Hi there I'm a complete newbie regarding Linux, but we've got a potential sale of our software to a large number of Linux computers and I'm trying to find out how feasible it is, and I'm hoping this is the place to find out! Our software is made using Adobe Director, and we distribute it either through a browser using Shockwave, or as a standalone executable (Projector). I'm hoping that we might be able to run the projector using Wine, but I don't know if it's likely to work or what problems we might encounter. Anyone able to give me some advice? In particular: 1) Will it run at all?! 2) If it does, am I likely to experience any particular known problems? 3) We use a number of third-party add-ons (Xtras) which talk to the operating system in various ways including reading the registry; we also use the SoftwareKey licencing system Dll. Any possibility these will work? 4) What about things like printing, file formats, file paths (does Wine use the \ path delimiter?) etc? Also, in terms of the user experience, is it going to be possible to give them a CD-ROM that includes both Wine and the software packaged in such a way that they can just double-click and icon and have it run, or will they need to install it? And if the latter, once installed will they be able to double-click something then, or will they have to use the command line? Sorry for the open-ended questions - I really know very little about this and need some general impressions before I dive in! Best Danny
Ok, following up on this... I'm pleased (and a little flabbergasted) to say that I now have our software running on Linux using Wine. Given that we only bought the Linux machine this morning and I've never run Linux before, this is one hell of a result (obviously I have a lot of testing to do, but so far it's looking remarkably good). So I just need to follow up on my last question: how would I go about packaging Wine and our software as a single application that can be run directly from Linux (or at the least installed as such). I'm still fairly hazy on how the whole package thing works - I get the impression that you register a piece of software to some central registry or other? But then would there be some issues with the fact that our software isn't open-source? Sorry, I'm not entirely sure even how to frame the question yet...> What strang/ancient distribution does not install a grahical package > manager by default? Maybe you just didn't find it ;)More than possible. I'm using one of those ultra-cheap PCs that come with Linux preinstalled (it's Linpus Lite), and I had to search through a lot of forums to find out what to do. In fairness, getting to this stage in two hours shows that I didn't find it *that* hard - it just *felt* horrible.> You better should answer to the mailing list, btw. Usually the mail > client takes care of that but wine's list is a bit broken in that > matter.You're telling me - I'm getting every message through three times, and I can't reply to the list without entering it manually into the to: field. Never mind, now I know. Sorry about that. Thanks for your help Danny
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 11:13:13AM -0000, Danny Kodicek wrote:> Our software is made using Adobe Director, and we distribute it either > through a browser using Shockwave, or as a standalone executable > (Projector). I'm hoping that we might be able to run the projector using > Wine, but I don't know if it's likely to work or what problems we might > encounter. Anyone able to give me some advice? In particular: > > 1) Will it run at all?! > 2) If it does, am I likely to experience any particular known problems?The best place to find that out is appdb.winehq.org> 3) We use a number of third-party add-ons (Xtras) which talk to the > operating system in various ways including reading the registry; we also use > the SoftwareKey licencing system Dll. Any possibility these will work? > 4) What about things like printing, file formats, file paths (does Wine use > the \ path delimiter?) etc?For an application, Wine looks like Windows. There is a registry and paths look like Windows paths with drive letters and backslashes. Printing should work, though I've never tried it myself.> Also, in terms of the user experience, is it going to be possible to give > them a CD-ROM that includes both Wine and the software packaged in such a > way that they can just double-click and icon and have it run, or will they > need to install it? And if the latter, once installed will they be able to > double-click something then, or will they have to use the command line?That is possible, for example Google has "ported" Picasa that way.
Danny Kodicek wrote:> > > So I just need to follow up on my last question: how would I go about > packaging Wine and our software as a single application that can be run > directly from Linux (or at the least installed as such). >Why do you want to package Wine with your app? Most major distros have it in their repositories, and source code is available for those that don't. If your app works fine in Wine, just distribute as a Windows app, and let people know that it also works in Wine.
Danny Kodicek wrote:> > Well, it's a tricky question. We're aiming at the education market and I > have no idea how clued-up these people are. As a newbie to Linux myself, > working out how to get Wine working was a tricky problem, and I don't know > if it would be the same for others. Can I really expect a student to know > how to run a Windows executable via Wine on Linux? >What age group are we talking about? I'm an English teacher, though at the college level. In general, if an app works in Wine, installing and running it would be exactly the same as in Windows: point and click. Wine normally adds Windows apps to the menu when you install them, and creates desktop links if the installer creates Windows shortcuts. It's only when an app doesn't work out-of-the-box with Wine that it can get tricky.