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Storme Installer (formerly Install-It)


xwinterx
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Hi!

I decided that after terminating SOFA (Script Obfuscator For AutoIT) since the "official" obfuscation program works so much nicer, I wanted to build a simple installer suite. What I am looking for are suggestions for features that users look for while choosing an installer.

That is pretty much it. I know users like options like registry entries, option for uninstallers, etc... Please give me some more suggestions please? I will be placing my first release in the next day with the limited functionality that you see above. Thanks!

Since Larry already ventured into using "Install-It" or something very similar, I just renamed this to Storme Installer.

Here is my feature "to do" list:- Customizable EULA

- Option to display a EULA period (removed v0.2)

- File list to include bookmarks for

- Optional Splash screen

- Customizable GUI side graphic (v0.2)

- Registry Entries

- Desktop Shortcuts

- Start Menu Shortcuts

- Uninstaller

- Browse to non-default directory for "installation"

- A registry entry to hold the version number, so if you try to re-install something that already exists it will tell you to stop. HKLM\Software\ProgramName\Version\

- Ability to add password protection to the setup.

- An OS requirements, let installer only run on certain OS

- Customizable "finished" screen.

- Give option to force a restart/launch program/view help or readme file after install.

- Support different languages.

- Support save/save as/open for project files

- Set a new default "projects" target for posting packaged projects to.

- Remembers "last source directory" in the packager. (v0.2)

- Fix a bug in the shortcuts creation where it is leaving off a "\" somewhere.

- Much more I'm sure!

EDIT - 6-10-07

Uploaded my very first release! yay!! okay... the comments suck and my coding skills kinda suck too, so I am sure there are better ways to do some of the stuff I have done. Sorry, but at the moment, they make sense. I also like to have all my needed functions and constants in there so I don't need to #include things, just my little vice.

To get it running, look over the code to make sure you feel it is safe, then compile the installer.au3 file and name it Setup.exe. Compile the packager and name it whatever you like. Now just run the packager. I have included a little ReadMe.rtf as a mini guide.

Thanks to ezzetabi for the great filecopy w/ progress bar. It works decently enough for me until I get far enough to do that myself. Please be nice on your comments, am just a newbie, and suggestions are quite welcome!

Edit - 6-16-07

Nothing has changed as far as functionality. I am still looking into that shortcut bug, but havent really had the opportunity. The big change is presentation. Thanks to eltorro's inspiration, I have reworked the guis and made use of child windows. I have also made the side-logo's customizable. To add your own in, just drop them in the "logos" folder and restart the packager. I did add a "last source directory" registration checking. It will rememeber where you last browsed to based on a registry entry when selecting a project source directory. A thing or two was added to my "to do" list or scratched off as complete.

Previous Downloads:

v0.1.1 - 83 downloads!

Storme_Installer.rar

Edited by xwinterx
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Sounds like a great idea!

1. A registry entry to hold the version number, so if you try to re-install something that already exists it will tell you to stop.

HKLM\Software\ProgramName\Version\

2. Ability to add password protection to the setup.

3. A splash screen for the install, let user use his/her own images to show during install.

4. An OS requirements, let installer only run on certain OS

5. Give option to force a restart after install.

6. Support different languages.

... maybe an uninstaller?

www.itoady.com

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think it's a good idea. The program could just write and compile an AutoIt script and that will be the output. Shouldn't be hard at all to make the core of the program. Version checking and other stuff might get tricky. Good luck! Oh, and read the sig!

http://www.autoitking.co.nr Site is DOWN | My deviantART | No Topic Topic - Don't do it!-------------------- UDF's/Scripts:AutoIt: [BenEditor 3.6] [_ShutDown()]PHP: [CommentScript]Web Based AutoIt: [MemStats] [HTML to AU3] [User LogIn and SignUp script]
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Right now it just packs everything to a zip file using the xzip dll then unpacks it with the directory structure intact. Here is what I have so far. Been pounded at work, so lots of OT and not lots of AutoIt time.

I'll try to get what I have working and packaged enough to toss up here this weekend, 12 hour shifts are killing me. heh.

*EDIT*

Moved list to first post.

Edited by xwinterx
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To me, this installer idea looks ideal for commercial applications. However, 'secure' AutoIt is not very; your source could be stolen, and any obfuscation can be unravelled with time. This might be difficult, but perhaps some sort of alternate packing would be possible when compiling the script, so that people can't just read it with OllyDBG. I would have no idea where to start, but it would definitely be nice.

