Need some programming advice.

[Ritalin Kid]

It's been a while since I've been into programming but I'm thinking of getting back into some basic VB programming.

My currently situation is this.. I work for a company that offers a very basic software package for our customers the only draw back is that each customer must enter account specific data in a number of fields so any time they reinstall the software we have a department that is setup specifically for it and it takes alot of time. In an attempt to make this process less painful I thought about creating a simple program that we as techs could use to create a batch file that we could send to our customers that would allow them to install the software and then run the batch file to set it up for their personal account.

The software uses simple registry entries and *.dat files in the software's directory to hold the configuration settings of the software. So my first question is VB capable of creating a program that would in turn export or create a batch file that can write to both the registry and the DAT files of the software?

[Ritalin Kid]

Anyone!? Vass.. someone?

[Ritalin Kid]

^Bump^ Anyone?

[Ritalin Kid]

^BUMP^ Any chance of getting this moved to the Web Development / Programming forum?

[DVNT1]

Originally posted by Ritalin Kid
...is VB capable of creating a program that would in turn export or create a batch file that can write to both the registry and the DAT files of the software?

You can use VBS to put in registry entries and copy files to specific locations. You could also use it to start other batch files.

[Ritalin Kid]

My main vision is to create a program that acts as a "Wizard" for the techs in my department to use. Basically we run the wizard and input the customer's acount info into the wizard. When you finish the wizard it exports or creates a batch file that we can send to the customer. After the customer installs our software all they have to do is double click the batch file which enters all the proper information into the registry entries associated with the software and also writes the proper information to the *.DAT files in the programs main directory.

Actually I'm not sure if a batch file would be appropriate and if a batch file is not capable of such a thing what would be?

[DVNT1]

...the wizard and input the customer's acount info into the wizard. When you finish the wizard it exports or creates a batch file that we can send to the customer

yes you can do this

As for the editing the DAT files, probably this too, but I'm haven't used a batch file to edit information within a file (I normally just create the file in one step).

[vass0922]

You could of PM'd me to check the thread
First time I've seen it.

You could do two things.

1. Generate a batch script as you mentioned.
2. Create two apps, one for generating a dat file and then one that the user can use to read in the dat file and make the necessary changes on the client side.... kind of like an upgrade utility.

Use FSO (file system object) to write the text file
http://www.sloppycode.net/fso/?m=61

You can definately use an app to write registry entries.

Do you have any specific questions?

[Ritalin Kid]

Actually after going through alot of the software's config files the only files that have to be altered in the program's directory are actually 2 text files that have renamed extensions but both files can be easily edited as text files.

So all I would need to do would be to create a wizard program that would export a batch file that in turn would write to the 2 text files in the program's directory and update the registry entries related to the software.

Can this be done with through one batch file generated by the program I create with VB?

In the end I'm trying to create one basic application that we as techs would use to easily create this batch file and just send that batch file to the customer on disk or via email.

[DVNT1]

Yes, you can use VBscript to create a form with inputs, then hit a button to create the bat file for distribution.

Vass is the kowledgeable one on this topic but I can fumble my my though some VBS.