Icetips Blog

I had the need to create an install with Setup Builder 7 that would be time limited so that it would not run after a certain date. Obviously this is no foolprof method since it can easily be bypassed by changing the date in the computer, but for what I wanted it was perfect!

Set Variable %IT_TODAY% to FUNCTION:Get System Info
  (Current Date) -- Format "12"
If %IT_TODAY% Greater Than "20100228" Then
   Display Message Box "This time limited Beta build 
     install expired on Fe..." -- 
     "Time limited Beta install has expired"
   Exit Installation(99)
Else
   Display Message Box "Note that this is a time limited 
    Beta build instal..." -- 
    "Time limited Beta install"
End

Note that the lines wrap and in the actual script this is only 7 lines, which start out bold in the box above.

The first line get's the current date from the computer where the install is running in a "YYYYMMDD" format. The IF statement compares the value with "20100228" - February 28, 2010, and if the current date is greater, then it displays an error message and exits the install. If it is equal or less, then it displays a warning message about this being a time limited install and continues.

Arnor Baldvinsson

If Clarion 7.1 crashes on startup with something like:

Clarion Version : 7.1.0.6545
..NET Version         : 2.0.50727.3603
OS Version           : Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
Current culture      : English (United States) (en-US)
Working Set Memory   : 38052kb
GC Heap Memory       : 1989kb

Unhandled exception terminated Clarion

Then the chances are pretty good that you do not have the Visual C++ Runtime Library update that is required. To fix this download and install this file from Microsoft: Visual C++ Runtime Library

This installs the VC2005 RTL and Clarion 7.1 will now load properly.

Arnor Baldvinsson

Clarion 7.1 final release has been out for about 3 weeks now and so far no issues have been reported with any of our products in 7.1!

Claron 7.1 is getting pretty close to being a very productive product while there are still a few problems here and there I think that next build will probably take care of a lot of the snags that I have had minor issues with.

In February I will start moving the Build Automator to Clarion 7.1 and will report on how that process goes.

Arnor Baldvinsson