Re: Determining whether Oracle8 Client is installed

Billy Verreynne <vslabs_at_onwe.co.za> wrote in message news:<ameclr$37i$4_at_ctb-nnrp2.saix.net>...
> SJ wrote:
>
> > Hi. I am writing an InstallShield, and in it I need to determine
> > whether Oracle8 Client is installed on Windows2000 machines. Is there
> > a certain DLL I can check the version of, or is there no easy way to
> > tell? Thanks for any help.
>
> Difficult. Even if the Registry Keys are there, it does not mean that the
> installation of Oracle8 Client was not a complete screwup with missing
> protocol adapters, the ORACLE_HOME/bin not in the PATH, the TNSNAMES.ORA
> not configured, the SQLNET.ORA loaded with crap, etc. etc.
>
> As difficult as it is to check if the user using your software has his
> brains installed the right way around and actually did bother to read the
> hardware and software requirements of your software.
>
> Installers can never be idiot proof. So why even bother attempting to make
> them partially idiot proof? Rather invest that time and effort in bettering
> your software.

Thanks for your reply, as well as Vladimir's and TurkBear's. Well, the people who are going to be using this InstallShield are pretty knowledgeable, so I think partial "idiot-proofness" will suffice in this situation. And I'm also giving them the option to install Oracle without checking first, in case they *know* they don't have it.

Thanks again, everyone. Received on Fri Sep 20 2002 - 15:17:28 CDT