I would have told you I have Alzheimer's, but I forgot.My Splendid-Tastic Blog

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Below is a link to an installer I completed about 75% of the way. I actually used it to do an install a few times. It reads a config file for the messages so it's easy to change the language. It uses NSIS commands for the installer engine. I did not complete the registry write code or the uninstaller. It's mostly trivial stuff left. I have it set up as a dry run through. Check it out, maybe there is something you can use.

Extract it to a folder. wizard.au3 is the main script.

Unmaintained Installer Posted Image downloads.

ScreenShots

Edited by eltorro
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Here's a link to an installer I completed about 75% of the way. I actually used it to do an install a few times. It reads a config file for the messages so it's easy to change the language. It uses NSIS commands for the installer engine. I did not complete the registry write code or the uninstaller. It's mostly trivial stuff left. I have it set up as a dry run through. Check it out, maybe there is something you can use.

Extract it to a folder. wizard.au3 is the main script.

ScreenShots

cool... will check it out.

edit...

wow! very professional... I think there are a number of things I can possibly add to the installer as well as modify my packager to possibly create packages for it... if I can have permission to work with your script and merge the two projects, of course.

Edited by xwinterx
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cool... will check it out.

edit...

wow! very professional... I think there are a number of things I can possibly add to the installer as well as modify my packager to possibly create packages for it... if I can have permission to work with your script and merge the two projects, of course.

Have at it.

At the time I started it, there wasn't xzip or the zip plugin so I packed all the files in a self extracting zip file and ran the compiled script after extraction from the zip to a temp dir. I used NIS Edit to create the setup.lst and then modified it in SciTE removing the incompatible(read: not implemented yet) stuff. My next step was to get the registry write going.

Have fun with it.

Edited by eltorro
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Have at it.

At the time I started it, there wasn't xzip or the zip plugin so I packed all the files in a self extracting zip file and ran the compiled script after extraction from the zip to a temp dir. I used NIS Edit to create the setup.lst and then modified it in SciTE removing the incompatible(read: not implemented yet) stuff. My next step was to get the registry write going.

Have fun with it.

Thanks. That is what I am doing with the zip file, but since I have Xzip now, I am using that. The NSIS stuff looks cool, but not really sure if I need to worry about it. Basically when "installing" the actual files, it just unzips the zip file to a temp then copies it over to the target dir. But still interesting, I love the way you have your GUI setup and I think that was my biggest problem was how to make it look nice and professional. I forgot about childwindows and found your use of them to nav around excellent, so that is what my next version will have.

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Thanks. That is what I am doing with the zip file, but since I have Xzip now, I am using that. The NSIS stuff looks cool, but not really sure if I need to worry about it. Basically when "installing" the actual files, it just unzips the zip file to a temp then copies it over to the target dir. But still interesting, I love the way you have your GUI setup and I think that was my biggest problem was how to make it look nice and professional. I forgot about childwindows and found your use of them to nav around excellent, so that is what my next version will have.

The NSIS stuff groups the files so that a menu options can be provided. It also has the commands to change the output dir for specific files, defines the short cuts to create, directory creation. I still needed to add dll/ocx registration

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The NSIS stuff groups the files so that a menu options can be provided. It also has the commands to change the output dir for specific files, defines the short cuts to create, directory creation. I still needed to add dll/ocx registration

Yeah, seems quite efficient. As soon as I get everything else kinda where I want it, I'll be looking into the NSIS stuff more. I just want to make it as simple for the end-user as possible, and I am about as simple of an end-user I can find. hahaha. I am in the process of revamping my gui's on the installer and making use of child windows, so it all looks and fees a bit more professional like yours. I've also started to use the child windows on the packager so in some instances users will be able to see how the welcome and finish windows will look after their modifications.

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Yeah, seems quite efficient. As soon as I get everything else kinda where I want it, I'll be looking into the NSIS stuff more. I just want to make it as simple for the end-user as possible, and I am about as simple of an end-user I can find. hahaha. I am in the process of revamping my gui's on the installer and making use of child windows, so it all looks and fees a bit more professional like yours. I've also started to use the child windows on the packager so in some instances users will be able to see how the welcome and finish windows will look after their modifications.

pm me if you need help with something, I'll do what I can.

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amazing program...I love it, any idea's for an update? if you'd like help, or someone to bounce idea's off of, email me, or add me to your msn, diablo_rules78@hotmail.com

when I run the installer, and it creates the shortcut...it actually misses a "\" for example

C:\Documents And Settings\Liz\Desktop\NewFolder\

the .ink file on my desktop will show

C:\Documents And Settings\Liz\Desktop\NewFolderMyfile.exe

Edited by ReaImDown
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