install program

[hag]

Almost completed my conversion from FW192 (1995) original version to FWH 32bit. All is working well and now bug testing.

But now I need a new install program. I've been using installshield...very old version. They now charge 700 USD...very expensive. Any suggestions on an alternative to installshield.

Thanks much.

[hua]

Inno Setup

[James Bott]

Inno Setup is free and very good.

Regards,
James

[hag]

Hua & James:

Already tried it and its easy and real good.
Thanks for the info.

Harvey

[StefanHaupt]

Harvey,

another very good and free installer is NSIS.
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page

If you want to have a similar look as InstallShield, there is an additional UI (user interface) you can use.
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Experience_UI

[Gale FORd]

You can also try Installer2Go and Setup2Go. They have a freeware version of each. One is for Microsoft .msi and the other creates .exe install files.

Very easy and complete.

http://dev4pc.com/installer2go.html

[hag]

James & Hua:

Trying to use Inno. It seems pretty good. But I can't get two things to work. An Icon on the shortcut created. And the correct "Start In" field on the shortcut properties. Using what they said: WorkingDir: "{app}" should put the correct info in the start in field but doesn't.

Your help will be appreciated.

Code: Select all  Expand view

Name: "{group}\{#MyAppName}"; Filename: "{app}\{#MyAppExeName}";  WorkingDir: "{app}"

[James Bott]

Harvey,

I am still using an older version of Inno (4.2.0) so yours may vary.

Here is an example of one of my scripts for the desktop shortcut.

Name: "{userdesktop}\Task Tracker"; Filename: "{app}\TASK.exe"; Tasks: desktopicon; WorkingDir: {app}

I do think that the icon has to be compiled into the EXE. Are you doing that? I note that you have quotes around {app} in the WorkingDir clause and I don't.

James

[hua]

Harvey,
I'm not sure whether the method that I adopted is the recommended approach or not on how to do things but it works for me. I normally place icons that I want for the shortcut in a 16-bit dll.

Below is a template of an actual inno script that I use.

Code: Select all  Expand view

; Script generated by the Inno Setup Script Wizard.
; SEE THE DOCUMENTATION FOR DETAILS ON CREATING INNO SETUP SCRIPT FILES!

[Setup]
AppName=<to replace>
AppVerName=<to replace>
AppPublisher=<to replace>
DefaultDirName=<default directory for installation>
DefaultGroupName=<name to appear in "Start->All Programs" >
DisableProgramGroupPage=yes
Compression=lzma
SolidCompression=yes
UsePreviousAppDir=no
OutputBaseFilename=install
OutputDir=issue

[Tasks]
;Crete icons on desktop
GroupDescription: "{cm:AdditionalIcons}"; Flags: checked
Name: "desktopicon"; Description: "{cm:CreateDesktopIcon}"; GroupDescription: "{cm:AdditionalIcons}"

[Files]
;I normally split my program into BIN (for exe's and dll's),
;BMP (for any graphic files) and DATA (dbf's, license file, etc)
Source: "Y:\MY_APPDIR\BIN\*"; DestDir: "{app}\bin"; Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs
Source: "Y:\MY_APPDIR\BMP\*"; DestDir: "{app}\bmp"; Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs
Source: "Y:\MY_APPDIR\DATA\*"; DestDir: "{app}\data"; Flags: ignoreversion recursesubdirs
; NOTE: Don't use "Flags: ignoreversion" on any shared system files

[Icons]
; these would actually create shortcuts
; NOTE: myicons.dll is a 16-bit dll. Icon's index starts from 0
Name: "{group}\My Super Duper App"; Filename: "{app}\bin\menu.exe"; WorkingDir: "{app}\bin"; IconFilename: "{app}\bin\myicons.dll"; IconIndex: 1
Name: "{group}\Software Activation"; Filename: "{app}\data\activate.exe"; WorkingDir: "{app}\data"; IconFilename: "{app}\bin\myicons.dll"; IconIndex: 0
Name: "{group}\{cm:UninstallProgram,My Super Duper App}"; Filename: "{uninstallexe}"
Name: "{userdesktop}\My Super Duper App"; Filename: "{app}\bin\menu.exe"; WorkingDir: "{app}\bin"; IconFilename: "{app}\bin\myicons.dll"; IconIndex: 1; Tasks: desktopicon
Name: "{userdesktop}\Software Activation"; Filename: "{app}\data\activate.exe"; WorkingDir: "{app}\data"; IconFilename: "{app}\bin\myicons.dll"; IconIndex: 0; Tasks: desktopicon

[UninstallDelete]
;by default, the uninstaller will uninstall only whatever it install so if
;there's any file created by the app or manually created by user, it won't be deleted
;so by using this section here, we're forcing it to delete
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{app}\bin\*.log"
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{app}\data\*.ntx"


[hag]

giving up on INNO can't get it to set the Start In field. Looking at Installerto go. It seems to work fine but I do have an issue with it that I'll post in the next day or so.

Thanks to all for you assistence.

[James Bott]

Harvey,

>giving up on INNO can't get it to set the Start In field.

If you right-click on the shortcut and select properties what is showing? I never had any trouble with this so it must be something simple--I'm sure we can solve it.

James

[hag]

Its a blank in the Start In field. Nothing shows up.

[hag]

james

one other item. You said:

> I do think that the icon has to be compiled into the EXE. Are you doing that?

I assume you mean to include it in my compiled rc file?

[James Bott]

Harvey,

>Its a blank in the Start In field. Nothing shows up.

Did you remove the quotes around {app} as I suggested in a previous message? If so, please email me a copy of your entire script file.

>I assume you mean to include it in my compiled rc file?

Yes, in your RC file. The entire contents of the RC file gets compiled into the EXE. The shortcut looks in the EXE for the icon.

Regards,
James

[hua]

I note that you have quotes around {app} in the WorkingDir clause and I don't.

Just a FYI, all {app} in my scripts have quotes and so far seems to produce what's wanted (Including the Start In field).