Is It Possible To Have Two Versions Of Me...

[Linda]

Hi!

 

We'd really like to move up to the latest version of ME, but that's going to require carefully testing a large number of existing macros before we switch everyone's ME versions over.

 

To do this testing (and still be able to get other work done), is it possible to have two versions of ME on the same computer, so that I could switch between them (stop one and start the other, and then back again)? Or will downloading the new version over-write the old?

 

Thanks for your help!

[kevin]

Linda,

 

The short answer is "not recommended." A longer answer is ... "it depends."

 

Macro Express v 3.4b and earlier use icapture.dll. This file is a 'browser helper object' that integrates into Windows and Internet Explorer. Icapture.dll is 'registered' with Windows and only one copy of this file can be registered with Windows at a time. Icapture.dll did not change very often between different versions of Macro Express but it did change several times. Later versions of icapture.dll may be incompatible with earlier versions of Macro Express and visa versa.

 

Beginning with Macro Express v 3.5, icapture.dll is no longer needed. So, you will have better luck having Macro Express v 3.5a or v 3.5 installed at the same time as v 3.4b and earlier.

 

There are a few other things to consider:

 

1. The preferences between multiple versions of Macro Express will be the same. This includes the macro file. If you load a macro file created with the latest version of Macro Express into an earlier version of Macro Express, new macro commands will be converted to Text Type statements.

 

This makes going between versions tricky. Not impossible though.

 

2. The folder where Macro Express is installed is written into the registry (along with the other preferences). If one of your macros looks at the location where Macro Express is installed, it may not work properly.

 

3. When Macro Express is installed, it registers the file extensions .mex and .mxe with Windows. This allows you to double-click on macro files and have them loaded into Macro Express.

 

This feature will not work properly if you have two versions of Macro Express loaded.

 

You may be able to get around the problems with issues #1 and #2 (and ignore issue #3) if you use Windows XP, 2000 or NT. The solution is to create multiple user logins (for Windows). Install Macro Express v 3.4b with the login 'Linda' and install Macro Express v 3.5a (or later) with the login 'adniL'. Make sure you turn off the 'All users use same settings' option in Options | Preferences | Miscellaneous for both versions.

[Linda]

Thanks for the info!