BRISNET PP Generator

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by KyRacer

DJofSD,

Sorry it didn't work for you. I was hoping that would solve the problem. My old installation that I've been using has to have the "Run as Administrator" box checked, probably because I installed it as Administrator. The new installation runs both with the box checked or unchecked.

Last night I deleted the fonts from the font folder and ran the custompp program to see what would happen and got a popup similar yours. Try right clicking on custompp and going to properties and try running both as Administrator and with the box unchecked. Don't forget to hit apply. Open your word processor and see if the pp2a and pp2b appear in the fonts drop down menu. Can you print with them?

When you tried the full installation (briscustppfull2400.exe), did it hang when it got to pp2b font or did it complete the installation? If it didn't hang and completed the installation, then it must be looking for a different file than the pp2b font. That would make me wonder why it hangs on me. If it completed did it leave a install.log file in the folder?

How do you get to the Windows Feature screen that your showing?

I think the original PP Generator was developed with Foxpro, but I think the current version was made with Visual Basic 6.0. There's a program at AnalogX.com called textscan that lets you look at text inside of a program. Got the feeling the program was a VB6 program.

I have tried to execute custompp.exe both without and with using the elevated privilege levels using either the RMB to select run as administrator or changing the option via the properties associated with the app. I always end up with an error in a pop up window.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by KyRacer

DJofSD,

Sorry it didn't work for you. I was hoping that would solve the problem. My old installation that I've been using has to have the "Run as Administrator" box checked, probably because I installed it as Administrator. The new installation runs both with the box checked or unchecked.

Last night I deleted the fonts from the font folder and ran the custompp program to see what would happen and got a popup similar yours. Try right clicking on custompp and going to properties and try running both as Administrator and with the box unchecked. Don't forget to hit apply. Open your word processor and see if the pp2a and pp2b appear in the fonts drop down menu. Can you print with them?

When you tried the full installation (briscustppfull2400.exe), did it hang when it got to pp2b font or did it complete the installation? If it didn't hang and completed the installation, then it must be looking for a different file than the pp2b font. That would make me wonder why it hangs on me. If it completed did it leave a install.log file in the folder?

How do you get to the Windows Feature screen that your showing?

I think the original PP Generator was developed with Foxpro, but I think the current version was made with Visual Basic 6.0. There's a program at AnalogX.com called textscan that lets you look at text inside of a program. Got the feeling the program was a VB6 program.

Regarding a test of the installation of the fonts: I used the MS writer app, and, I was able to both select the fonts and successfully produce hard copy, no problem.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by KyRacer

DJofSD,

Sorry it didn't work for you. I was hoping that would solve the problem. My old installation that I've been using has to have the "Run as Administrator" box checked, probably because I installed it as Administrator. The new installation runs both with the box checked or unchecked.

Last night I deleted the fonts from the font folder and ran the custompp program to see what would happen and got a popup similar yours. Try right clicking on custompp and going to properties and try running both as Administrator and with the box unchecked. Don't forget to hit apply. Open your word processor and see if the pp2a and pp2b appear in the fonts drop down menu. Can you print with them?

When you tried the full installation (briscustppfull2400.exe), did it hang when it got to pp2b font or did it complete the installation? If it didn't hang and completed the installation, then it must be looking for a different file than the pp2b font. That would make me wonder why it hangs on me. If it completed did it leave a install.log file in the folder?

How do you get to the Windows Feature screen that your showing?

I think the original PP Generator was developed with Foxpro, but I think the current version was made with Visual Basic 6.0. There's a program at AnalogX.com called textscan that lets you look at text inside of a program. Got the feeling the program was a VB6 program.

To navigate to the Windows Features app: Windows Start -> Control Panel -> Programs -> Turn Windows features on or off .

The screen shot was created by making sure the app window had focus, pressing and holding the ALT key while pressing the PRINT SCREEN key. Then start the Windows Paint app, paste the clipboard contents into Paint and then save it into a file. The file is then U/L to a message via the Manage attachments button at the very bottom of the screen when creating a new message to add to a thread.

[DJofSD]

Regarding the FoxPro versus BASIC question: you could very well be correct. I never did consider the app could have been rewritten at some point. And, the error message I posted does have the feeling of a BASIC app.

[OverlayHunter]

Please see attached pdf's.

