🚀 go-pugleaf

D.W.,

>>>You say in your faq that the AcroRead licence demands that you include
the installer for Reader. Is that the exe file RP505enu.exe that I DL'd?<<<

Yes.  The naming syntax of the single EXE installer seems to have changed
for v5.  ARxxx is the Reader alone and RPxxx the Reader+Search (the one I
recommend).  In v4.x the Reader+Search was RSxxx.  The version number and
language parts of the EXE name syntax appear to be the same.

>>>Is it included just so that a user can install reader on his Hd if he so
wishes? <<<

You d/l and add the EXE - as well as the 'installed' Reader - on your CD so
that your customers can install Reader to their h/d if they so chose.  OK?

>>>Or does it have some function in allowing Reader to run off the CD?<<<

No the 'installed' Reader program files do that.  The reason for the EXE is
as you've guessed above.

>>>I ask this because in the very next statement you say:
Quote----
I have not been able to test on a totally ?virgin? Windows 95/98 PC but as
far as I can tell, the Reader application does not install files to any
other folders such as the \Windows\System\ folder. It creates the Registry
entries it needs when run from the CD for the first time on a non Reader v4
system."
-----Quote<<<

Yes.  This is correct.  I was being politely cautious when I wrote that so
some programming expert didn't flame me.  As far as I'm aware and from
conversations since, the only thing written to the user's h/d are some
Registry settings.  These say the v5 EULA has been read, captures any
palette settings/screen locations and any non-default preference settings.
Such changes *will* affect Reader v5 run from h/d if it was already there -
i.e. *all* Reader v5.x installs share the same settings regardless of where
they run from, h/d or CD.

>>>That statement also raises another question...if a person has Acrobat
and/or Reader on their HD, presumably the necessary changes have already
been made to the registry. <<<

Yes - you certainly won't get the EULA shown and the Reader on CD will use
the h/d versions prefs - e.g. the splash screen might have been turned off.

>>>So how does one test an autorun CD? <<<

1.  Use a secondary h/d is you have one - I use my D:.
2.  Create a virtual drive in RAM - only some Windows version support this -
mainly 9x if I recall.
3.  Use a floppy or ZIP drive to test the autorun.inf (requires Registry
changes).
4.  Use a CD-RW and test.
5.  Use a CD-R and try.  CD blanks aren't that expensive now.

>>>How do you determine if it will run on a "virgin" system?<<<

[BTW, I concur with Aandi's reply to this in the forum]

By trying it.  Definitely worthwhile if you are doing a big distribution.
You should understand I wrote the autorun FAQ after I'd done a small
in-house project so while I did a *lot* or testing and research for the
FAQ - many days in all - I didn't do the pre-release part you're referring
to in this point as the testing should be against a known project.  The
latter was too wide a scope for the FAQ.  Note that some of the form filling
and web buy plug-ins can cause problems with v5 - if so just move those
items to the optional folder as described in the FAQ.  To ID plug-ins, open
Reader and use the "Help"-"About Adobe Acrobat Plug-Ins..." menu.  The
resulting dialog tells you the plug-in filename and the purpose of the
plug-in (well sort of!).

>>> The obvious answer is that you test it on a virgin system but not
everyone has immediate access to one. Surely, setting up an autorun CD can't
be that problematic?<<<

No, I agree.  If you are just sending 5-10 CDs out to a few people no
bother.  But if you are distributing thousands or are charging $$$ for
what's on the CD, then it makes sense to test.  It's your call...

>>>Thanks for all your help.<<<

No problem.  I hope the notes above help.  I guess you can see that even
with the best intentions it's hard for a FAQ to cover all bases.

Regards

Mark Anderson
Portsmouth, UK
www.yeardley.demon.co.uk
www.portfoliofaq.com (FAQ for Extensis Portfolio)
www.acrobatfaq.com (FAQ for Adobe Acrobat & Reader)