Locating an Application to Launch

[xbury.cs at clearstream.com]

Hi David

> Hi,
> 
> How can I find out if an Application is available on the system, 
> especially if there is more than one version of the application 
> installed? I need something that will search all volumes on a system 
> and list all the occurances of the application?

The only reliable way i see to do this automatically is to scan the disks 
for 
the executable... 

While on windows, the registry can help, it still will not tell you if you 
have
two instances of an application installed or not... Rev doesn't even have 
a key!
So searching seems the best solution.

Assuming the user doesn't change the folders' each day, one scan should be 
enough
an maybe need some updates every x month if a change happens...

> For instance if I am looking for (say) Photoshop and there are three 
> versions on two volumes, I would like to present this to the user and 
> allow them to select the one they wish to launch. If there is only 
> one version, then just launch it.

Versions can be seen in some registry keys. On the Mac, i think you can
ask the finder for the file's information and find the version there. Now, 
on
windows, this only works if the file is installed and has a version 
registry key
but depeding on the manufacturer, this key can be anywhere... 
HKLM/software/abobo/arcobat/6.0
or HKLM\software\vereetas\nethackups\ which contains a key named 
version...

The easiest thing would be to ask the user what application he wants to 
run... This will
save you and the user lots of waiting or scripting... Let the user find 
where he installed
the application or what version he wants maybe deemed more flexible than 
the automatic
script that gets the wrong version - 

Example: runrev doesn't have any registry information in the registry so 
it doesn't know what 
version is running or where is the currently installed application to help 
the installer/updater...


cheers
Xavier


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