CommonDialog

[yanivoliver@gmail.com]

Hey,

I'm using the CommonDialog object to load a dialog which allows the
user to select the files they want to upload. This solution works
perfectly on computers that have some Visual Studio applications
installed, but on those without any, it won't work since it doesn't
have the required file registered.

The code I'm currently using:

ComDlg = new ActiveXObject(" MSComDlg.Common Dialog");

ComDlg.Filter = "All Files(*.*)|*.*" ;
ComDlg.FilterIn dex = 1;
ComDlg.Flags = 0x200 | 0x1000 | 0x80000;
ComDlg.MaxFileS ize = 512;

ComDlg.ShowOpen ();


Does anyone have a way I can still use the CommonDialog object on
computers that dont have comdlg32.dll registered correctly? I have no
problem putting the comdlg32.dll file on the users computer, but how
can I register it/use it without registering it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Yaniv

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

Re: CommonDialog

yanivoliver@gma il.com wrote:
[color=blue]
> Does anyone have a way I can still use the CommonDialog object on
> computers that dont have comdlg32.dll registered correctly? I have no
> problem putting the comdlg32.dll file on the users computer, but how
> can I register it/use it without registering it?[/color]

You cannot. There is either support for this control or there is not.
There is no between. And since you have correctly identified the problem
to be not script-related, why are you insisting on posting in to this
newsgroup dealing with _J(ava)Script/ECMAScript_?


PointedEars

[Duncan Booth]

Re: CommonDialog

yanivoliver@gma il.com wrote:
[color=blue]
> I have no
> problem putting the comdlg32.dll file on the users computer, but how
> can I register it/use it without registering it?[/color]

You certainly should have a problem with putting comdlg32.dll on the users'
computers as you don't have a license for that. You may only redistribute
those files which Microsoft list as redistributable and they are quite
explicit that comdlg32.dll is not redistributable .

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q216368/

[VK]

Re: CommonDialog


Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:[color=blue]
> You cannot. There is either support for this control or there is not.
> There is no between. And since you have correctly identified the problem
> to be not script-related, why are you insisting on posting in to this
> newsgroup dealing with _J(ava)Script/ECMAScript_?[/color]

Maybe because JScript is used as a tier to access system resources?

To OP: do not pay attention to <Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn> - he's
trying to be local spooky man, but he's not spooky at all really. Just
say him "grrrh" out loud and he will run away. :-)

Presuming you have all rights in your LAN:

First you have to install free Microsoft .Net Framework package on each
computer.

Patch .Net Framework with 1.1 patch (if needed).

To start using a .dll library first you need to register it in GAC
(Global Assembly Cash). The simplest way I've found so far is using
Windows Explorer:
1. Run two instances of Explorer.
2. In the first Explorer navigate to the folder where your dll is
located
3. In the second Explorer navigate to the folder <Windows>\assem bly
4. Drag and drop dll from the first Explorer window to the second one.
5. It should work now.

NB: it must be Windows Explorer, not a folder window, otherwise the
bird will not fly.

[VK]

Re: CommonDialog


Duncan Booth wrote:[color=blue]
> You certainly should have a problem with putting comdlg32.dll on the users'
> computers as you don't have a license for that. You may only redistribute
> those files which Microsoft list as redistributable and they are quite
> explicit that comdlg32.dll is not redistributable .[/color]

Damn right! But a wait a second... comdlg32.dll is not a package
library, it native to Windows XP SP2

To OP:
What OS are you running on other machines?

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

Re: CommonDialog

VK wrote:
[color=blue]
> Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:[color=green]
>> You cannot. There is either support for this control or there is not.
>> There is no between. And since you have correctly identified the problem
>> to be not script-related, why are you insisting on posting in to this
>> newsgroup dealing with _J(ava)Script/ECMAScript_?[/color]
>
> Maybe because JScript is used as a tier to access system resources?[/color]

You have not understood that his is not a question very likely to be
answered here since it is off-topic despite the fact that JScript is
the used interface language: it is not a language problem but one of
the underlying system configuration. He could have used VBScript and
any other interface language and nothing changed.

There is a group dealing with ActiveX-specific _configuration_ issues.
It is not this one.


PointedEars

[Robert]

Re: CommonDialog

yanivoliver@gma il.com wrote:[color=blue]
> Does anyone have a way I can still use the CommonDialog object on
> computers that dont have comdlg32.dll registered correctly? I have no
> problem putting the comdlg32.dll file on the users computer, but how
> can I register it/use it without registering it?
>[/color]

Registering it without registering it?
Isn't that impossible by definition?

Anyway can't you distribute it like any other activex on the web?
But even then it still needs to be registered.

