|
The SFX Installer Has Been Released for General Usage. |
PillarSoft, developers of
WarpZip, is announcing the SFX Installer.You
can download: sfx.exe (dated: 5/9/99 size: 558k) or sfx.zip (dated:
5/9/99 size: 465k)
clicking the logo above.
The SFX Installer offers the first one file archive/installation tool widely available on the OS/2 platform. It marries the installation tool for your software and it's own setup tools into one friendly package for point and click installation setups that are personalized for your software. SFX allows you to build an archive in standard or self-extracting format, with or without the installer.
There are no cryptic scripts to learn to write other than any setupstrings you need to place folders and icons on the desktop. The installation setup tool allows you to point and click a complete setup. When you are satisfied with how the archive should be setup you can save all the information and recall it when needed. SFX will save and retrieve as many setups as you have disk space for and will help the author of multiple programs to keep them organized. It can also be used as a general zip file distribution builder as well.
The SFX Installer includes several novel details for the software distributer including:
1) Dll and help file placement (and tracking) into existing LIBPATH and SET HELP directories so your user may avoid adding to these paths and also avoid rebooting before usage.
2) An uninstallation script is written at install time specific to the users installation that will, track all files your program has installed and remove any WPS objects created at installation time. This uninstall script can be modified if needed via a plugin.
3) Authors can make use of Plugin scripts to overcome any installation limitations that your installations need to perform. (examples included)
Although the installer is distributed as shareware, we invite freeware authors to use the installer free of charge as a small token of appreciation for their selfless work. Please read the license for more details.
SFX Installer offers
The SFX Installer offers the first one file archive/installation tool widely available on the OS/2 platform. It marries the installation tool for your software and it's own setup tools into one friendly package for point and click installation setups that are personalized for your software.
SFX allows you to build an archive in standard or self-extracting format and with or without the installer.
A standard zip file without the installer.
A standard zip file with the installer.
A self-extracting zip file without the installer.
A self-extracting zip file with the installer.
There are no cryptic scripts to learn to write other than any setupstrings you need to place folders and icons on the desktop. The installation setup tool allows you to point and click a complete setup. When you are satisfied with how the archive should be setup you can save all the information and recall it when needed.
When building a self-extracting zip file with the installer, the self-extractor will:
Check if there is enough freespace for the install
Prompt for another drive if freespace is marginal
Unarchive the files you are distributing
Start the installer automatically
Slide your bitmap across the splash screen
Display a readme or License if you choose to
If showing a License it will close and clean up if the License is not agreed to
Allow the user to set or select the installation directory
Allow the user to set or select the dll directory (if needed)
Allow the user to set or select the help directory (if needed)
Create the installation directory (if needed)
Add to the LIBPATH statement (if needed)
Add to the SET HELP statement (if needed)
Backup Config.sys (if needed)
Copy your files to the locations selected by the user
Create any program objects you have set up
Run your plugin commands to overcome any installation limitations (copy, move, rename, write ini files etc)
Write an uninstallation script specific to the installation
Delete all temporary files so only the original archive remains
If you need to place dll's or help files in the LIBPATH or SET HELP paths, SFX will display a listing of all directories currently in the (LIBPATH or SET HELP) path. The user can select from an existing directory that the installer has listed and no change will be made to their config.sys or they can choose to have the installer change the path statements to whatever they choose. No matter where they put the files, the uninstall script will know about it and will be able to delete them at uninstall time.
If you are running Warp 4 with fp10 and Object Rexx please download the "sfx.zip" archive.
CONTACT AUTHOR
More information and downloads are available at:
@Macarlo, Inc.
@Macarlo's Shareware & Web
OS/2
Java Lobby Member
Java Site Accredited