PartyScore upgrade … last updated April 6, 2011

Windows XP Upgrade:

If you are running a downlevel version, you have two choices:

You can first uninstall the old version. Follow the procedure at “I’m done with PartyScore” in FAQs.

This only uses standard Windows features, but you’ll lose the data file, with the player roster and prior sessions.

There is a way to save the data: copy the data file, do the uninstall, do the download, then replace the data file.

However, the following method is simpler.

You can first delete the old version. This uses non-standard features, but saves the data file.

Bring up Windows Explorer (Start -> My Computer).

Assuming a default installation, you will find “PartyScore.exe” on the C drive at “Program Files\PartyScore”.

Delete ONLY the EXE file.

If you delete the old version, when you download the current version, you’ll get:

Select “Repair” and click on “Finish”.

Note: You’ll also get this window if you reinstall the same version. If you think the installed version is bad,

repair it, otherwise just Cancel.

To return to PartyScore download, click HERE.

Background (aka Whining):

Originally, I could deliver a zip’ed msi file as an Email attachment, but that’s not allowed anymore.

I contracted to convert my personal web site to Ecommerce. The web developers said they were done.

Define “done.”

I didn’t find out until a customer complained that “done” meant they stopped when they ran out of budget.

The purchase part of the web site never worked. Customers couldn’t complete account setup, so they

couldn’t use PayPal, and couldn’t download the paid version.

I didn’t get revenue, and I didn’t get an online customer database.

I couldn’t fix it because a lot of the functionality was buried in database initialization code that I can’t access.

I didn’t want a pissing contest (“It doesn’t work!” “You changed the requirements!”), so I gave in.

As a temporary fix, I made download of the free version actually download the paid version.

Recently, I found the Windows XP Microsoft Installer doesn’t work the way it used to, so I’ve dropped

the free version, rather than penalize a customer with having to go through the upgrade process.

The Installer used to handle an upgrade nicely, replacing version 2.5 with 2.6, but leaving the data file as is.

Now it keeps the old version and adds a second desktop icon. Go figure.

Actually, I have a theory: Microsoft may have put programmer trainees on XP maintenance, to

coerce you into paying for an OS upgrade, another thing they learned from IBM. The difference

is that when IBM customers found the mainframe DOS was getting buggier, they could refuse

tape updates, but Microsoft does automatic updates over the Internet, so you have no choice.

Finally, some cyberspace terrorists corrupted my web site. Twice.

In early March, 2011, the home page redirection to some other web site would fail, leaving just a green screen

with a thin white line at the top. Either they had a bug or it was a trial run.

In late March, 2011, the home page redirection to some other web site succeeded, showing an authentic-looking

virus warning, asking to download software from an unverified publisher, that probably would install a virus.

In both cases, Google detected the corruption, not the service provider, and it took me days to fix it. Google

would block showing my site in search results until I reported the site fixed and they verified it.

Now that I know how to fix it (replace every html and php file), the next time should take only an hour or two.

I also check periodically for unexpected files, and delete them, even “google…php” files. Not mine? Gone.

I can’t access code that I paid for, but a bad actor can manipulate my web site. Go figure.

Between corruptions, I reverted to good old Word-generated html, adding the search keywords with Notepad.

The only things I salvaged from the web developers’ code are the download PHP module (a bit of magic)

and the picture of the card players.

I could restore PayPal, but not everyone has PayPal and customers seem ok with sending a check, which

gives me a manual customer database, in case I have to report a PartyScore bug fix (none since January, 2010).

Then the write feature of my CD/DVD drive apparently broke, but it was just a bad batch of CDs.

Now there’s Windows 7 incompatibility with the XP Installer, but that’s another story. At least PartyScore works.

So far.