Set up of WinBatch EXEs on Servers

Keywords:     winbatch compiled exes

Question:

We've discovered that on some, but not all, NT 4.0 workstations the temp files created by a WinBatch script during execution appear on the desktop. In most cases they disappear when the execution ends, but on a few workstations one or more remain on the desktop and continue to accumulate during subsequent executions. These workstations all have the 'temp' environment variable defined properly. Is there a way inside the script to control where these temp files are written?
The BIG EXE is on a file server and a shortcut pointing to it is on the user's desktop. Do the DLL's need to be copied to the user's workstation? If so, how do I determine which DLL's to copy? This program is being run on several hundred desktops, and I'd hate to have to visit all of them.

Again, this happens only on a few. The majority do not have this problem. Is there something I should look for on the few?

Answer:

I suspect the users with problems actually have a copy of the big exe on their desktops, not a shortcut to the network version.

If you put BIG EXE's on the desktop, and the DLL's do not pre-exist on the users system, then the emergency copies of the DLLs will be placed on the desktop.

Generally you would like to place the compiled EXE files in their own folder and perhaps place a shortcut to it on the desktop.

My advice is to avoid placing big EXE's on file servers, unless users have write permissions to the directory. Big exe's on a network, slows everything down and causes problems. Place small EXE's and either have the DLL's and extenders in the same directory or place them on the workstation.

Wilson Windowware suggest creating a simple winbatch script - say a message box saying "DONE", and compiling it with all the relevant extenders you will ever want to distribute.

Then distribute this resultant EXE to all users, place in their SYSTEM32 directory (or somewhere in the PATH) and execute it. This will unpack all the required DLL's into the target directory.

So do the following:

Recompile the program as a SMALL EXE
Place the DLL's and extenders in the same subdirectory as the SMALL EXE
Leave the shortcut on the desktop alone

Here's how to tell what DLL's are used:

The WBDxxxxx.dll is always used.
The WBOxxxxx.dll is used if you use
the ObjectOpen function (very very rare)
You need to add appropriate extender DLLs
- The extender dll mentioned in the Add extender statement.
- Some extenders need other DLLs too.
  Look in the ExtenderDLL.EXT file for a list of DLL's included in the extender

Article ID:   W13498

Filename:   Setup of WinBatch EXEs on Servers.txt

File Created: 2001:03:01:11:41:44

Last Updated: 2001:03:01:11:41:44

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Set up of WinBatch EXEs on Servers

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