Runtime won't start...

[caoburton]

Hi

I have bound a runtime and have found that on a couple of people's PCs the runtime just doesn't do anything when you double click on the primary file.

Since it works fine on my PC running XP and it works on some other PC's with XP fine what do you think is the problem? Could it be a corrupted file? I've been visiting all my friends with PCs (all with XP either Home or Prof) and have downloaded it to their PCs from a file storage website - always the same link and file. Yet sometimes it works and sometimes not...

The weird thing is that there is no error message: the cursor just turns into the hourglass, then turns back into the cursor again without anything actually happening.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Charlotte

[Ano Nimus]

SP2?

[DykstrL]

What version of Developer are you using, Ano?

I have run across similar situations with v5.5 and v6 runtimes. It has been my experience that it is more related to MS Office, where the runtime files are tagged as Office files for some reason.

I have attached a ".REG" file that fixes this issue. I include this file in the system folder of all of my solutions. Just change the extension to whatever you are using for your runtime files.

I'm sure this would also work with version 7, but I don't know what the syntax should look like.

The only caution is - the user must have administrator rights to apply the fix.

...hope it helps.

RuntimeFix.zip

[QuinTech]

Caoburton, by "primary file" do you mean the exe, or one of the bound databases? I believe the preferred method is to open the solution through the .exe, that way you can completely side-step the registry issues DysktrL points out.

Jerry

[DykstrL]

If the runtime extension is registered to another application, the EXE file will open the primary file but may not open any secondary files - that was the problem I was having.

The EXEcutable is only set to open the Primary file. Any other secondary files are opened via scripts or relationships in the primary file. If the extension is associated with another application, it will try to open the file using the asssociated EXE. I have found that for no apparent reason, Microsoft Office 2K or later tags these non-associated extensions to be either a "Word fast-file" (whatever that is) or an Excel file - both of these file associations are hidden and can only be found in the Windows Registry. I have also had users try to open runtime files with Adobe Acorbat, which also sets the association to Acrobat.

The first time the EXE file of a runtime is executed, it checks the registry to see if it is registered. If the extension is not registered to any application, it registers it to the runtime executable. If it is associated with another application, it does nothing - thereby your runtime app goes not get registered.

My little REG file forces that association - problem solved.

[caoburton]

Thanks for that Dykstrl - I will try your REG file. Is it really as simple as that - just add it to the binding process? How did you come up with it? How can I have a look-see at it before I just add it in?

In answer to other questions: am using Dev 6 and I was opening it with what I would call the opener file (is there another name for it?) - the .exe one with the special icon FMD gives it, not any of the actual primary files which make up the solution.

Thanks for your replies - it has really helped.

Charlotte

[DykstrL]

You can edit the file by right-clicking on it a select "Edit". You need to to this to change the extension to whatever you are using for your runtime app.

You could set your primary file to run the REG file the first time it opens - otherwise the user would have to manually run the file.

It put the file in the System folder and when a user calls me with the problem, I have them run the file and 99% of the time that fixes the problem. And the user will think you're a genius.

[QuinTech]

If the extension is associated with another application, it will try to open the file using the asssociated EXE.

I never was aware of that. Thanks!

[Slobey]

DykstrL,

Are there limitations on the extension you assign? In other words, can you simply give the solution an extension that could not possibly be associated with another app?

[SteveB]

You definately should assign your own extension to avaoid conflicts. Go here to see existing extensions. web page

Steve

[esdummit]

I recently had a similar issue with a runtime app built in FMD5. Several others on our windoze intranet could not get the runtime to launch. Runs fine on a mac, ofcourse. The extension I used was not listed on the website posted above by Steve, but I am going to go back and change the extension to something more obscure, anyway.

What I noticed, though. is that even on my newer and faster office HP machine, as well as on others' machines that were not as fast, the runtime took 30 seconds or more before it would launch, and might take multiple clicks to get it to respond. I would assume that this has to do with the system checking the registry list of extensions. Does multiple clicking on the runtime.EXE make the system override an extension conflict?