Simple Application Installer - Finally Released

[simply_simon]

This is it! After several attempts to get it working properly, I finally have a release-able version. Screenshot below:

Basically, it's just a script based installer that calls up your installs one at a time based on what is entered into the script file. The syntax is very much batch/RunOnceEx orientated, so it's familiar territory to those who normally use those methods. It has a nice clean GUI interface, so it's much tidier than a batch file... and if you have LOADS of installers, much smaller than the RunOnceEx window.

Here's the biggy though, you can put the script file into the root of ANY drive letter, and the program will find it (Program itself can be run from any location you want) and then run your installs from that location. This is very handy if you want to run the installs from a network drive. You can map a drive letter to a network resource using the 'NET USE' command and put your script file there. The script uses a Wildcard system to denote the drive letter, so it makes the code far more portable between different installation types.

This program will not be for everyone. If you want preselectivity for your software, this will be looked at for a future release. If you want lots of eye candy, there are several prettier methods out there, such as WPI for example. This progam caters to those that want the job done, quickly and simply, with the minimum of fuss, but with a nice looking end result. I've released it under the GPL, so the source is available for you to muck around with if you think you can improve on it at all (You'll need VB6 to compile).

Examples of the scripting are included in the archive, but I will be posting some more later on.

Program and source are attached. The program is also available from here.

Application_Installer.rar

PreSource.rar

[Worf]

Good work m8, i sure will be giving this a go

[Dumpy Dooby]

This is very similar to KTools, right? Other than the ability to automagically find the script file, what's the difference between this and KTools (if there are any differences)?

Thanks in advance.

[simply_simon]

I've been checking out KTools and I'll take nothing away from it, because it's an excellent app. There are one or two differences in the way the two progs work to be honest and it's really just a case of trying out both and seeing which works best for you.

At present, I'm just testing the water, so to speak, by finding out what people want to use for their installs. The main 'selling' point of my app is it's simplicity in coding, but with a good deal of versatility. Also, the locating of the script file is an idea brought up by one of my 'guinea pigs' during initial tests, so it's just a case of listening and catering for what people want.

I'm not saying this is any better than anything else out there, just an extra choice really.

[Dumpy Dooby]

I like the look of this one more than KTools. KTools still has that RunOnceEx look to it.

[simply_simon]

Well let us know how you get on with it....

[simply_simon]

As promised, here are a few lines from my preinst.ini file to give some working examples:

<lbl>Installing MS Visual Studio
<cmd>*\Install\MSVS\Smsinst.exe /k (SERIAL REMOVED)
<cmd>runhiddenconsole.exe /w sleep 500
<lbl>Installing Nero 6 Ultra Edition
<cmd>regedit /S *\Install\Nero\register.reg
<cmd>*\Install\Nero\setup.exe /silent /noreboot
<lbl>Installing K-Lite Mega Codec Pack
<cmd>*\Install\KLM\klmcodec147.exe /verysilent /LoadInf="klmcp.ini"
<lbl>Installing MS Office 2003
<cmd>*\Install\Office\setup.exe /qb- TRANSFORMS=Unattended.MST
<lbl>Installing 7Zip
<cmd>*\Install\7z.exe
<lbl>Installing Alcohol 120%
<cmd>regedit /S *\Install\alcohol\prerun.reg
<cmd>*\Install\alcohol\alcohol120.exe
<cmd>*\Install\alcohol\AlcReg.exe
<lbl>Restarting Your Computer.....
<cmd>runhiddenconsole.exe /w *\Install\cleanup\cleanup.bat

I have been reluctant to use bare MSI files, as they seem to mess up somewhat, so I generally package them with 7Zip and use the msistub.exe to launch the MSI's within. Of course, you could run them unpackaged with either StartX.exe or msistub.exe (Best placed in the system32 folder).

You will note that you can use as many CMD lines per install as you want. The most I have used so far is three but it's unlimited, as the program just parses each line and looks for the tags. If it doesn't recognise anything, it will just skip to the next line.

Edited March 6, 2006 by simply_simon

[Dumpy Dooby]

I'm getting the message,

"Run-time error '5';

Invalid procedure call or argument"

I made a quick little test ini file to see if that would work, but it didn't. Here's my INI:

Application Installer Configuration File
----------------------------------------
<TiTle>
<Text1>
<Text2>
<Font>
<ProgColor>
----------------------------------------
<lbl>.NET Framework v2.0.50727
<cmd>c:\windows\NOTEPAD.EXE
<lbl>NOD32 Antivirus System v2.51.20
<cmd>c:\windows\NOTEPAD.EXE
<cmd>c:\windows\NOTEPAD2.EXE

Nevermind. I figured it out.

PS-

I got it working just fine with WPI. I'm working on implementing my own custom stuff so all will work well with my directory structure (but this is a modification to WPI, not Simple AI). One question, though: What format should the color be in? If, for example, I wanted it to be white, do I put "white" "0xffffff" "#fff" "255 255 255" etc?

Thanks a bunch for the app.

Edited April 20, 2006 by Dumpy Dooby

[MAVERICKS CHOICE]

Used it yesterday seemed to go really smooth, did not have any msi issues whatsoever. Seemed a little quicker than Runonceex.

One Q. though if I need to reboot midway & start off with next programs etc, do I simply use a second preinst.ini & call it preinst2.ini?

your suggestions appreciated.

Cheers

MC.

Edited April 23, 2006 by MAVERICKS CHOICE