no scroll bar in readme dialog at the end of an install

[travispape]

I have created a project that has build specs for both an application and an installer.  I included a readme.rtf in my project an set it as the readme file in the properties of my installer build specification.  I like the fact that it automatically includes the readme in the distribution and that at the end of the installer script it automatically displays the readme file.

My problem is that the readme file doesn't fit in the text box of the dialog the installer throws up on the screen, but there is no vertical scroll bar.  It isn't a huge issue because the scroll wheel and arrow keys do work for scrolling through the readme file, but user might not notices the need to scroll down without the scroll bar.

Am I missing anything?

[Travis_M.]

Hello,

Interesting problem!  I was not able to have any problems with this.  What I did is find a rtf file (in my case I choose a modified version of the NI License Agreement) and built a blank installer (no VIs) and included it as a readme.  I was able to use the scrollbar just fine.  I attached the project and rtf file for you to try out too.  I'm also using LabVIEW 8.0.1 which probably doesn’t make a difference (but it could).  I'm also pretty sure that the installer just makes Windows calls, so it might be a problem with some Microsoft settings.  You can try to download a new version of the Windows Installer too.

Hopefully this helps -- let me know how things go!

[travispape]

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@Travis M. wrote:

I attached the project and rtf file for you to try out too...

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I'll would like to try them if you could attach them.

[travispape]

I tried creating a little sample project and rtf like you described and I still have the missing scrollbar problem.  See attachments.

We have Win 2k.

[Travis_M.]

My apologies for not including the actual file -- I need to read a little more closely and make sure that all gets attached as promised.  I did reproduce the problem with your project (WINXP) try mine and let me know if it fails on yours.  If it works on yours we'll have to nail down the differences.

[travispape]

In the mean time, I have applied the 8.0.1 patch.  I did all my mass recompiling and all; however, it the patch didn't fix my problem.

Before using your whole project, I tried merely substituting your RTF for mine and that worked fine--it gave me the missing scrollbar. 

So the problem is with my RTF file.  What's wrong with it?  I created it with Word 2003.

Thanks.

[Travis_M.]

Very strange!  I am using Word 2003 SP1 to create the readme.  When either you or me run the installer with the “Testing 1 2 3” RTF file there is no scrollbar, and both of us get the scrollbar with the sample NI RTF readme.  I think it’s probably safe to draw the conclusion that this is not due to differences between our two computers but rather differences in the RTF file setup (but not the actual text of the file).

I don’t know what a RTF file is supposed to look like, but I did open them in a simple text editor and the first lines are surely different between 2 examples I ran successfully and one that failed.

In the successful RTF files:

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\uc1\deff1\stshfdbch0\stshfloch0\stshfhich0\stshfbi0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f1\fswiss\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 020b0604020202020204}Arial;}

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\uc1\deff0\stshfdbch0\stshfloch0\stshfhich0\stshfbi0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}

From the unsuccessful RTF file:

{\rtf1\adeflang1025\ansi\ansicpg1252\uc1\adeff0\deff0\stshfdbch13\stshfloch0\stshfhich0\stshfbi0\deflang1033\deflangfe2052{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f13\fnil\fcharset134\fprq2{\*\panose 02010600030101010101}SimSun{\*\falt \'cb\'ce\'cc\'e5};}

This is just the first line of each file, but the \rtf1\XXXXXXXX appears to be the same in the successful ones but different in the unsuccessful one.  I’m also not convinced that it’s not a Microsoft problem, but I’ll look into this a little more and hopefully get back to you with some additional information.  In the meantime, does your readme file work if you cut and paste the content into a RTF file that works?  I’m curious if there is some field in an RTF file that specifies the length and maybe this is just missing from some of these files so that the program that displays the file isn’t aware of the need for a scrollbar.  This is purely speculation of course but its worth looking at.

Hope this helps-