[web.dev]

Re: CommonDialog


yanivoliver@gma il.com wrote:[color=blue]
> Hey,
>
> I'm using the CommonDialog object to load a dialog which allows the
> user to select the files they want to upload. This solution works
> perfectly on computers that have some Visual Studio applications
> installed, but on those without any, it won't work since it doesn't
> have the required file registered.
>
> The code I'm currently using:
>
> ComDlg = new ActiveXObject(" MSComDlg.Common Dialog");
>
> ComDlg.Filter = "All Files(*.*)|*.*" ;
> ComDlg.FilterIn dex = 1;
> ComDlg.Flags = 0x200 | 0x1000 | 0x80000;
> ComDlg.MaxFileS ize = 512;
>
> ComDlg.ShowOpen ();
>
>
> Does anyone have a way I can still use the CommonDialog object on
> computers that dont have comdlg32.dll registered correctly? I have no
> problem putting the comdlg32.dll file on the users computer, but how
> can I register it/use it without registering it?
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated,
> Yaniv[/color]

Must you really use the active x object to achieve what you want to do?
There is another way. Users can also upload files through a form.
For example:

<form>
....
<input type = "file">
....
</form>

[rf]

Re: CommonDialog

VK wrote:
[color=blue]
> Duncan Booth wrote:[color=green]
>> You certainly should have a problem with putting comdlg32.dll on the users'
>> computers as you don't have a license for that. You may only redistribute
>> those files which Microsoft list as redistributable and they are quite
>> explicit that comdlg32.dll is not redistributable .[/color][/color]

comdlg32.dll by itself is not redistributable but it *is* redistrubitable
as part of other other redistributable objects, the reason being
comdlg32.dll and comctrl.dll (for example) go together. Change only one of
them and your system will break.
[color=blue]
> Damn right! But a wait a second... comdlg32.dll is not a package
> library, it native to Windows XP SP2[/color]

Where did you get that idea?

comdlg32.dll has been around since before windows 95. It shipped as part of
win32s, the 32 bit addon to windows 3.1, about eighteen years ago.
[color=blue]
> To OP:
> What OS are you running on other machines?[/color]

Indeed. I doubt that comdlg32.dll would install on a Mac :-)

--
Cheers, Richard.
If you are reading this using google groups then also read this:
http://www.safalra.com/special/googlegroupsreply/ if you have not done so
already. If you reply to this post without correct quoting and attribution,
as per the above, I, and others, may just totally ignore you.

[Duncan Booth]

Re: CommonDialog

rf wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> Duncan Booth wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> You certainly should have a problem with putting comdlg32.dll on the
>>> users' computers as you don't have a license for that. You may only
>>> redistribute those files which Microsoft list as redistributable and
>>> they are quite explicit that comdlg32.dll is not redistributable .[/color][/color]
>
> comdlg32.dll by itself is not redistributable but it *is*
> redistrubitable as part of other other redistributable objects, the
> reason being comdlg32.dll and comctrl.dll (for example) go together.
> Change only one of them and your system will break.[/color]

Do you have evidence for this? Everything I can find says comgld32.dll is
not redistributable .

[VK]

Re: CommonDialog


Duncan Booth wrote:[color=blue]
> Do you have evidence for this? Everything I can find says comgld32.dll is
> not redistributable .[/color]

Let's us clear up the situation based on OP issue:

He's using MSComDlg.Common Dialog which is COMDLG32.OCX control
available on Windows XP with Visual Studio / Visual Studio # installed.
You have to either install a copy of Visual Studio on each computer or
you have to get a destribution license from Microsoft to register this
control on each computer.

COMDLG32.DLL library is presented in each Windows installation starting
Windows 98 at least. So if you have a legal copy of Windows, you
already have a legal copy of COMDLG32.DLL - so no destribution is
needed.

The trick is that you cannot use ActiveXObject() on .DLL because it's
not a control, it's a library you can link to your project to make your
own control.

A side walk for the OP situation (presuming they have basic Microsoft
Office package installed) would be to call Excel dialog window via
ActiveXObject. This dialog (but not Word's one) can be patched to
accept multiple file selection.

[rf]

Re: CommonDialog

Duncan Booth wrote:
[color=blue]
> rf wrote:
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>> Duncan Booth wrote:
>>>> You certainly should have a problem with putting comdlg32.dll on the
>>>> users' computers as you don't have a license for that. You may only
>>>> redistribute those files which Microsoft list as redistributable and
>>>> they are quite explicit that comdlg32.dll is not redistributable .[/color]
>>
>> comdlg32.dll by itself is not redistributable but it *is*
>> redistrubitable as part of other other redistributable objects, the
>> reason being comdlg32.dll and comctrl.dll (for example) go together.
>> Change only one of them and your system will break.[/color]
>
> Do you have evidence for this? Everything I can find says comgld32.dll is
> not redistributable .[/color]

Hmmm. You may well be right. I looked at the "note" in the microsoft page
you refered to wherein they say that comctl32 and comdlg32 are not
redistributable . They go on to say the "if you must update comctl32.dll,
download 401comupt.exe.. .". I know of the existance of the latter[1] and
naturally assumed that comdlg32 was part of it. Perhaps it isn't.

[1] I have never used xxxcomupt.exe. Some of my software *does* rely on
newer versions of comctl32 than may not be available on older systems
(notably 95 and 98) however I simply inform my users that they must have
IE6 installed to use my software, as the IE6 install includes a quite up to
date comctl32, and said users are far more comfortable installing IE6 than
they are installing some vague redist exe the have to download from MS.
Never really bothered thinking about comdlg32 as I have never had a version
issue with it.

