Question

I have an application that runs in any one OS (either win7(x86) or win xp).

My project is designed in Visual studio 2010, I am using .Net 4.0.

Earlier the project’s “working directory” in the properties was specified for win 7 but when i build my project it said unable to locate the working directory(C:\Program Files(x86)\app)

I now changed my working to directory as C:\Program Files\app. My application acts as a plugin to MS excel 2003. And now i am able to run it.

so how can i make my application run in both win xp and win 7?

I am using WinForms .net 4.0 c#.

 private void MyMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        MyMenuItem.Enabled = false;   
        string installPath;
        string helpFileName;
        string appName;


installPath =   Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles);
        appName = "\\MyApp\\";   



        if (System.IO.File.Exists(installPath + appName+ helpFileName))
        {


System.Windows.Forms.Help.ShowHelp(new System.Windows.Forms.Control()                              installPath + appName + helpFileName, 
                   System.Windows.Forms.HelpNavigator.TableOfContents);
        }



    }

Answer 1

Have a look at the Environment.SpecialFolder enumeration

In System.IO there’s a static class called Path with some very nice stuff on

Struggled a bit because I can’t see where you are getting helpFileName from…

private void MyMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
   MyMenuItem.Enabled = false;   
   String helpFileName = "IDoNotKnow.ext";
   string fileName = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles),Path.Combine("MyApp",helpfileName));
   if (System.IO.File.Exists(fileName))
   {
      System.Windows.Forms.Help.ShowHelp(new System.Windows.Forms.Control(),fileName,System.Windows.Forms.HelpNavigator.TableOfContents);
   }
}

One of the things Path.Combine does for you is you don’t have to worry about the backslashes. If there’s a trailing one on an argument it uses it, if there isn’t it pops it in. Hides a lot of mess that, on occasion.