The Software Engine

Instructions

  1. Download the zipped Software Engine (7.2 Mb) in a temporary folder.
  2. Extract the ten files it contains (_Inst321.ex_, _Isdel.exe, _Setup.1, _Setup.dll, _Setup.lib, Disk1.id, SETUP.EXE, Setup.ini, Setup.ins and Setup.pkg).
  3. From Windows Explorer, double-click on the file called SETUP.EXE. That will load InstallShield Express. This installation software will guide you into the steps needed to install the prerequisite files for our software to work properly.
To work properly, dBL applications usually need two groups of files on your computer: the Borland Database Engine (BDE) and the dBL Virtual Machine (VM). By default, InstallShield Express will install the VM in Windows /System subfolder while the BDE will be installed in its own folder.

Purpose

The BDE is needed to access data stored in dBASE tables. As most of our applications store some data in this type of table, our Software Engine includes the BDE.

The dBL Virtual Machine is made out of five files: PLUSrun.exe, PLUSr_en.dll, Resource.dll, Ctl3D32.dll and PLUSRun.exe.manifest. This VM is a library of code used by our applications. Actually, first thing that any of our applications does is to call the VM which then takes control and run the commands in that application.

The Software Engine has to be installed just once. When this is done, any of dBL applications will work on your computer.

Once the Software Engine is installed, you can delete the zipped file and the ten files extracted from it.


August 2005.