One more question: distributing applications

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anthony P.
  • Start date Start date
A

Anthony P.

Hello Again Everyone,

I finished a very simple application and have published it to a local
directory. I then went to the published directory and zipped all of
the files up into a .ZIP archive. I uploaded the file to my server
and, for some reason. when anyone downloads my zip file and tries to
install the program, they are told by their archiver that it reached
an 'unexpected end of archive'. The weird thing is when I try to
install it from the local zip file, I don't get this message. I've
tried uploading my file from three different computers with no luck.

Is there any know issue with zipping and distributing VB.NET projects
(compiled and published) this way? Does anyone have any idea what
could be going on? I am at my wit's end. It's just a simple
application. Nothing complex at all.

If you want to try the download yourself and see what's happening go
here: http://adcl.biz/easyems

Thanks!
Anthony
 
Hello Again Everyone,

I finished a very simple application and have published it to a local
directory. I then went to the published directory and zipped all of
the files up into a .ZIP archive. I uploaded the file to my server
and, for some reason. when anyone downloads my zip file and tries to
install the program, they are told by their archiver that it reached
an 'unexpected end of archive'. The weird thing is when I try to
install it from the local zip file, I don't get this message. I've
tried uploading my file from three different computers with no luck.

Is there any know issue with zipping and distributing VB.NET projects
(compiled and published) this way? Does anyone have any idea what
could be going on? I am at my wit's end. It's just a simple
application. Nothing complex at all.

If you want to try the download yourself and see what's happening go
here:http://adcl.biz/easyems

Thanks!
Anthony
Click to expand...

Couldn't download the link you post? BTW, make sure the version of
unzipper / unrarer program is not old such as WinRar.
 
I ran the Exe and nothing happened except a fast-passed command prompt
window. Is it used through command line or is it unfinished?
Click to expand...

THAT is the very problem I'm talking about. What you downloaded was
*supposed* to be a self-extracting archive that contains my full
program. But all it does is flash the command prompt then goes away.
If I make it a non-self-extracting archive, I am told there is an
error in the archive. As I said earlier, I've created the archive in
different archivers (WinRAR and current WinZIP) and on two different
PC's with the same results. I am totally lost here. But the ZIP file
works before it's uploaded. So I know the file is being properly
created...well, I think.

Me
 
THAT is the very problem I'm talking about. What you downloaded was
*supposed* to be a self-extracting archive that contains my full
program. But all it does is flash the command prompt then goes away.
If I make it a non-self-extracting archive, I am told there is an
error in the archive. As I said earlier, I've created the archive in
different archivers (WinRAR and current WinZIP) and on two different
PC's with the same results. I am totally lost here. But the ZIP file
works before it's uploaded. So I know the file is being properly
created...well, I think.

Me
Click to expand...

My last suggestion would be, if your aim is only packaging rather than
compressing, choose "none" in compression options / methods in WinRar
in somewhere of the program (depending on version and compression
software) then create sfx archive. Let's see if it fixes the problem,
though compression will not be performed but the corruption may go
away, worth to try it out.

Hope this helps,

Onur Güzel
 
My last suggestion would be, if your aim is only packaging rather than
compressing, choose "none" in compression options / methods in WinRar
in somewhere of the program (depending on version and compression
software) then create sfx archive. Let's see if it fixes the problem,
though compression will not be performed but the corruption may go
away, worth to try it out.

Hope this helps,

Onur Güzel
Click to expand...

Wow, I am now completely lost. I did as you suggested and guess what?
It didn't work. Still producing invalid downloadable archives but
fully functioning local ones. This is really..inexplicable!

Anthony
 
Anthony said:
Wow, I am now completely lost. I did as you suggested and guess what?
It didn't work. Still producing invalid downloadable archives but
fully functioning local ones. This is really..inexplicable!
Click to expand...

If you're using ftp to upload it, you are using binary mode, aren't you?

Andrew
 
If you're using ftp to upload it, you are using binary mode, aren't you?

Andrew
Click to expand...

Andrew,

As far as I know I am. But I let my FTP program decide that. I'll go
and explicitly make sure it's using Binary. Thanks. I'll let you know
how it turns out.

Anthony
 
If you're using ftp to upload it, you are using binary mode, aren't you?

Andrew
Click to expand...

Looks like that was the problem. I was using the WinXP command line
version of FTP and, for some reason, it was uploading it in non-binary
mode. Grabbed FileZilla and uploaded it and it works fine now. Thank
you for your help!

Anthony
 
Looks like that was the problem. I was using the WinXP command line
version of FTP and, for some reason, it was uploading it in non-binary
mode. Grabbed FileZilla and uploaded it and it works fine now. Thank
you for your help!

Anthony
Click to expand...

I'm a bit surprised as you used command line for FTP transfer, even
you can transfer any file using Windows Explorer without CL. However
you might want to check if you're obligated to transfer your
application through FTP using command-line from Windows:
http://www.nsftools.com/tips/MSFTP.htm#binary

And i think FileZilla, CuteFTP (especially), WS-FTP are good examples
for GUI-based FTP operations.

Onur
 
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