[DJofSD]

OH, THX. I'll review the Windows configurations and see if there are differences between my system and yours.

It'll be later today.

If there any others which could also take a look at the Windows optional software configuration and post, it would help and be appreciated.

As stated previously, this is just one branch in the diagnostic tree for trying to figure out the failures with custompp.exe on my W7 64-bit system. (While sysinternals Procmon is telling me about the error, I can not seem to uncover the specifics to be able to figure out where the installation might have gone off the tracks, or, if there are some pieces from another software installation which I am missing, or, something else altogether.)

[KyRacer]

Thanks guys for the info. Hadn't looked at it before. Attached are my Windows Features. Opened the trees except for games.

[KyRacer]

DJofSD,

At this point it doesn't look like it's the fonts, but I would like to know if you have an install.log in the BRISCust folder and if the program hung when you tried to install it.

I'm attaching 2 install.log files. I've renamed then GenXPinstalllog.txt and GenW7installlog.txt. I changed the log extension to txt so it will open in your text viewer. The 1st one is the install.log from my Virtual PC windows Xp mode. The 2nd is my install.log from my installation on Windows 7. The 1st one copied a lot of files into the system32 folder. The 2nd one copied or overwrote files in the system 32 folder, except I couldn't find most of those programs in the system32 folder. So what was it overwriting. I think Windows 7 takes those files an puts them in the SysWOW64 folder.

This is a link to a topic that might help.
http://www.samlogic.net/articles/32-...6-syswow64.htm

Below is a list of files from the install.log. I believe they should probably be in your SysWOW64 folder but no sure.

MBMouse.ocx
MSCOMCTL.OCX
Tab32x30.ocx
tdbg8.ocx
UIToolX.ocx
xadb8.ocx

comcat.dll *
dao360.dll
duzactx.dll
mfc42.dll *
msvbvm60.dll
msvcrt.dll *
oleaut32.dll *
olepro32.dll
Vb5db.dll *
Vb6stkit.dll
vbajet32.dll

stdole2.tlb

The ones with the asterisks are in my c:\windows\system32 folder. Use Windows explorer to see if these files are in your sysWOW64 folder. Check the files below first, they're the ones I don't think are installed when the program hangs when trying to install the fonts. They're suppose to be installed after the fonts along with custompp.exe.

Actbar2.ocx
duzactx.dll
dao360.dll
vbajet32.dll
Vb6stkit.dll

Did your computer come with Windows 7 installed or did your install it over Windows XP? I installed mine over Windows XP and maybe it moved the 32 bit files to sysWOW64 folder during installation and that might be why I have them and you don't . Just a guess.

Both logs show "Could not Self-Register: C:\Windows\System32\Vb5db.dll" and but program works fine. The rest of the files are self registering.

Hope this give you some ideas.

[OverlayHunter]

Attached are the install logs from my Win7 and Win8 machines. I don't have the technical expertise of KR so I can't give you any commentary except that Win7 installation was done in Sept. 2011 and the Win8 in Jan. 2013 on the off-chance those dates happen to hold any significance.

[Uncle Salty]

Originally Posted by SpotPlays

It's a really good program and it's truly unbelievable that a company with that type of money will not keep the software up to date.

I hope they reconsider this decision.

I agree. I was floored when they told me they couldn't fix it the date problem in their custom item list.

My handicapping was never better than when I was making my own Q figs and adding them into the BRIS PP Gen program.

I wonder if it was because they weren't making any money on it and it was just a resource/manpower drain for them. I would have paid a subscription price for that software if necessary.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by OverlayHunter

Please see attached pdf's.

OK, I see some differences. Whether or not it explains my problems with custompp.exe is not clear.

Games - ignoring.
Indexing Services - off in both lists.
Internet Explorer 11 - on in both lists.
IIS - off in both lists.
IIS Hostable Web core - off in both lists.
Media Features - all sub items on in both lists.
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 - off (?) in both lists.
MSMQ Server - off (?) in both lists.
Print and Document Services - different items count: mine, 4; yours 5. I am missing Scan Management. Checked and unchecked items are the same.
Remote Differential Compression - on in both lists.
RIP Listener - off in both lists.
SNMP - off in both lists.
Simple TCPIP Services - off in both lists.
Table PC Components - on in both lists.
Telnet Client - off in both lists.
Telnet Server - off in both lists.
TFTP Client - off in both lists.
Windows Gadget Platform - on in both lists.
Windows Process Activation Service - off in both lists.
Windows Search - on in both lists.
Windows TIFF IFilter - off in both lists.

