DLL registration?

If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly older version
(with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in Explorer, does
the new DLL version file have to be registered again?

I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the same (within
the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like added or
removed function calls, or external references), then probably. Does
anybody know?

(registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the command line)

I don't know, but you've got me thinking there is more to registering a
DLL than just getting it's name into the Registry.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Bill in Co." wrote in message
...
| If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly older
version
| (with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in Explorer,
does
| the new DLL version file have to be registered again?
|
| I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the same
(within
| the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like added or
| removed function calls, or external references), then probably.
Does
| anybody know?
|
| (registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the command
line)
|
|

"Bill in Co." wrote in message ...
If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly older version
(with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in Explorer, does
the new DLL version file have to be registered again?

Probably, but its not always necessary. Some processe will check the registry
when they run, and update the reg if needed. (whether you want them to
or not, (as can be the case with file extension associations). Was it
the program's exe,, or did the main code call on a dll function, which
may or may not have been set up to work with regsvr32. In any case,
a registering dll has to be called, either by the regsvr32 or some other
code.


I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the same (within
the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like added or
removed function calls, or external references), then probably.

External references is what registering is mostly about. Register/Registry.
However not all dlls are self registering, I imagine some may _only_ be self-
registering (such as webvw.dll?) ,and some don't do any registry writes at all.
And of course, some may not even change across versions in what they need to
stick in the reg.


Does
anybody know?

What dll, Colorado.?. Be careful of version soup. Or is that what you're
trying to fix? If you're just bringing one up to match the rest of the
system, I'd register it. (if it has that capability)



(registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the command line)

Regsvr32 pretty much just loads the dll and its dependencys and calls
a specific named function in the dll. The dll can do anything
it wants after that point, but writing or removing (unregistering)
registry references is the usual use. (I doubt anybody uses self-
registering *.dlls to the extent that MS does.. a good design, IMO)

webvw.dll is a good example of a dll that will do more. It will
write the *.htt and (I think) a few *.ini files to the ..\web
folder (needed for "web view").



"PCR" wrote in message ...
I don't know, but you've got me thinking there is more to registering a
DLL than just getting it's name into the Registry.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Bill in Co." wrote in message
...
| If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly older
version
| (with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in Explorer,
does
| the new DLL version file have to be registered again?
|
| I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the same
(within
| the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like added or
| removed function calls, or external references), then probably.
Does
| anybody know?
|
| (registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the command
line)
|
|

So, in a crunch, REGEDIT might do it...?...



--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Bill Blanton" wrote in message
...
| Regsvr32 pretty much just loads the dll and its dependencys and calls
| a specific named function in the dll. The dll can do anything
| it wants after that point, but writing or removing (unregistering)
| registry references is the usual use. (I doubt anybody uses self-
| registering *.dlls to the extent that MS does.. a good design, IMO)
|
| webvw.dll is a good example of a dll that will do more. It will
| write the *.htt and (I think) a few *.ini files to the ..\web
| folder (needed for "web view").
|
|
|
| "PCR" wrote in message
...
| I don't know, but you've got me thinking there is more to registering
a
| DLL than just getting it's name into the Registry.
|
|
| --
| Thanks or Good Luck,
| There may be humor in this post, and,
| Naturally, you will not sue,
| should things get worse after this,
| PCR
|
| "Bill in Co." wrote in message
| ...
| | If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly
older
| version
| | (with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in
Explorer,
| does
| | the new DLL version file have to be registered again?
| |
| | I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the
same
| (within
| | the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like
added or
| | removed function calls, or external references), then probably.
| Does
| | anybody know?
| |
| | (registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the
command
| line)
| |
| |
|
|
|
|

OK, I think I have been misunderstanding this. Whether or not it's
"reregistered" in the registry is pretty much moot. What IS important is
what happens when a particular program exe file calls a DLL file, and finds
an invalid or missing reference within that DLL, which has nothing to do
with the registry.

Furthermore, if I now understand this correctly, the registering of the DLL
file in the registry is basically a "it is, or it is not" registered
process. That is, the actual variations of the DLL versions don't really
enter here, they only become significant when the DLL file is called and
executed by some exe program file.

Bill Blanton wrote:
"Bill in Co." wrote in message
...
If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly older
version
(with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in Explorer,
does
the new DLL version file have to be registered again?

Probably, but its not always necessary. Some processe will check the
registry
when they run, and update the reg if needed. (whether you want them to
or not, (as can be the case with file extension associations). Was it
the program's exe,, or did the main code call on a dll function, which
may or may not have been set up to work with regsvr32. In any case,
a registering dll has to be called, either by the regsvr32 or some other
code.


I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the same
(within
the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like added or
removed function calls, or external references), then probably.

External references is what registering is mostly about.
Register/Registry.
However not all dlls are self registering, I imagine some may _only_ be
self-
registering (such as webvw.dll?) ,and some don't do any registry writes at
all.
And of course, some may not even change across versions in what they need
to
stick in the reg.


Does
anybody know?

What dll, Colorado.?. Be careful of version soup. Or is that what you're
trying to fix? If you're just bringing one up to match the rest of the
system, I'd register it. (if it has that capability)



(registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the command line)

Bill Blanton wrote:
"Bill in Co." wrote in message

What dll, Colorado.?. Be careful of version soup. Or is that what you're
trying to fix? If you're just bringing one up to match the rest of the
system, I'd register it. (if it has that capability)

This is part two of my response, specific to this question. I recently
installed an Audio Editor program that "updated" some of my DLLs relating to
Real Player, and, as a consequence, my Real Player 8 was messed up.

