Robert Scoble
> http://conferences.devx.com
> ###
>
> "Nikos Dimopoulos" <nikos@dimopoulos.screaming.net> wrote in message
> news:38f1816a$1@news.devx.com...
> >
> > Dan,
> >
> > Having read your books (API VB5 and VB6, Puzzle API and COM/ActiveX) I
> realized
> > that for every design decision there is a drawback but there are
> advantages
> > as well. So I managed to start developing my new application using ActiveX
> > docs.
> >
> > Everything worked fine on my box but as soon as I tried to deploy it it
> failed
> > dramatically. Tried all sorts of things and found some other good tips
> from
> > the MS KB.
> >
> > I even tried your examples on the COM/ActiveX book but failed on the
> target
> > machines (Clean box just for testing - NT)
> >
> > The question is (the good part): Are you aware of any books (prefferably
> > good ones) regarding ActiveX Documents?
> >
> > BTW: Thanks for your contribution to the developing world. I trully think
> > that you broadened my views in terms of programing and design. :-)
> >
> > BR Nikos

[Tim Tow, CPA MCSD]

"Nikos Dimopoulos" <nikos@dimopoulos.screaming.net> wrote in message
news:38f1816a$1@news.devx.com...
> Everything worked fine on my box but as soon as I tried to deploy it it
failed
> dramatically. Tried all sorts of things and found some other good tips
from
> the MS KB.

Many thanks to Robert and Dan for their comments.. ..

The issue you have isn't strictly an ActiveX Doc issue but really would
apply to any ActiveX component that you could have written.. The issue is
most likely that your setup routine (if you have one) is not deploying all
dependent files or, if it is, it may not be deploying them in the proper
order (believe me, I spent a bunch of time working this for an ActiveX doc
app..)

First, if you are using a standard CAB file, the files in the [Add.Code]
section are installed *and registered* in the proper order.. The kicker is,
the files in this section are installed *from the bottom up*.

Second, make sure *all* appropriate files are included... In addition to
using the VB Setup Wizard, I would recommend using the Dependency Walker
utility (depends.exe) that is shipped with, among other things, VC++..

In the end, I decided to use InstallShield for my installation (I wrote a
silent install, wrapped it into an internet cab file and used a "hook" to
run the install..)


> I even tried your examples on the COM/ActiveX book but failed on the
target
> machines (Clean box just for testing - NT)

I would recommend loading ghost or some other product on the clean machine
so you can quickly get back to a *clean* machine configuration..

Good Luck!
Tim


--
Tim Tow, CPA MCSD
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Applied OLAP, Inc

[Nikos Dimopoulos]

Robert

Thanks for the reply.

What I'm trying to do is to develop an application in stages which will be
replacing seven already implemented applications. The new app will work on
MTS using SQL7 as the data store. I will be working with very thin clients
trying to process everyting on the middle tier. Since I cannot code faster
than I am doing now, I will have to deploy my application (which will replace
old app 1) - test it with the users (if there are serious bugs rollback to
previous old app 1) and then work for the functionality of old app 2, deploy
to the users etc.

The major functionality will occur on the middle tier. However, I will need
to have a means of automatic installation (not SMS) to the users. I thought
of Installshield for the Web and ActiveX Documents. The latter I have tried
with little success. The former not yet, however I might explore that option.

Your help is appreciated.

BR Nikos :-)