Digital Workshop

I just read elsewhere that:



for ref.: http://www.clipboardextender.com/off-to ... e-and-seek

the above was referring to the way Vista handles and protects its files under the typical c:\Program Files path. Since Opus is so powerful and many pubs might write files and data, I wondered if anyone encountered this as a problem under Vista, and more generally what is good/best-practice for a setting the path for Opus pub files (read from and write to .INI and .TXT)... other than "...temp folders"?

Might also affect Opus updating feature... if that were true of Vista.

This is a concern for many developers, not just the ones that use Opus.
The initial write into Program Files goes ok, BUT subsequent writes can be redirected into a "Virtual Store" to "protect" the original install -- that's where things can start to go haywire with things like updates.
With the advent of Vista, I have stopped putting anything that can change while the pub is running into the Program Files directory.
Microsoft has stated that the Program Files directory is not the right place to store data.
I now put user specific data into a subdirectory of the current user directory. See attached pub -- it writes a text file to a subdirectory in the user's My Documents directory.

Some devs are avoiding the Program Files directory altogether and installing everything into the user directory, it is an easier option but against guidelines.
The updates feature I have decided not to use because of these issues.

Here's another good reference to this issue:

http://www.sonsothunder.com/devres/revo ... env007.htm

Paul

Paul,

Thanks for explaining your approach with this. So... a few new considerations to anticipate with Opus pubs.

I'd hate to give up the opus update feature. Sounds like I'd have to 'check first' if UNC is Off or perhaps Admin is the logged-on user.?

Thx too for the link... good info there.

This gives rise to a 2nd question.... when using one's own Vista machine, what kind of applications are best installed outside of Program Files directory, and which ones benefit from the normal path?

Hi Lar,

Personally, I would say that no program 'should' be installed outside of the programs directory. Requiring admin rights to files in this directory is not a bad thing, a pain prehaps - especially for experienced user, but I think it's a sensible step.

Like Paul, I install user files to sub-dirs in the my documents folder and now will installed dynamic program files in the ProgramData folder. The type of file in here will contain non vitial information that will be updated and doesn't matter too much if a non-admin decides to play around. The files will be specific to the program not the user. Meanwhile the program files dir will have essential files required to run the application and if anybody, except admin, decide to play, then Windows will fix the problem.

Installing updates, falls under the latter and should require admin access to make fundimential changes to the program files. Opus, like other programs, is extremely powerful and could do serious system damage in the wrong hands. Having the OS offer some level of protection is a good thing. A decent Vista installation program should work with the UAC to provide a swift and secure install which needs take place only once per update. If somebody is trying to update / install without admin rights - I have to wonder why.

Mack

Thanks Mac for the added rationale. I was about to put a couple apps in an alternative directory. Am "discovering" the woes of compatibility issues with some of the apps I used on WinXP... not as well-behaved in Vista.

All in all I'm glad microsoft's building in tighter security.

[ Edit: changed Post's title to 'highlight' that this applies to Win Wista - Lar ]

Great, thanks for the links and information.

Has anyone played around with Database in the Program Files folder? Currently that is where my pub installs it by default, but with UAC I will have to re-consider this.

It is a training application, which has options set by the trainer in the database and then the students do exercises. Placing the database into the Program Files was always the easier option as any changes the trainer did showed when others logged in.

Will have to rethink this, if I place the database into the users directory I will end up with many databases which won't link, so the trainer will not be able to check their scores, or I trainer updates questions they will not show up for students.

Any ideas? I could install the publication into the Program Folder and then place the database somewhere else, in C:\Database or something similar.

Any advice?

By the way this topic may be better suited to the Advance area?