The Project Assistant in InstallShield Express 5.0 does not include the Visual FoxPro 9.0 redistributable files (895994)

SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario. An application that was created by using Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9.0 is installed on a computer that does not have Visual FoxPro 9.0 installed. When the user tries to run the application, the user receives one or more of the following error messages:

Error message 1

This application has failed to start because MSVCR71.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

Error message 2

The dynamic link library MSVCR71.dll could not be found in the specified path.

Error message 3

Cannot locate the Microsoft Visual FoxPro support library.

Error message 4

The dynamic link library GDIPLUS.dll could not be found in the specified path.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Visual FoxPro 9.0 runtime files are not installed. Certain files are required for an application that was created by using Visual FoxPro 9.0 to run on a computer that does not have Visual FoxPro 9.0 installed. These files are called redistributable files in InstallShield Express 5.0 Visual FoxPro Limited Edition. Typically, these files are included as you build an installation package.

However, when you use the Project Assistant in InstallShield Express 5.0 Visual FoxPro Limited Edition to build an installation package, you are never prompted to select the required redistributable files. No indication of a problem is given, and the installation package successfully builds.

RESOLUTION

You can use the Project Assistant to build an installation package for a Visual FoxPro 9.0 application. However, at some point you must change to the Installation Designer in InstallShield Express 5.0 Visual FoxPro Limited Edition and select the required redistributable files. To do this, follow these steps:

To change to the Installation Designer, click the Installation Designer tab.
If the View List is not displayed, press the F4 key.
In the Specify Application Data node, click Redistributables.
In the InstallShield Objects/Merge Modules pane, click to select the Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9 Runtime Libraries check box. When you do this, the GDI Plus Redist check box and the Microsoft Visual C Runtime Library 7.1 check box are automatically selected.

Note This behavior occurs because the Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9 Runtime Libraries module has a dependency on the GDI Plus Redist module and the Microsoft Visual C Runtime Library 7.1 module.

Note These steps assume that you have opened InstallShield Express 5.0 Visual FoxPro Limited Edition and that you have created a new Express Project.

These three redistributable files represent the core set of files that are required for an application that was created by using Visual FoxPro 9.0 to run on a computer that does not have Visual FoxPro 9.0 installed. You may want to also include language localization resource files, Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9.0 Report Applications, or Microsoft Visual FoxPro OLE DB Provider, depending on your application needs.

MORE INFORMATION

Visual FoxPro 9.0 includes InstallShield Express 5.0 Visual FoxPro Limited Edition. InstallShield Express 5.0 Visual FoxPro Limited Edition is used to distribute applications that are created by using Visual FoxPro 9.0.

For more information about these redistributable files, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web sites:

How to install additional applications
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dv_foxhelp9/html/dddc54ec-860c-4a46-ad80-8ba062346623.asp
Walkthrough: Creating a Visual FoxPro application Setup program using InstallShield
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dv_foxhelp9/html/d906c831-cfde-4d4c-8b80-47041cff359b.asp