Fortunately, though, I documented everything (I use SFC and its LOG file
quite a bit, I'll tell ya). :-)

So I *carefully* uninstalled that program (fortunately it had a custom
uninstall option detailing the process), paying VERY careful attention to
each and every DLL and OCX file that it added or updated and wanted to
remove, and I now have everything back to normal.

It was a bit tedious, but like many things, you have to workat it for the
best results. :-)

And it was a good learning experience. :-)

Not exactly. A newer version may have something to add to the registry
that didn't exist previously, or may want to delete something of the
previous versions that will now cause a conflict. And, it isn't necessarily
a fact that a dll will only add/subtract refers to *itself.

Think of registering (in applicable cases) as the *.dll setup routine.
It's code. It can do anything it wants. As an example (as I pointed out
to PCR), webvw will write files. If a newer version of that dll isn't
registered/updated then those particular file wouldn't be updated either
(if they needed to be).

The registering function might also call on other dlls or whatever else
processes, which may in turn do something that this particular dll
(or programmer) had no idea needed to be done. (information hiding).




"Bill in Co." wrote in message ...
OK, I think I have been misunderstanding this. Whether or not it's
"reregistered" in the registry is pretty much moot. What IS important is
what happens when a particular program exe file calls a DLL file, and finds
an invalid or missing reference within that DLL, which has nothing to do
with the registry.

Furthermore, if I now understand this correctly, the registering of the DLL
file in the registry is basically a "it is, or it is not" registered
process. That is, the actual variations of the DLL versions don't really
enter here, they only become significant when the DLL file is called and
executed by some exe program file.

Bill Blanton wrote:
"Bill in Co." wrote in message
...
If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly older
version
(with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in Explorer,
does
the new DLL version file have to be registered again?

Probably, but its not always necessary. Some processe will check the
registry
when they run, and update the reg if needed. (whether you want them to
or not, (as can be the case with file extension associations). Was it
the program's exe,, or did the main code call on a dll function, which
may or may not have been set up to work with regsvr32. In any case,
a registering dll has to be called, either by the regsvr32 or some other
code.


I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the same
(within
the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like added or
removed function calls, or external references), then probably.

External references is what registering is mostly about.
Register/Registry.
However not all dlls are self registering, I imagine some may _only_ be
self-
registering (such as webvw.dll?) ,and some don't do any registry writes at
all.
And of course, some may not even change across versions in what they need
to
stick in the reg.


Does
anybody know?

What dll, Colorado.?. Be careful of version soup. Or is that what you're
trying to fix? If you're just bringing one up to match the rest of the
system, I'd register it. (if it has that capability)



(registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the command line)

"Bill in Co." wrote in message ...
Bill Blanton wrote:
"Bill in Co." wrote in message

What dll, Colorado.?. Be careful of version soup. Or is that what you're
trying to fix? If you're just bringing one up to match the rest of the
system, I'd register it. (if it has that capability)

This is part two of my response, specific to this question. I recently
installed an Audio Editor program that "updated" some of my DLLs relating to
Real Player, and, as a consequence, my Real Player 8 was messed up.

Fortunately, though, I documented everything (I use SFC and its LOG file
quite a bit, I'll tell ya). :-)

So I *carefully* uninstalled that program (fortunately it had a custom
uninstall option detailing the process), paying VERY careful attention to
each and every DLL and OCX file that it added or updated and wanted to
remove, and I now have everything back to normal.

It was a bit tedious, but like many things, you have to workat it for the
best results. :-)

And it was a good learning experience. :-)

Whewf..

So it's good now? Most install/uninstall program routines will do all
the register/unregister crap for all the related dependencies. (they
should anyways...ymmv).

Check out the list of dlls that IE registers when you run the "IE-repair"
You know the link

I don't want to get involved in that one .. btw;
shell=command.com
works too. The desktop will load, but you'll get a dos-box as the shell.
But there's no %path% to c:\windows or ...\system iirc.

I doubt it would work in this case, considering the fact that progman
isn't loading...

Patching the reg from dos can't hurt if the values are correct.




"PCR" wrote in message ...
So, in a crunch, REGEDIT might do it...?...



--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Bill Blanton" wrote in message
...
| Regsvr32 pretty much just loads the dll and its dependencys and calls
| a specific named function in the dll. The dll can do anything
| it wants after that point, but writing or removing (unregistering)
| registry references is the usual use. (I doubt anybody uses self-
| registering *.dlls to the extent that MS does.. a good design, IMO)
|
| webvw.dll is a good example of a dll that will do more. It will
| write the *.htt and (I think) a few *.ini files to the ..\web
| folder (needed for "web view").
|
|
|
| "PCR" wrote in message
...
| I don't know, but you've got me thinking there is more to registering
a
| DLL than just getting it's name into the Registry.
|
|
| --
| Thanks or Good Luck,
| There may be humor in this post, and,
| Naturally, you will not sue,
| should things get worse after this,
| PCR
|
| "Bill in Co." wrote in message
| ...
| | If one uses a slightly updated DLL file to replace a slightly
older
| version
| | (with the same file name) by simply using copy and paste in
Explorer,
| does
| | the new DLL version file have to be registered again?
| |
| | I'm thinking that if the DLL function calls and headers are the
same
| (within
| | the DLLs), probably not, but if there is any difference (like
added or
| | removed function calls, or external references), then probably.
| Does
| | anybody know?
| |
| | (registering a DLL is accomplished by using regsvr32 at the
command
| line)
| |
| |
|
|
|
|