Feature request: Support for silent install answer files

[ruudboek]

For lots of applications one line just isn't enough to do a silent
install.
They can only be installed by using a sepererate answerfile.
An answer file has to be created by someone at forehand and placed
somewhere, for example, within the AppSnap program folder.

Let me first explain how answerfiles work with this installshield-
based setup example:

1. Create an answer file by running the setup with the following
command: setup.exe -r.
2. The setup is now run. Every step you take in the setupwizard will
be recorded in a setup.iss file. Go through all the steps of the
setupwizard.
3. After you went through the setupwizard and finished the
installation, the answer file can be found in the Windows directory.

Now you can run the installation silently on any computer by
specifying the setup.iss in the command line. Setup will then install
the application by using the options that you selected during step 2.

The complete silent install command will be:
Setup.exe" -s -f1C:\Windows\Setup.iss

The setup.iss file does not have to be located in the windows
directory, it can be located anywhere. The only thing that needs to be
adjusted is the path next to the -f1 switch.


Answer files do not only apply to installshield based setups, there
are many more installerstypes that use answerfiles.
Another example is Vise installer:
http://www.it-experts.dk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=164


If AppSnap is going to support answerfiles, which is crusual in my
opinion, there is also another issue that needs to be addressed.
I think answer files should be included in the update mechanism of
AppSnap.
After all, it is very much possible that a manufacturer decides to add
more steps to their setupwizard, and when that happens, the answer
files no longer functions properly.
Since AppSnap already provides the option of db.ini updates, which
includes the silent install parameters, it is only logical for answer
files to be updated or removed also.

[Ganesh Viswanathan]

This is a great idea. The details below will be extremely useful while implementing it. I've added this to my todo list.

Thanks.