Rocks'n'Diamonds

I'm not sure what FriendlyCache does, but could it be written to the application folder instead of the registry?

My knowledge is that RND doesn't save anything in the registry.
Did you use the Windows Installer? I guess it's the installer which saves stuff to the registry..

I'm still not sure if this a real post or something ... strange, as it seems to have nothing to do with R'n'D. What is "FriendlyCache"?

flector, could you please write a quick reply and explain what you mean?

And no, R'n'D does not write anything to the registry by itself.

Neither does the installer, as far as I know, but I may be wrong here.

It turned out to be a Windows auto-generated registry entry.

Try googling FriendlyCache for more than a few examples.

> Try googling FriendlyCache for more than a few examples.

Already did that (as I suspected a SPAM post at first -- had to delete a few of them that day), but didn't found much more than that it seems to be some esoteric Windows stuff... ;-)

After all, good to know that my R'n'D installer for Windows does nothing unusual or unwanted then... :-)

My advice: don't offer an installable version.

> My advice: don't offer an installable version.

I didn't offer it until 3.2.0.

Unfortunately, Windows XP has a heavy design flaw in that it can transparently open zip archives, but cannot start programs from within them if they need additional files from that archive, so many people had big problems with plain zip archives.

I learned that most people wanted to have a "setup.exe", as this is the "Windows way" to add new programs to the system.

So my advice is: Don't use the installable version if you do not like it. I offer both choices! :-)

Ouch! Cross posting again!

This was my reply:

Why do you advice so, flector?

I think it's a very useful version to download for the people who doesn't want to struggle with manual installing - as most Windows users are. I was about to ask Holger if he could make a tool to make it easier to install additional levelsets too.

If you don't like the exe installer, or you don't trust it, you can always download the zip file...

Well, here it is

I could be wrong, but it seems that the days when even children can't unzip a zip file and look for .exe's are either gone or fast approaching.

As to XP having .zip issues, I wouldn't know, I use Win2K; it probably does. I do do know that writing Start Menu entries for any or all users is easy.

> I could be wrong, but it seems that the days when even children can't
> unzip a zip file and look for .exe's are either gone or fast approaching.

Unfortunately, you are wrong. If you need a few hundred mails from helpless users to prove this, just tell me. ;-) :-/

> As to XP having .zip issues, I wouldn't know, I use Win2K; it probably does.

If you use W2k, it's indeed easier, as this "old" OS needs a special zip tool anyway. With XP, things got much more confusing for most users. :-(

> I do do know that writing Start Menu entries for any or all users is easy.

Try to explain this to my grandma! ;-)

BTW: What has all this to do with "Request: portable rocks and diamonds"?
I think R'n'D is already highly portable. Just have a look at the "Download" section... :)

Children? Well, maybe the people that needs the installer version is way too far from childhood

Just kidding, I know of a lot of "mathusalems" that use to eat PCs at breakfast, as well as of a lot of teenagers who say "PC what?"

"Since version 3.2.0, the best way to install Rocks'n'Diamonds under Windows is by using the installer version (a "setup.exe" style executable that can be run directly to install the game and create shortcuts in the "Start" menu and that also optionally creates Desktop and Quick Launch icons). If you want to do things "as usual", this is the choice for you, and you can stop reading here and just proceed downloading the "exe" file and start with a double-click!"

A rewrite:

"Download the Windows installer if want to launch Rocks 'n' Diamonds from the Start Menu, Desktop or Launch Bar.

A rewrite:

I don't understand if that's a suggestion or a nitpick. Aren't you a bit inclined to criticism, flector?

It's not (only) about adding start icons -- it's about installing the game itself! Many people -- older and younger -- really have problems here! That's why the installer was introduced.

Those people who know what they are doing are able to read the "fine print" from the sentence "the best way to install Rocks'n'Diamonds under Windows ..." and just do what they think is best for them. All others happily use the installer and do things "as usual" (and don't care that you and I would prefer to use the plain zip file for manually installing the game ;-) ).

BTW: Have you read my last question? ('What has all this to do with "Request: portable rocks and diamonds"? [...]')

Still curious about that... :o)

It doesn't need installation. It works beautifully.

Every other OS seems to have figured it out