phantom dbf files with Vista

[Roger Seiler]

I've noticed what seems to be weird behavior in Win Vista with regards to how it handles dbf tables data. It seems that within my app folder, Vista is maintaining two separate copies of any dbf file - one that stores data from an ordinary user (even a non-top "Adminstrator"), and another that stores data entered by the top administrator.

If I uninstall the app (I use Inno Setup as my installer/uninstaller), and then use the command prompt to look at the hard drive and check if everything has been removed, I see that everything is gone that should be gone. This is true whether I use the command prompt as the ordinary user, or as the top Administrator - I see the same absence of the files.

Then I reinstall the app (again with Inno), and when the app is launched, the old dbf data is still there!

If I then use the cmd prompt and dbu (modified for dbfcdx) to look at the dbf file - as an ordinary user - then I see the old data. If I use dbu as the top administrator, the file is there but empty.

When I do an uninstall followed by a reinstall, I want the data files to be fresh and empty, and that's not happening. (Incidentally, in my Inno Setup script, each file is specified as "Permission: everyone-modify" which should allow them to be erased by the uninstaller.)

Obviously, Vista and its permissions regime is doing something here with DBF files much different than XP, that I don't understand. Can anyone offer an insight into what is happening here?

- Roger

[James Bott]

Roger,

I don't have Vista here to test but I did find this:

http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2006/12/1 ... rmissions/

It may be that you need to provide Modify privledges to the folder so the files can be deleted. It seems you can also check the folder and file permissions by right clicking on them and then the security tab.

James

[Roger Seiler]

Thanks, James, for the tips. I'll check them out and then post the results of further testing.

It seems that working with Vista is like having a very beautiful but very high maintenance girlfriend. Did I hear "all looks and no brains"? No! It couldn't be that.

- Roger

[Roger Seiler]

I found a very informative video about Vista UAC (User Access Control) that can be viewed for free at:

http://www.trainsignal.com/index.asp?Pa ... &ProdID=73

On that webpage, it is in a section titled: "Windows Vista Training Demo." Both the audio and visuals give a clear explanation of UAC concept of Vista that guys like me have had trouble grasping.

But I'm still searching on the Inet for an explanation of how phantom dbf files get created in Vista. I plan to post a simple test that demonstrates the issue.

- Roger

[Roger Seiler]

I created a simple FWH app to test this problem, but have been unable to duplicate the Vista phantom dbf behavior with it so far. So no point in posting it here. Yet I still get the problem with the original app on Vista where it was noticed - whenever I uninstall and then reinstall. Will keep trying to get to the bottom of this problem, because obviously, we can't have shadow dbf's retaining old data in parallel with an app's regular dbf's.

At this point I don't know if the problem is with Vista or with Inno Setup. But until I know what it is, it could cause problems for any FWH app in Vista.

Will report back when I have something.

By the way, the link that James posted to an article on Vista permissions leads to a set of 7 detailed articles that are well worth reading - better than what I've seen in books.

- Roger