• Registered: 2020-05-12
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Editing existing aplication

Hi, a friend of mine gave me a fully working aplication developed in MVD, a repair shop clients/equipments database, which I intend to adapt to my own needs, as for exemple translating the captions from russian language to another language. My problem is that every time I edit this application and then save it again, I can no longer proceed from the first form, which is a login page with user and password.

From what I gathered, many configurations like actions taken when pressing a button, are gone, which leaves me with the form pages fully designed, but no code running in the back.

I understand that MVD auto compiles the application into a .exe file, once is executed, so my idea was that to modify the existing work in an application i should edit the .exe file, maybe that's not the right steps, but i've tried to open all other files present in the app folder and I always end up in same situation.

This is my first time trying to use this software, so any help & explanation would be really appreciated.

  • Registered: 2014-08-02
  • Posts: 906

Re: Editing existing aplication

Hello Umbigo

It is likely that your friend gave you the executable version of his application, ie he removed all the source code.
If you want to modify anything (action, add a function, translate from one language to another), it would be necessary that you have two types of files: script.pas which contains the interaction code and the source.vdb file which contains everything related to the interface. Decompiling the compiled files (.dcu) is useless since MVD will have to recompile the changes made in these files again.

If you only want to translate the captions, ask him to use the Translate function which will do the job without difficulty

JB

  • Registered: 2020-05-12
  • Posts: 5

Re: Editing existing aplication

Hi jean.brezhonek, thank you so mucn for your support.

I have checked the existing files and indeed I have a "sript.pas", but no "source.vdb".

Is there a way to extract these file from the executable or any other way?

I've tried to open the "script.pas" file in MVD, but I wasn't able to do it as the program doesn't support this file extention. What piece of software would I need to be able to edit this file?

I believe I might be able to contact the developer of this application but duo to the language barrier it might be harder than to try to solve this issue on my own.

Also, I was able to translate most of the captions editing the .xml file manually, which now I think was the less efficient and and more time consuming way to do it.

I would also need to modify, adapt  and create new forms, which would be way easier if I could use MVD software to do it.

I have attatched the application to this message so you can actually have a look and understand what I'm talking about, and see if there is actually the need to request any source code files.

I'm much appreciate for all the help and input you can give me.

Best regards.

  • Registered: 2020-05-12
  • Posts: 5

Re: Editing existing aplication

My attatchment was not succeeded duo to size so I've uploaded it to the following mega.nz link:

file/D8QiGQzI#N61kLLpD7zhXs_ImlkrQP77MQZsN3-17tg6et1p7Ur4

5 Reply by ehwagner (edited by ehwagner 2020-05-12 15:32:29)

  • Registered: 2015-11-13
  • Posts: 652

Re: Editing existing aplication

Umbigo,
If you remove the exe from the project folder and zip the rest, you should be able to upload to the forum. Since you do have the script.pas file, you may be in luck to recover. Make sure you upload the original project folder, not one that you tried to modify. Just curious as to why your friend is not helping you with this. Hope you are not trying to pirate it.

  • Registered: 2020-05-12
  • Posts: 5

Re: Editing existing aplication

Hi ehwagner and thank you so much for your input.

And to answear your question, I'm not trying to temper anything which I haven't been given premition to, let me elaburate the real situation.

I am an electronic technitian in a store which is not very organised in any way shape or form. Devices are received and only a piece of paper is writen with basic informations, and sometimes incomplete, and as you might understand, this contributes to further issues as to lost or misplace of this sheets, wrong or missing important information, no previous checking of the equipments e.t.c., and as the only technitian in the shop, this all falls in as responsabilities which I don't enjoy to have.

Another technitian from another shop, an ucranian guy, which has many contacts all over the internet, was kind enough to share with me this piece of software made by a russian friend of his, after earing me moaning about all my problems, and from what he said, his friend made this software open for download for anyone interested in having it, also giving the permition to anyone with skills for it to adapt it to its own needs.

My friend, who gave me this software, said that he tried to modify the language to portuguese so he could impress recives with it, but that he couldn't do it easly so he gave up, as he is way busier in his shop, and short in paticence for the matter, and so he said that he could give me this software, as it is exactly what I need, and in exchange I would translate it for both of us. He also said that he would be able to contact the developer of this application in case I had any question, but as enthusiast and impatient that I am, and being out of town for personal reasons, I couldn't help my self in trying to solve it before hand, and as I've got some spare time in my travel, I decided to give it a try.

I didn't think this info was relevant so I didn't include it from the biginning, but I asure you that I had green light to adapt this software to my needs.

And as you requested, I attached thecompressed application which was given to me without the .exe file.

Hope you will be able to help.

Best regards.

Post's attachments

Attachment icon 1.6H.rar 660.71 kb, 411 downloads since 2020-05-12 

  • Registered: 2015-11-13
  • Posts: 652

Re: Editing existing aplication

You indicated that you have the script.pas file, but it was not included in the project you uploaded. I suspect that the script.pas file was not part of the original project because that is a developers file and not an end user file. Unfortunately without that file it basically renders the app useless from a development standpoint because as soon as you recompile the project without this file, the app will not work properly. Some parts may work because of the use of standard MVD actions, but certainly not everything. The script.dcu indicates that there are definitely scripts that are required. I can get to the forms and database tables within MVD, but that's it. Unless Dimitry, the developer of MVD, has a way to re-create the script.pas file from script.dcu, I'm afraid you'll have to wait for your friend to provide the file. Sorry.

  • Registered: 2020-05-12
  • Posts: 5

Re: Editing existing aplication

Ohhh I see. The file was included in my edited version inside the script folder, I believe this is because MVD automatically generated this file once I saved the app to try my edits. It seems that I reached a dead end here, so the only solutions have are rebuilding the app with what I have got, which is not impossible given that this MVD seems so easy to use, and from what I have gathered I would only need to specify paths and what buttons do, or to get the files from the dev, which seems to be the easier way.

I'm going to try to get in contact with the dev and see if I can get hold of the developers version of the software.

I really appreciate all your help. Hope I'm going to be able to solve this issue.

Best regards

  • Registered: 2015-11-13
  • Posts: 652

Re: Editing existing aplication

You are correct. MVD does generate the script.pas automatically and you are also correct in that the absolute easiest way is to get the script.pas file from your friend. If you cannot get the file, you can still have the forms and tables available to you in MVD. You just have to figure out what pieces needs additional scripts to work. It looks like quite a complex app, so this may become a pretty daunting process. But to get you started with at least the forms and tables within MVD, open MVD and immediately do a save to save your new project to a folder on your computer. Then close MVD. Copy all the files and folders from your original project (from your friend) to the new project folder you just created. Open MVD and open your new project. The forms and tables should be visible inside MVD.