Installation and Startup

Diagram Designer

Diagram Designer	Installation and Startup

Installation

Diagram Designer is delivered in an installer package (or wrapper) or as a zip archive. Installation consists of

Installer package	Simply run the EXE file (eg. DiagramDesignerSetup.exe) and follow the instructions. You will be asked questions about file associations; use defaults for now. The installer creates a Start menu item and all necessary sub-items, as well as a convenient uninstaller (from Control_Panel/Add_or_Remove_Programs). This method of installation is preferred.

ZIP archive	The ZIP archive contains all the same files as the installer package, with the exception of files connected with uninstall. To install, create a directory (suggested is Program_Files/Diagram_Designer) and unzip the files to that directory. Make sure that you specify "create subfolders", if required, since the example files are destined for a separate subdirectory. You may execute DiagramDesigner.exe directly, or create the necessary Windows® shortcuts.

Diagram Designer creates and uses Windows® registry entries under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/MeeSoft
That entry could be removed for a complete manual uninstall, but there may also be entries for Image Analyzer which will be deleted..

Startup

Diagram Designer may be run by

direct execution of DiagramDesigner.exe (double-click from Explorer, or use Start/Run), or
execution of a created shortcut (created by installer or manually.

In addition, Diagram Designer can accept 1 or 2 optional parameters from the command line (or as part of a shortcut) as in:
DiagramDesigner<.exe> <default_diagram.ddd> <default_template.ddt>
where < > specifies optional components.

If, for example, you wish to create a shortcut to automatically load the Flowchart template, perform the following:

Create an ordinary Windows® shortcut to DiagramDesigner.exe
Edit the shortcut's Properties to add the Flowchart.ddt parameter. It is assumed that Flowchart.ddt is located in the DiagramDesigner folder, along with DiagramDesigner.exe.
If desired, the Run: parameter in the shortcut can be changed to Maximized. A Shortcut key could also be added.

In the image beside, the Target should be:
"G:\Program Files\MeeSoft\DiagramDesigner\DiagramDesigner.exe" flowchart.ddt
Note that the parameter is outside the double quoted path to the executable.

For administrators only:

If you wish to create an association to automatically load .ddd files AND the Flowchart template, edit the Explorer File-Type Properties to add the full path to Flowchart.ddt. The full path is outside the double quoted path to the executable. Type the full path at the end of the command line (you mustn't use DDE). Default associations must be previously created by the program options.
Tools - Directory Options - File-Types tab.
Select the extension, click Advanced and edit the Open item (set it as default).

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