zip files into exe of stationery files
Posted by admin on Oct 31st, 2006
I want to be able to create a zip file to send someone. But, they can't unzip and it's easier for them to use a .exe file. Problem: In Vista, the path for stationery is : C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery\ In XP it's: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\StationeryWhen I create the .exe from the zip, what would I use for the path since each person would have a different USERNAME?Is it possible to create one .exe file for EITHER Vista or XP for extracting stationery, or would I have to create 2 .exe files?Thanks, Tracy
Nov 2nd, 2006 at 07:51 am
What are you trying to send them in terms of information? An exe file is a program. Are you trying to send them a program? If so, they what does it have to do with stationery? What does the program do?What are you trying to create a zip file of? What is in the zip file supposedly?steve"Tracy"
Nov 7th, 2006 at 02:13 am
I create stationery for email. Some people don't know how to extract a zip file and prefer to have an selfextractor .exe file. That way they can just run the .exe file and the stationery files are extracted automatically to the correct stationery folder.Tracy "Steve Cochran"
Nov 10th, 2006 at 07:27 pm
Okay. Now I understand.I don't know how sophisticated the program is you are using with which to set the output directory. You are already faced with an issue in Vista that the directory will be dependent on the user name and that was not the case in XP. So if your software can expand the Username variable then it may also be able to determine the operating system version. If it can do that, then you can use one exe. However, if it can't do that, you'll need one for XP and one for Vista, and with Vista you'll have to figure out how to get to the correct directory, since its based on the user name.cheers,steve"Tracy"
Nov 13th, 2006 at 07:19 pm
Winzip or other program will have to create it. There are some free ones. Might tryaltools.net/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx "Steve Cochran"
Nov 16th, 2006 at 04:27 pm
DGuess suggested WinZip...that I know. As THAT is the program I use to create the zip's and convert them to .exe files.Scenario: Jane loves to use stationery to send email message. I created a stationery for her to use with her name and a picture of her on it. I sent her the zip file Even with XP's ability to unzip a file, it's still to complicated for her to learn the proper procedures as to where to actually unzip the files. (MANY people have really screwed it up because they don't really know how a computer works) So...instead of sending her the zip file, I right click on the zip file, choose WinZip, Create SelfExtractor .EXE file. I send it to her. She saves it. Then she double clicks on the .exe file and the files are automatically extracted into the folder of: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery There are many people who want the same stationery, but have a different name put on it. With the introduction of Vista, email stationery now has a different location. That being: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery\With the onset of a different location for the files in Vista, and many people not having Vista, but have XP, I'm trying to be able to create an ..exe files from a zip so that when the .exe is run, the stationery files will be extracted into their C:\....\Windows Mail\Stationery folderProblem: The path of each person will be different because of the actual User name. Can I use a certain path when I create it so that it looks for the user name?I noticed, for example in a Windows Theme File, that there are references to files but the path isn't what is actually on my computer: Example: Path=%ResourceDir%\Themes\luna\luna.msstyles When my computer path actually is: C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\luna\luna.msstylesIs there way to use the % in the path when I create a .exe from a .zip file so that no matter what the name is, it'll go into their Windows Mail\Stationery folder?Tracy "Steve Cochran"
Nov 22nd, 2006 at 04:50 am
The environmental variables are code like %USERPROFILE% and they get decoded to things such as "c:\users\yourusername" . But I don't think one can specify that to Winzip. I don't know. You'll have to look at the documentation for Winzip.Its kind of scary that the users can figure out where to put files on their system. It doesn't say much for their inquisitiveness or education.steve"Tracy"
Nov 25th, 2006 at 11:05 pm
Ok...I got it going so far. I am able to use ZipGenius to use the variable. However, now the problem is the codes in the html file of the stationery itself. In OE6, the path for the sound had to be the complete path of where the the music was: example: <BGSOUND loop=infinite balance=0 src="C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery \amazinggrace.mid" volume=210>But now the problem is that the files are all being extracted into the proper User's Windows Mail\Stationery, but what codes would I use in the html file for the sound?I tried: src="%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery\amazinggrace.mid" volume=210> src=%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery\amazinggrace.mid volume=210> but neither of these will grab the midi file in the user's folder to play the music.Any more help with this problem?Tracy"Steve Cochran"
Nov 26th, 2006 at 01:00 pm
Good you got that working.You can use the relative path if the sound file is in the same directory.WinMail is going to insert a <BASE href that will be the path to the stationery directory. (try composing an HTML message and look at the source). So if you just specify the filename without a path, then it should work fine, as long as that file is referenced relative to the directory, so if its in a subdirectory it would have to be "\sub\filename.mid"steve"Tracy"
Nov 30th, 2006 at 03:34 pm
That's where a lot of the problem came in. Assuming that the music is in the same folder as the stationery: In OE5 (maybe even OE4), you used to be able to have the music code without the path: src="amazinggrace.mid"When OE came out with the new version, you had to put in the complete path: src="C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery\amazinggrace.mid"With Vista, using the code without the path doesn't work. I already tried it.So...I'm presumming that the full path is still needed src="C:\Users\Tracy\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery\amazinggrace.mid"HOWEVER...and here's the kicker: Each person's path will be different.I've noticed that CloudEight stationery creates its own folder of music. I don't like that option because for everyone who creates stationery with music, that could really add a lot of folders to a persons computer and I don't think that's a very wise (or nice).Any more ideas?Tracy"Steve Cochran"
Dec 3rd, 2006 at 09:12 pm
You can do it the way WinMail is doing it and add the base href to the stationery and just stick somewhere on the system. You can put it back in the old place, as long as you include the location in the stationery itself (which means it can't be moved unless that is edited).But if you include a <BASE href="file://D:\Users\scochran\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery\">Like that, in the html, then it doesn't matter where its installed on the machine. But the htm files will only show as menu items in WinMail if they are in the stationery directory where WinMail is looking.steve"Tracy"
Dec 8th, 2006 at 09:26 am
In your example for the BASE code, that presumes that the creator of the stationery knows where the stationery files will be. And, as a creator, the User name will never be the same because the path of the user's mail will always be different.In your example, I couldn't use D:\Users\scochran.... if I'm going to send the same files to Steve Jones who has his user name as Steve. Hence his path might be D:\Users\Steve\AppData.....Tracy "Steve Cochran"
Dec 9th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
Right. WinMail when you compose with stationery, inserts the default path as the Base href. My point was that you could set any path as the base if you put all your files into that base and then they could use that file in that specific location to compose their stationery, but it would not be the default stationery location, as now they have changed that to put it under the specific user profile.steve"Tracy"