I've just put a beta version of InstallerGen on my website.

InstallerGen is a small GUI application for generating simple install scripts for the standard Installer utility. I started it a few years ago but neglected it until recently, when I decided to finish it off. It's now reached beta status - it's basically finished but not thoroughly tested.

I think it would be a good thing for more packages to include installer scripts, and hopefully this will help that happen. It can't do anything very complicated, but 90% of packages don't need that anyway.

You can download it here: http://www.robthenerd.com/show.php?sect=projects&sub=installergen&page=download

It's 68k, but tested and working on OS4 and MorphOS. It needs NList.mcc which I guess most people will have anyway...

Let me know what you think of it. Please test and examine the scripts it produces before you release them to the public as there could well be bugs still in there!

You can PM me here with problems / suggestions if you like, but my access to this site is limited and I'll be on holidays for a while so I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back to you about it.

Have fun!

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X

@Daedalus

You are right, Installer is a nightmare to use.

Your InstallerGen can be very useful.

I tried it quickly on OS4.

1) InstallerGen itself, is arbitrary installed into Work:InstallerGen

2) in the generated script, no interaction.
In the GUI, I added a "Choose location" and a "Enter string".

When I generate/run the script, it flys to "100% complete"



Installer script generated



Quote:

; test ; $VER: test ; ; Generated by InstallerGen! (complete 0) (set @app-name "test") (set @default-dest "Work:") ; qsd (message "qsd") ; dfg (set chemin (askdir (prompt "dfg") (help @askstring-help) (default "XXXX"))) ; dfg (set chemin (askdir (prompt "fg\n A drawer will NOT be created.") (help @askdir-help) (default @default-dest) ) ) ; (message "fdg") (complete 100)

Do I miss something ?
Thank you

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http://apps.amistore.net/zTools

@zzd10h

Unless something else is going on, I think you might be selecting "Beginner" as the user skill level at the start of installation. When that's selected, the script should run completely with as little user input as possible. Try run the scripts as "Expert" instead. It is possible to override that setting, perhaps I should add options for that, especially for choosing where to install...

Thanks for the feedback!

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X

@Daedalus

Great thing

will test it and report... one question if it works I would like to include it in future versions of Arios Vision. Would that be ok?

@Daedalus

Yes, you are right. It works.
I forgot that I use the following tooltypes in my own installers to display interactions.

DEFUSER=AVERAGE
MINUSER=AVERAGE

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http://apps.amistore.net/zTools

@OlafS25

Great, if you could let me know if it works I'll stick it in the Readme. And that's absolutely no problem to include it - but just wait until I've finished polishing it and release a full version.


@zzd10h

Good to know, thanks. Those parameters can also be set from within the script itself, so I think I'll add an option to set them on the script properties tab, and also to override the user setting for each step.

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X

@zzd10h

It's better to use (confirm) for any steps that have to be asked for novices, than disallowing novice mode entirely.

I tend to use novice mode for AmiUpdate AutoInstalls, if the program is already installed it's usually possible to do an upgrade install without asking any questions.

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"Miracles we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer" - AJS on Hyperion
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@Daedalus

Great work! I have been wanting for something like this to show up for a long time and actually thought of trying to create such a project myself in the past, but never started on it.

I will give it a try in the near future. There are far too many Amiga applications that do not include any Installer script.

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Amiga! The computer that inspired so many, to accomplish so much, but has ended up in the hands of . . . . . . . . . .

@Chris_Y

Yeah, I think it might be best to add an option to include the (confirm) for each step, so it's up to whoever is creating the script to decide which steps are important enough to stop the installation for in Novice mode. I guess I haven't really thought it through because I automatically choose "Expert" every time I install something.


@amigadave

Thanks Sorry it took so long I got sidetracked by a nasty bug early on and dropped it for ages...

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X

@Daedalus

Great it works in Aros Vision

I have played around with it a little

One thing regarding "user-startup". Is it possible to add assigns to it? With question if yes or no?

For me copying files and adding assigns would be the most important features because most libs are included in Aros Vision by default

@OlafS25

Quote:

One thing regarding "user-startup". Is it possible to add assigns to it? With question if yes or no?

Installer can do it, so it can "easily" be added to InstallerGen if it isn't there already.

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"Miracles we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer" - AJS on Hyperion
Avatar is Tabitha by Eric W Schwartz

@OlafS25

That's good news! As for the user-startup thing, there is a step type in InstallerGen for inserting lines into the user-startup file. I think it's called "startup" - which I might change now that I think about it. Anyway, that step lets you insert a line of whatever you like, just enter it in the Content text box. Unfortunately it's not very friendly for using variables yet, but it's there at least... For example, entering:

(cat "Assign MyProgram: " @default-dest)

as the Content of the Startup step type should work to add an assign MyProg: which points at the installation directory. I'm on my holidays now though so I can't check it.

I have a second beta nearly done which has better handling of variables for situations like this, and the ability to also make an assign directly in the script (so the user can run without rebooting for example). I'll hopefully finish it and let you try it out when I'm back in about 2 weeks.

Now, to find a nice restaurant in Paris

Last edited by Daedalus on 10-Aug-2014 at 06:09 PM.

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X

@Daedalus

thanx

have a nice holiday

Right, I've just uploaded a new beta of InstallerGen, you can get it here!

Many bugfixes and changes here based on some feedback (thanks to those who helped test it) and my own experience using it. Important changes are:

- New step specifically for adding assigns to User-Startup so you don't need to use the messy "cat" command and User-Startup step type combination.
- Many new step types (get version info, check if a file exists, exit script, rename/delete files, make assign directly from script, etc.)
- Some fields now change their label depending on context so it is less confusing
- Quit warning requester
- Support for default / minimum user level
- Option to force confirmation from user on some steps
- Lots of other stuff...

Please note that the project file format has changed so you cannot load projects created with the 0.5beta version. Sorry about that!

I'd be very interested in hearing people's feedback on this version, as I reckon it's close to finished now. Also, if anyone would like to make an icon for the application itself I would be extremely grateful as I don't have the time / talent to do it myself. Any or all platforms (OS 3.x, OS4, MOS) would be wonderful!

Thanks guys!

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X

@Daedalus

thank you very much too. Hope you had nice holiday in Paris

Will test it next weekend

@Daedalus

it works like charm, no wishes open

@OlafS25

That's good news, thanks! I'll polish it up a little and release a proper version shortly.

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RobTheNerd.com | InstallerGen | SMBMounter | Atoms-X