Chapter 8
Distributing runtime database solutions
The final steps in developing your runtime database solution are to
bundle all of the necessary files together, choose how you will
distribute your solution—for example, on a CD-ROM or over a
network—and provide your users with documentation for installing
your solution. In addition, your documentation should include
instructions for starting the runtime application and what to do if a file
is damaged.
Organizing solution components
When you bind your database files into a runtime database solution,
the Developer Utilities create a new solution folder and place the
runtime application, the bound primary and auxiliary database files,
and an Extensions folder inside it. For Windows runtime solutions
there are also required Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files.
Important These files and folders must not be renamed.
If your runtime database solution requires custom files, you should
provide the files with the runtime files. Plug-ins should be stored in
the Extensions folder. If a developer uses a font not found on a user’s
system, the runtime application will make a font substitution. If a font
is included with the runtime, provision should be made for its
installation through the installer program. See
“Using a custom
installation program” on page 77.
In addition to the runtime files, you will need to provide installation
instructions for your users. See
“Documenting the installation
procedures” on page 78.
Mac OS X runtime application package
The Developer Utilities generate a runtime application package for
Mac OS X. The package will have the name that you give to your
runtime solution. The runtime application package contains the core
resources and code required for running the application. The contents
of the package should not be altered, except to remove the language
resource files. For more information, see
“Reducing solution size” on
page 76.
The package contains a Contents folder, which has information on the
package and the Frameworks, MacOS, and Resources folders. The
Resources folder includes the language resources folders (*.lproj).
The package can be opened by using the Show Package Contents
command.
The Extensions folder accompanies the Mac OS X package and
contains the Dictionaries folder. The Dictionaries folder contains
dictionary files (*.mpr) for all of the languages supported. The
Dictionaries folder also contains a file for the user spelling dictionary
(User.upr).
Windows solution folder Mac OS X solution folder
Runtime application
Runtime application
package
Bound primary and
auxiliary solution files
Bound primary and
auxiliary solution files
Extensions
Dictionaries
DLLs generated during
binding
Example of Windows and Mac OS X solution contents for distribution
Extensions
Dictionaries
language resource
folders
