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Creating a simple installer for Windows (and possibly other platforms)
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Arjen Markus
Oct 17, 2021, 1:43:24 PM10/17/21
to
Hello,
I am looking for a simple way to create an installer program. I have seen InstallJammer and that seemed promising (even if it is no longer under active development) but it fails to work - when I start it, I simply get a console window, no GUI to guide me through the steps. The tutorial nor the documentation are of any help.
What I want to do:
- Create a menu item to star the program
- Also add the program's installation directory to the path
- Allow the user to select one or two things
Very basic, but there you go. What are the options in this day and age? (I used to use a simple script from the Wiki, but that was before the advent of Windows 10)
Regards,
Arjen
I am looking for a simple way to create an installer program. I have seen InstallJammer and that seemed promising (even if it is no longer under active development) but it fails to work - when I start it, I simply get a console window, no GUI to guide me through the steps. The tutorial nor the documentation are of any help.
What I want to do:
- Create a menu item to star the program
- Also add the program's installation directory to the path
- Allow the user to select one or two things
Very basic, but there you go. What are the options in this day and age? (I used to use a simple script from the Wiki, but that was before the advent of Windows 10)
Regards,
Arjen
Harald Oehlmann
Oct 17, 2021, 1:56:17 PM10/17/21
to
for Windows, I use InnoSetup.
Maybe, Ashok may say what he uses for his TCL install packages.
Take Care,
Harald
Christian Gollwitzer
Oct 17, 2021, 3:34:14 PM10/17/21
to
Am 17.10.21 um 19:43 schrieb Arjen Markus:
people really want installers. On both Linux and macOS, individual
installers are regarded as unauthentic.
On Linux, the best thing is a single executable file or a tar.gz folder.
For Tcl, a starpack is the best you can do. For desktop icons one can
create a .desktop file, but usually that's not required. On macOS, the
typical distribution is a .dmg file (something like a file system image)
where the application can be copied to the /Applications folder. Xcode
can create installers, but .dmg is way easier to create and to use.
Best regards,
Christian
> I am looking for a simple way to create an installer program.
I'm just responding to the "possibly other platforms". Only on Windows,
people really want installers. On both Linux and macOS, individual
installers are regarded as unauthentic.
On Linux, the best thing is a single executable file or a tar.gz folder.
For Tcl, a starpack is the best you can do. For desktop icons one can
create a .desktop file, but usually that's not required. On macOS, the
typical distribution is a .dmg file (something like a file system image)
where the application can be copied to the /Applications folder. Xcode
can create installers, but .dmg is way easier to create and to use.
Best regards,
Christian
Gerhard Reithofer
Oct 17, 2021, 7:05:50 PM10/17/21
to
Hi Arjen,
just an idea but my knowledge is almost 20 years old.
There is a modules called Wizard in the BWidgets but there isn't any
manual for that.
AFAIR its a simple tool to create continuous dialogs with navigation
buttons and which allows input fields and callback functions, etc.
I have seen a documentation a very, very long time ago and finally I did
not use in for real as for the planned project the installation was
paid.
It uses the BWidet's PagesManager and its also the basis for orphaned
InstallJammer I think.
Maybe it's worth to take a look at it.
Bye,
Gerhard
--
Gerhard Reithofer - Techn. EDV Reithofer - http://www.tech-edv.co.at
just an idea but my knowledge is almost 20 years old.
manual for that.
AFAIR its a simple tool to create continuous dialogs with navigation
buttons and which allows input fields and callback functions, etc.
I have seen a documentation a very, very long time ago and finally I did
not use in for real as for the planned project the installation was
paid.
It uses the BWidet's PagesManager and its also the basis for orphaned
InstallJammer I think.
Maybe it's worth to take a look at it.
Bye,
Gerhard
--
Gerhard Reithofer - Techn. EDV Reithofer - http://www.tech-edv.co.at
Arjen Markus
Oct 18, 2021, 2:37:22 AM10/18/21
to
I will have a closer look at your suggestions.
Regards,
Arjen
rene
Oct 18, 2021, 2:55:16 AM10/18/21
to
dde is still working, just call "package req dde"
HTH
rene
Arjen Markus
Oct 18, 2021, 3:42:41 AM10/18/21
to
On Monday, October 18, 2021 at 8:55:16 AM UTC+2, rene wrote:
> Hello Arjen,
>
> dde is still working, just call "package req dde"
>
> HTH
> rene
Well, the question really is whether the communication with the Windows OS to add items to the Start menu also still works. I must admit I have not tried it ;). The old way I referrred to is at https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/page/Sample+installation+script.
> Hello Arjen,
>
> dde is still working, just call "package req dde"
>
> HTH
> rene
Regards,
Arjen
Ralf Fassel
Oct 18, 2021, 5:20:04 AM10/18/21
to
* Arjen Markus <arjen.m...@gmail.com>
looks like what people expect on Windows.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/nsis/
HTH
R'
| I am looking for a simple way to create an installer program.
Simple? It depends. We're using NSIS, once set up, it just works and
looks like what people expect on Windows.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/nsis/
HTH
R'
Mike Griffiths
Oct 18, 2021, 4:55:52 PM10/18/21
to
Peter Dean
Oct 18, 2021, 7:32:45 PM10/18/21
to
so it is still workable.
I have a batch file to start it
U:\tcl\installjammer\Binaries\Windows\installkit.exe ^
U:\tcl\installjammer\installjammer.tcl
hth
pd
Arjen Markus
Oct 19, 2021, 3:39:44 AM10/19/21
to
On Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 1:32:45 AM UTC+2, Peter Dean wrote:
> I still use installjammer occasionally for a couple of inhouse programs,
> so it is still workable.
>
> I have a batch file to start it
>
> U:\tcl\installjammer\Binaries\Windows\installkit.exe ^
> U:\tcl\installjammer\installjammer.tcl
>
> hth
> pd
I see: I mistook the installkit.exe executable for the entire application, but it is merely the tclkit executable. When I launched it as in your example, it started to work as expected. Thanks. Well, I now have quite a bunch of solutions to choose from.
> I still use installjammer occasionally for a couple of inhouse programs,
> so it is still workable.
>
> I have a batch file to start it
>
> U:\tcl\installjammer\Binaries\Windows\installkit.exe ^
> U:\tcl\installjammer\installjammer.tcl
>
> hth
> pd
Arjen
Ri Ho
Nov 23, 2021, 2:15:50 PM11/23/21
to
Yes, this response is a little late but..
I have been successful with innosetup and its companion product. It has been used to install apps that require admin access as well as those that don't. Those installers have been in the form of exe's. Many want\prefer a .msi, thou MS states in their docs that both constitute valid forms of install-able code. However, as we have experienced, MS will likely warn the user of impending disaster, etc ... if you don't download code from their store - which will require a certificate.
I have been successful with innosetup and its companion product. It has been used to install apps that require admin access as well as those that don't. Those installers have been in the form of exe's. Many want\prefer a .msi, thou MS states in their docs that both constitute valid forms of install-able code. However, as we have experienced, MS will likely warn the user of impending disaster, etc ... if you don't download code from their store - which will require a certificate.
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