This section provides an overview of the steps to follow to deploy an application using unencrypted source when you are done developing and testing your application.
1. Dump .df and .d files — You must dump your application schema (.df) and/or data (.d) into ASCII format. This step copies your data from the application database, which is not portable, into a format that is portable.
Note: Keep in mind that the .d and .df files should be represented with the appropriate code page for the target platform.
2. Transfer files — You must transfer the resultant .d and .df files and your unencrypted source procedures (which also must be in the appropriate code page) to the target platform. This is a preliminary step to creating your distribution media.
Note: There is more than one way to transfer files. For example, you can use FTP or other protocols, or you can put the files on CD or other storage media and physically transport the files.
3. Rebuild the application database at the user site — You must provide a way for users to build the application database at their site. To do this, the users must be able to load your .df and .d files into an empty database.
Because you are deploying unencrypted source, users must have a full development product. These products contain a complete Data Dictionary, which users can use to load the .df and .d files into an empty database. (In character environments, the Data Dictionary contains data administration capabilities. In Windows, these capabilities are provided with the Data Administration tool.)
However, even though the user can perform these tasks, usually it is a good idea to write a script that automates this process. This not only frees the user from performing this task, but also makes your application easier to install. A full development OpenEdge product includes all of the Data Dictionary procedures in the install-dir/gui|tty subdirectories. The procedures that load data definitions and data are called load_df.p and load_d.p respectively. Within your script, you can start OpenEdge and run these procedures to load your data definitions and data.
If you decide not to write a script and instead rely on the users' ability to load the data definitions and data, make sure you provide the users with adequate documentation to guide them through the process.
4. Copy an empty database and rename it — To rebuild your application database at the user's site, you must make a copy of the empty database and rename it. An empty database is included in the installation directory at the user's site. Because databases are not portable, you must use an empty database that already is ported to the target platform.
Users can copy their empty database and rename it, or you can write a script that does this task for them. This script can call the PRODB command to make a copy of the database and rename it appropriately. OpenEdge also provides a newdb script that creates a database. For more information about this script, see DeploymentUtilities and Scripts.
If you decide to let the users perform this step, you must provide adequate documentation to guide them through the process.
5. Provide an install utility — You must provide a way for users to install your application. OpenEdge must be installed before they can use your application. You can create one install for both OpenEdge and your application. To do this, create an install program using a third-party tool, such as Installshield, and call the OpenEdge Install batch mode from within it.
6. Provide a compilation routine — This step is optional because users must have a full development product, which can compile your application on the fly. However, an application that is precompiled runs faster than an application that is compiled at run time. Therefore, you might want to provide a routine that compiles all of your procedures before it is run.
You can provide a script to do the compilations, or you can provide the user with adequate documentation to do this task on their own. OpenEdge provides a template procedure, compile.p, that you can use to compile your application.
7. Provide a startup routine — Provide a way for users to start the application. You can either write a script to do this or provide adequate documentation.
8. Provide documentation — You must provide users with enough documentation to use your application and to complete the previous tasks if you do not automate them.
9. Provide online help — You might want to provide online help for your application.
10. Prepare distribution media — You must prepare your distribution media. It should include all:
Procedures and include files