Distribution methods
ViveEngine ships in two forms: a shared edition that several apps can reuse, and a dedicated edition built for specific product. The shared edition is the default. Dedicated editions are available by request.
Shared edition
The shared edition installs the engine as a separate product, so multiple apps on the same system can use one copy.
We ship it as a self-extracting installer. If the engine is already present, the installer checks the version and upgrades it if needed, but never downgrades. Upgrades are backwards compatible, and this approach guarantees that we always have the engine version compatible with all the apps using it.
The engine can only be fully uninstalled after all apps that depend on it are removed.
Example
Your app is installed in C:\Program Files\YourApp. During installation, it installs or upgrades the engine in C:\Program Files\ViveEngine.
Dedicated edition
A dedicated edition is a build made specifically for your product, with separate identifiers, certificates, installation paths, etc.
- It is separate from all other editions and can safely coexist with any other ViveEngine installations.
- Its update cycle is fully in your control, since your app manages it exclusively.
You can ship it two ways:
- Self-extracting installer. Installs the dedicated edition as a standalone product, with its own identifiers and certificates.
- Embeddable bundle. In addition to the installer, we provide a bundle you can ship as part of your app, rather than as a separate product.
Example
Your app is installed in C:\Program Files\YourApp. During installation, it sets up the engine in C:\Program Files\YourApp\EngineBundle.
White label
White-label solutions always use the dedicated edition. A dedicated build of the engine is embedded directly into the app, which fully controls the engine version and update cycle.
Comparison
| Shared edition | Dedicated edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Default | By request |
| Identifiers and certificates | Standard | Custom |
| Self-extracting installer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embeddable bundle | ✓ | |
| Isolation | Shared runtime, one copy per system | Isolated from all other installations |
| Updates | Shared, backwards compatible | You control the version and update cycle |