However, as VK has pointed out the OP is really talking about comdlg32.ocx,
which is redistributable .

--
Cheers, Richard.
If you are reading this using google groups then also read this:
http://www.safalra.com/special/googlegroupsreply/ if you have not done so
already. If you reply to this post without correct quoting and attribution,
as per the above, I, and others, may just totally ignore you.

[rf]

Re: CommonDialog

VK wrote:
[color=blue]
> Duncan Booth wrote:[color=green]
>> Do you have evidence for this? Everything I can find says comgld32.dll is
>> not redistributable .[/color]
>
> Let's us clear up the situation based on OP issue:
>
> He's using MSComDlg.Common Dialog which is COMDLG32.OCX control[/color]

True. Missed that first time :-)
[color=blue]
> available on Windows XP with Visual Studio / Visual Studio # installed.
> You have to either install a copy of Visual Studio on each computer or
> you have to get a destribution license from Microsoft to register this
> control on each computer.[/color]

Lets clear it up entirely and avoid anybody thinking that their users might
have to have visual studio installed. At several hundred dollars a copy...

The following knowledge base article tells all:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;168917

[color=blue]
> COMDLG32.DLL library is presented in each Windows installation starting
> Windows 98 at least.[/color]

95, and before that win32s.
[color=blue]
> So if you have a legal copy of Windows, you
> already have a legal copy of COMDLG32.DLL - so no destribution is
> needed.[/color]

Yes.
[color=blue]
> The trick is that you cannot use ActiveXObject() on .DLL because it's
> not a control, it's a library you can link to your project to make your
> own control.[/color]

Er, you link to it so as to use the common dialogs. If you want to make
your own control you, well, make your own control.
[color=blue]
> A side walk for the OP situation (presuming they have basic Microsoft
> Office package installed) would be to call Excel dialog window via
> ActiveXObject. This dialog (but not Word's one) can be patched to
> accept multiple file selection.[/color]

?

--
Cheers, Richard.
If you are reading this using google groups then also read this:
http://www.safalra.com/special/googlegroupsreply/ if you have not done so
already. If you reply to this post without correct quoting and attribution,
as per the above, I, and others, may just totally ignore you.

[VK]

Re: CommonDialog

> VK wrote:[color=blue][color=green]
> > A side walk for the OP situation (presuming they have basic Microsoft
> > Office package installed) would be to call Excel dialog window via
> > ActiveXObject. This dialog (but not Word's one) can be patched to
> > accept multiple file selection.[/color][/color]

rf wrote:[color=blue]
> ?[/color]

new ActiveXObject(' Application.Exc el')
and later Dialogs(wdDialo gFileOpen)

This works but it's too ugly and unrealiable (too many if's)

I came across this problem while doing my JavaScript file manager. The
question was: presuming user granted all requested privileges - how to
display system file dialog and get results back?

So far my answer is "no way unless you're acting as a miserable
hacker". Truthfully I do not understand all this licensing dancing with
comdlg. IMHO user already paid in full for the honnor to click all
Windows buttons and open all Windows windows - when she bought her copy
of Windows. An attempt to collect additional bucks on this later seems
a bit of a scam to me.

Interstingly enough Gesko seems to have no problem to access system
dialogs via XPConnect:
<http://groups.google.c om/group/comp.lang.javas cript/browse_frm/thread/7cd482713658987 b/61b24d432da604b 8>

I wondering now if this is license clear? ...

[rf]

Re: CommonDialog

VK wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> VK wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> A side walk for the OP situation (presuming they have basic Microsoft
>>> Office package installed) would be to call Excel dialog window via
>>> ActiveXObject. This dialog (but not Word's one) can be patched to
>>> accept multiple file selection.[/color][/color]
>
> rf wrote:[color=green]
>> ?[/color]
>
> new ActiveXObject(' Application.Exc el')
> and later Dialogs(wdDialo gFileOpen)
>
> This works but it's too ugly and unrealiable (too many if's)
>
> I came across this problem while doing my JavaScript file manager. The
> question was: presuming user granted all requested privileges - how to
> display system file dialog and get results back?
>
> So far my answer is "no way unless you're acting as a miserable
> hacker". Truthfully I do not understand all this licensing dancing with
> comdlg. IMHO user already paid in full for the honnor to click all
> Windows buttons and open all Windows windows - when she bought her copy
> of Windows. An attempt to collect additional bucks on this later seems
> a bit of a scam to me.
>
> Interstingly enough Gesko seems to have no problem to access system
> dialogs via XPConnect:
> <http://groups.google.c om/group/comp.lang.javas cript/browse_frm/thread/7cd482713658987 b/61b24d432da604b 8>
>
> I wondering now if this is license clear? ...[/color]

I repeat:

?

That is, I have no bloody idea what you are talking about.

What has firing up excel do to with running the commondialog ocx control?

--
Cheers, Richard.
If you are reading this using google groups then also read this:
http://www.safalra.com/special/googlegroupsreply/ if you have not done so
already. If you reply to this post without correct quoting and attribution,
as per the above, I, and others, may just totally ignore you.