At this point walking down the two lists, the contents of the list differ:
Windows Virtual PC does not exist in my list of features installed/used.

XPS Services - on in both lists.
XPS Viewer - on in both lists.

So, there are some differences between the two systems as far as the list of Windows features are concerned.

My system is Windows Home Premium.

[OverlayHunter]

DJofSD -

FWIW both Windows 7 and 8 on my computers are the professional versions. Regarding the "Scan" difference, I have installed scanning software on both machines. Perhaps that software added that choice when it installed.

[OverlayHunter]

You've probably thought of these but on the chance you haven't:

Do you have access to other computers (friend, relative, neighbor, work, etc.) that you can try the software on? If you do, you can make some comparisons against your machine. For example, if they use the professional version of Windows and the software works on them, perhaps that may indicate that may be related to the problem.

Have you tried downloading the installation software again on the chance that the one you are using could be faulty in some way?

Is there any way to determine if some unrelated software on your machine is incompatible with the custompp software in some way?

[DJofSD]

OH, thx.

I have a scanner, an Epson. I use it through a USB port. It uses software from the vendor for the UI not anything from Microsoft. And, I recall there was some drivers installed for the USB device.

I'm beginning to feel the Windows features is not going to explain why there are some registry differences which I had thought were the general area which was the source of the error I am getting.

And going back the FoxPro v. BASIC question, if custompp.exe is VB then it makes sense why ProcMon can only provide a little information about the error -- the BASIC executable is a different animal altogether. In the past and with different (earlier) versions of BASIC, there was a certain amount of reverse engineering possible. Mostly done visually but on occasion, using a dissassembler and its features to produce assembler listing in aiding whatever investigation I was performing. I'll have to think about going around that particular block yet again.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by OverlayHunter

You've probably thought of these but on the chance you haven't:

Do you have access to other computers (friend, relative, neighbor, work, etc.) that you can try the software on? If you do, you can make some comparisons against your machine. For example, if they use the professional version of Windows and the software works on them, perhaps that may indicate that may be related to the problem.

Have you tried downloading the installation software again on the chance that the one you are using could be faulty in some way?

Is there any way to determine if some unrelated software on your machine is incompatible with the custompp software in some way?

Yes, as stated earlier in the thread, I have a Windows Vista laptop. The BRIS Custom PP Generator is installed on it, and, it works.

What I have done so far is to use the sysinternals tools, mostly, Procmon to help analyze the error I see on my W7 system. It occurs when the Windows registry is being accessed.

I have compared the germane part of the registries and found some differences. As an aside, part of that effort was to learn about registry reflections, and, understanding the W7 facility which was a part of the continued migration from 32-bit to 64-bit environments and being able to continue to support 32-bit apps. This is, in part, what SYSWoW is about, and, the part of the registry with a key of SYSWow6432. But even after allowing for the differences in the registry for the different flavors of the OS and how 32-bit apps are supported, I was still seeing things on Vista that were not there for W7. My theory was the things missing in the W7 registry were the things missing which caused the error I get.

Yes, I have downloaded a new copy of both the full and update version of the latest version of the BRIS app. It has not made any difference -- I still get an error on the W7 system.

I believe the only possible way something which is incompatible with the BRIS app would cause a problem would be during the installation of the BRIS app. If the installation of the BRIS app failed to make the changes to the registry then it would explain my error. Certainly, one thing to do is to uninstall the BRIS app then reinstall it while using Procmon and reviewing any errors it might show while the installer is running. I'm not sure I really want to do that but I might be forced to in order to find the problem or eliminate it as a source of the problem.

And, as a general comment, this problem I experience, and, the inability to review my system's installation for the BRIS app really irritates me. I am used to installing software -- I've done it for a long, long time -- and I am used to being able to verify the installation is done correctly. I won't get into the sordid details. But, I will say dealing with most software installations on Windows leaves a whole heck of a lot to be desired. Having at least a minimal list of things to manually go look for would at least be something to chase down. But right now, I 'gots nuttin'.'