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Resolved Powerclient with ini files example

  1. How-to
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  1. kevin kevin rowe
    kevin kevin rowe
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. Thursday, 15 June 2023 10:24 AM UTC

I need to distribute an application to multiple desktops from a central server as it runs unreliably as a client server app.

Powerclient was recommended as a solution and it looks promising, so I'm testing it out. I am very new to this.

 

When I deploy the app, the app delivers to the desktop and I get an icon. I have set up the delivery to merge two ini files into the delivery so that they can be modified locally and not overwritten when the app is deployed (as this is where customization can take place and database connection set up).

The ini files are copied, but not applied in the desktop icon or mentioned in the pb.ini.

If I try and add them manually to the target line of the shortcut the app load fails with a message about not being able to load one of the zipped files. 

I'm not sure if I'm even doing this right to get an app that can have the shortcut use two or more ini files and (therefore) two or more settings.

I can add the ini file settings to the pbapp.ini file[shortcut] startmenushortcutpath without it crashing, but it seems to ignore the settings

 

Is there a detailed example I can look at?

If not does anyone know how to add the ini file to the shortcut or the pb.ini settings locally? 

 

  1. Configuration
  2. PowerClient
UPDATEBLOB only updates 1 row ?
I would need DB auto connection functionality, Whe...
Accepted Answer
kevin kevin rowe
kevin kevin rowe Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Thursday, 15 June 2023 16:15 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # Permalink

Chris,


Digging around in various IDE's and compilations i stumbled across something.
The desktop icon is actually a reference to the startup folder created by the install, and this in turn references the appdata/... folder with the .exe in and pb.ini.

If I copy the icon created in the startup folder to 2 new ones named live and demo where the created one is just called app. I can put command line parameters on the call to the appdata exe without changing the pb.ini that would be overwritten during an update.
The icons do work, running app into live and demo databases. I need to make sure that an update does not interfere with these entries in the start folder, and that I can still access the same code for each icon after update.

I will investigate and get back to you.

 

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Chris Pollach @Appeon
  1. Chris Pollach @Appeon
  2. Friday, 16 June 2023 14:22 PM UTC
Sounds like great progress Kevin! :-)
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Chris Pollach @Appeon
Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Thursday, 15 June 2023 15:46 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 1

Hi Kevin;

Q1: does anyone know how to add the ini file to the shortcut

A1: Suggestion:

You could start the App from a BAT file and have it pass in the INI file ( as the EXE's Command Line parameter) that you want it to use at runtime.

You can also set Command Line arguments to be used in the PowerClient Project

You could use a Database setting to control which INI to use by User/Location/Environment/Etc (your App's choice).

Q2: the pb.ini settings locally? 

A2: Just deploy this as an "External File" to the EXE's main folder. Your EXE will act on the settings if it sees the PB.INI locally at start-up

HTH

Regards ... Chris

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kevin kevin rowe
  1. kevin kevin rowe
  2. Friday, 16 June 2023 09:21 AM UTC
Chris,



I've tested updating the app now. As long as you do not use the default icon on the desktop, any that you create yourself stay valid.

I can create multiple versions of the icon on the desktop as and when they require non standard access.

The most common one is the demo database for training or testing out changes before doing it live.



When the client is started, there is a small first use penalty as items are downloaded from the server, but as they are loaded, even if you restart the app, the timing is more normal.



Hopefully this will solve our clients slow and creaky network issues.



Thank you for your help.
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