way to download a client exe app to the client and run it?

[Guest]

Hi guys!

I would like to tell the user browsing my website download a setup for an
exe app

(if that doesn't exist on his pc or if his version is different than the one
on the server),

and then run that exe from inside an aspx page,


is this possible and, if so, could someone provide me with some instructions
please?



Thanks in advance!

 

[Guest]

Hi guys!

I would like to tell the user browsing my website download a setup for an
exe app

(if that doesn't exist on his pc or if his version is different than the one
on the server),

and then run that exe from inside an aspx page,


is this possible and, if so, could someone provide me with some instructions
please?



Thanks in advance!

Just link to the file.

 

[Guest]

Well ok, that would tell the client's browser to download the file,
but is there a way to run the exe (that resides in the client) afterwards
from the server app?

 

[Mark Rae]

Well ok, that would tell the client's browser to download the file,
but is there a way to run the exe (that resides in the client) afterwards
from the server app?

No, for fairly obvious security reasons...

How about I put a link to FORMAT.COM which you can download, and then my
website runs format c:...

 

[Guest]

Thanks once again Mark for your help!

I understand that,
what if the client exe resides in the server,
could that have access to the client's printer etc?

 

[Michael Nemtsev]

Hello patrickdrd,

Nope. till u download that file it can't have access to the client's printer.
why not to show the content for the user as asp.net page, and then user can
print this information

---
WBR, Michael Nemtsev [.NET/C# MVP].
My blog: http://spaces.live.com/laflour
Team blog: http://devkids.blogspot.com/

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we
miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it" (c) Michelangelo

p> Thanks once again Mark for your help!
p>
p> I understand that,
p> what if the client exe resides in the server,
p> could that have access to the client's printer etc?
p> "Mark Rae" wrote:
p>

 

[Mark Rae]

Thanks once again Mark for your help!
Welcome.

I understand that,
OK.

what if the client exe resides in the server,
could that have access to the client's printer etc?

Absolutely not.

 

[Guest]

Someone suggested that I should use activex,

can somebody provide me with some hints, example or whatever would help me?

 

[Guest]

Hi,
If you are using .NET version 2 then you can go for Click Once
Deployment.ClickOnce, part of version 2.0 of the Microsoft® .NET Framework,
allows you to deploy Windows-based rich client apps to a desktop by placing
the application files on a Web or file server accessible to the client and
providing the user with a link.For more details refer below links:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t71a733d(VS.80).aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/04/05/ClickOnce/
Search for "click once deployment c#" in google and you will get further links

 

[Mark Rae]

Someone suggested that I should use activex,

can somebody provide me with some hints, example or whatever would help
me?

Without wishing to be too dismissive or discouraging, you're completely
wasting your time with this...

Yes, it *would* be possible to write an ActiveX control (or Java applet)
which would do what you want, no-one with any sense would ever use it
because of the huge potential security risk involved.

Think about it - would *you* allow a website to download a piece of software
onto your machine which would allow it to run executables locally...? I sure
as hell wouldn't!

 

[Guest]

some hints please? regarding activex...

(I can talik over to the client and tell him config to allow access for my
activex)

 

[Mark Rae [MVP]]

some hints please? regarding activex...

What do you want to know, specifically...?
http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/dsandor/ActiveXInNet11102005040748AM/ActiveXInNet.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/En-US/library/aa752035.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms885903.aspx
http://www.dosadi.com/ax_design_notes.htm
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa231196(VS.60).aspx
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=243024&SiteID=1
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Security/Misc/Q_21378058.html

(I can talk over to the client and tell him config to allow access for my
activex)

Maybe a better approach would be for you to explain to the group exactly
what your requirements are, and maybe we can come up with a better
solution...

 

[Guest]

Maybe a better approach would be for you to explain to the group exactly

what your requirements are, and maybe we can come up with a better
solution...

I guess you're right (obviously...),
well, my asp.net 2005 website
(which would be run from a partner's store eventually),
sells goods,
and the partner needs to know when sth is sold and print his own receipt for
the money he collects automatically (because his employees might forget to do
so),
that receipt is printed using his own client exe app,
and he suggested that I should launch his exe from my web site!

So, what do you guys suggest?

Thanks in advance (once more...)!

 

[Mark Rae [MVP]]

I guess you're right (obviously...),
well, my asp.net 2005 website
(which would be run from a partner's store eventually),
sells goods,
and the partner needs to know when sth is sold and print his own receipt
for
the money he collects automatically (because his employees might forget to
do
so),
that receipt is printed using his own client exe app,
and he suggested that I should launch his exe from my web site!

So, what do you guys suggest?

Does your client *really* need to receive printed hard-copy receipts in
real-time...? What is the purpose of these receipts, other than to give to
the customer making the purchase? Surely you are using some sort of database
to track stock and record sales etc...?

Does he even need to receive printed receipts at all? Would a simple web
page showing sales against time not be enough for him?

What exactly is "his own client exe app"...? How does it work? How does it
know what to print? When an employee makes a sale, how does the receipt get
printed...?

 

[Guest]

Does your client *really* need to receive printed hard-copy receipts in

real-time...?
What is the purpose of these receipts, other than to give to
the customer making the purchase?

Yes, for taxation office purposes. So, this is the only way that an employee
will not forget to print this crucial document.

Surely you are using some sort of database
to track stock and record sales etc...?

Yes, of course.

Does he even need to receive printed receipts at all? Would a simple web
page showing sales against time not be enough for him?

No, in our country, we need to print and give the receipt to the customer in
the store.

What exactly is "his own client exe app"...? How does it work? How does it
know what to print? When an employee makes a sale, how does the receipt get
printed...?

My website (or webservice etc...) would pass his that data to this client app.

 

[Mark Rae [MVP]]

Yes, for taxation office purposes. So, this is the only way that an
employee
will not forget to print this crucial document.


Yes, of course.


No, in our country, we need to print and give the receipt to the customer
in
the store.

My website (or webservice etc...) would pass his that data to this client
app.

Hmm... In that case, I'd have to say that I almost certainly wouldn't have
used a browser-based system for this, as it sounds very much like an EPOS
app i.e. a dedicated "terminal" at each store which records the sale, sends
it (over the Internet) to the head office database, and prints the receipt
automatically...

I'd almost certainly have used a WinForms app for this because it's an
enclosed system, and because of the slightly unusual printing
requirements...

That said, you might be able to use Windows Scripting Host to talk to the
printing exe and send it the data to print...
http://www.thescarms.com/VBasic/WshRegWait.aspx

However, this would involve the same security problems as creating a bespoke
ActiveX control...