Phantom file??

[rick allison]

I'm not sure which newsgroup to use, I'm starting here.

Situation:
When I double click on a file in c:\program files\my application what I see
executed is an earlier version of the program.

Background:
I've written an MS access application, it has a front-end (FE) and a
back-end (BE).
The FE is a .mde file.
I run an installshield MDI and it places the FE in c:\program files\my
application

Behavior
When I double click on the installed FE in c:\program files\my application
Vista runs an older version of the FE. I know this because I check my about
box, which contains the version number and date, and it is not the correct
version.
When I copy the file from c:\program files\my application to the desk top
and double click on it, the correct version is displayed.

Question:
What is Vista doing? How can it be connecting to an old version of the
program?
I've uninstalled, deleted the c:\program file\my application folder, and
re-installed.

I am totally stumped.

Rick

 

[Michael Walraven]

Applications / users are NOT supposed to modify files in c:\program files\
only the 'trusted installer' is supposed to place things there.
When you look in the folder with the 'old' file, notice at the top there is
an additional item "Compatibility files"

If you click on that you will see the location that actually holds the files
that have been changed/added since trusted installer created the structure.

Note that you were not supposed to add/change files in Program Files in XP
either but lots of programs paid no attention to that requirement.

The exact behavior is modified depending on the UAC settings.

Michael