Technical Note 19
Windows 7 and Vista Compatibility
Windows Vista introduced a couple of changes that affected Eminence Designer 1. The same situation applies to Windows 7. First, Windows 7 and Vista do not allow the "sendkey" function. Programs that use it to manage keyboard input will generate a fatal error that will cause them to crash. Older versions of Eminence Designer use this function to enable the user to press the "Enter" key to advance the program focus to the next input or control after a value or setting has been entered. There is a workaround: you can use the "Tab" key instead of the "Enter" key and older versions Eminence Designer should not crash.
The second problem involves Eminence Designer's on-screen manual. It is a "hlp"-style help file but Windows 7 and Vista does not support this type of help document because it would create a security issue whereby an evildoer can launch a malicious program from a "hlp" file. So Windows 7 and Vista do not include a "hlp" reader. There is a workaround: you can download and install a Vista-compatible "hlp" reader from Microsoft but we do not recommend it because then you'll be vulnerable to "hlp" exploits.
Windows 7 and Vista-compatible updates
We have provided a free maintenance update of Eminence Designer to address both of these issues. It uses a different keyboard handler that does not employ the "sendkey" function and we've rewritten its on-screen manual as an "html"-style help document that is compatible with Windows 7 and Vista. Rewriting the manual was an enormous task because of its size and extensive contents. This update has the same features as the previous version so there is no need to update Eminence Designer until you migrate to Windows 7 or Vista.
Here is the version that is compatible with Windows 7 and Vista:
Again, because the only purpose of this update is to provide compatibility with Windows 7 and Vista, you do not need it if you are using Windows XP or an earlier version of Windows. It has the same features as the previous version (Eminence Designer 1.0.10). Windows Vista users should have "administrator" privileges in order to install an update.
Installation Options under Windows 7 and Vista
We strongly recommend that you use the default settings when you install Eminence Designer under Windows 7 or Vista. This includes installing the program to the same hard drive (or partition) where Windows, itself, is installed (usually the "C" drive). Some users have experienced trouble when installing to a separate drive or partition. See Technical Note 20 for detailed step-by-step instructions.
User Accounts under Windows 7 and Vista
A user account with "administrator" privileges should be used to install or update Eminence Designer. Plus, it is best to use the same user account to run the program as was used to install it. You may have trouble if you install Eminence Designer from one user account and then try to run it from another.
Installer compatibility
Eminence Designer 1 uses an industry-standard InstallShield installer. When you run its setup program on its installation disc or you run one of its maintenance updates, you are running an InstallShield installer. So far, we haven't run into any compatibility issues with this installer under Windows 7 and Vista. Because we use an older version (in order to maintain backward compatibility with older versions of Windows), Windows 7 and Vista will display a warning message when you run it that says "An unidentified program wants access to your computer." All you have to do is click on the "Allow" button and the installer will run.
If you have a problem when you attempt to install Eminence Designer or one of its updates—the problem is probably not with the installer, itself. The most common problem is a lack of sufficient privileges. You need "administrator" privileges to run them. See Technical Note 22 for further help.
If you're running the installer from a disc and you have a problem, the problem may be with the disc, itself. It should be checked with a different computer. If it still won't work then you will need to order a replacement disc from our Sales Department. (We manufacture our software on CD-R discs and they do not last as long as stamped CDs). If you're running an updater that you downloaded from our website and you have a problem, the problem may be with the file, itself. Sometimes a download will end before it should and you won't have the full file. Or one or more data packets may have been corrupted during download. In this case, check the size of the file to make sure that is matches the size listed on our website. You may need to download a fresh copy.
Another source of installation problems is over protective security software. If you're sure that your disc or download is okay, then restart Windows, disconnect from all networks including the internet and disable all antivirus, antispyware, anti-malware and firewall software. Then re-run the installer. Remember to re-enable your antivirus, antispyware, anti-malware and firewall software after the installation is finished and before you reconnect to your network or the internet. See Technical Note 22 for further information.
