Use .Net Application from server

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sean
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Sean

Hello, I have developed a .net application and placed its
executable file on a server. I am having a couple issues
when attempting to execute this file from client
computers:

1. If the client is not running Windows XP, the file
does not execute. Is there a way for me to download and
install something(probably the framework) on the server
and have the software use it, instead of look for it on
the client's computer?

2. Also, in my application I am using a ODBC connection
with a DSN. The DSN exists on the server but it may or
may not exist on the client computers. Is there a way
for me to tell the software to always use the DSN on the
server instead of the client's computer?

Thanks for you help,
Sean
 
It really sounds like you should investigate making this an ASP.NET
application instead of an EXE running on a server. Both of the issues you
bring up below don't exist in that architecture.


Sean said:
Hello, I have developed a .net application and placed its
executable file on a server. I am having a couple issues
when attempting to execute this file from client
computers:

1. If the client is not running Windows XP, the file
does not execute. Is there a way for me to download and
install something(probably the framework) on the server
and have the software use it, instead of look for it on
the client's computer?
Click to expand...

Windows XP SP1 included the .NET Framework, that's why your XP clients work
but others don't. ANY machine that will be running .NET code must have the
..NET Framework installed on it.
2. Also, in my application I am using a ODBC connection
with a DSN. The DSN exists on the server but it may or
may not exist on the client computers. Is there a way
for me to tell the software to always use the DSN on the
server instead of the client's computer?
Click to expand...

Again, this is the problem with EXE programs. If you made this a web based
app., then it would run on the web server and only go against the DB that
you specify.
 
You may want to google on Zero Touch Deployment for this situation, it may
help.

As Scott mentioned, if you don't want obligate the client machine to have
the Framework..then a web based solution is probably your best bet. If you
click on an .exe, whether it's on your desktop, network shware, web site or
anything else, for it to work it's got to run in memory on the local machine
(unless you are using Terminal Services or some simlilar feature - but that
wouldn't be running on your machine locally per se). As such, a .NET exe
needs the framework to run so there's not much you can do to skirt this
other than run it as a ASP.NEt application.

You can use Launch conditions in your setup to ensure that the framework
exists and if it doesn't, go ahead and install it. It's pretty simple to
implement.

Another issue you may be having is with Security Zones. If you are
deploying from a Network Share for instance, you need to set up your
security profile to allow local intranet execution.

I'm not sure what the deal is with XP as such, but I'm guessing that XP has
the framework and the other OS versions may not have all of the upates,
however, I'm not totally sure about this.

HTH,

Bill
 
Yes William, XP has had the framework added to it via service packs. This
is why the other OS's aren't giving him trouble.
 
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