13 replies to this topic

[Bart]

i'm looking for an installer creator. i've tried a few (clickteam, installshield, nullsoft) but they're either too complex or too simple. features i need:

- copy files to a directory (_X_)
- get the bfme2 location from the registry (_Y_)
- make a shortcut something like this: "_X_" -mod "_Y_"

is this possible, or do i have to go and write it myself?

when this question is answered, you can move it to user submitted or something

[Stealthsnake]

sorry but i think ur have to make it ur self. Ive looked through them aswell and have the same problem.

Edited by Tom8778, 08 August 2006 - 10:17 PM.

[Lord Of Gifts]

I'm making a little php tool that will generate a simple NSIS script for you to compile. It will only support installing mods in a big file though, because (as far as I can tell) it is far too much work to install each file in its proper location.

[Bart]

guess i'll just conjure something in C# then (now i need to find out how to make shortcuts)

[Kwen]

i used one before but i dont remember how i did it...

[Gumby22don]

I made an installer in flash if anyone is interested, I used a free packager, which allows getting the install directory from registry, copying as many files across into different directories, and placing shortcuts. It wasn't perfect, but worked for 95% of people using Rise of Rome 1. PM me know if you want a copy.

Don
have a great day

Edit: Ok, From the response, I'll post it up for anyone to take and use as they see fit. I'll just have to find it again, and put it up in a manner people can understand. Give me a couple days, then hit me if its not posted.

Edited by Gumby22don, 09 August 2006 - 03:22 AM.

[zimoo]

QSetup

QSetup is supposed to be quite good, as it's what my mod team uses for installers.

[Solinx]

Qsetup doesn't have the best compression and it is not the easiest program to use the first time, but it does get the job done. Once you've set it up the first time, the only thing you have to do is update the files and recompile.

There is a small trick I use to make shortcuts with the installer. It doesn't use the registry, instead it does a search for "lotrbfme2.exe" and is then set to install a 0 kb dummy file in that map. It is also named "lotrbfme2.exe" and is only really installed under the condition that no such file already exists.
As you can see, the dummy file will never be installed. The reason for this is that now this dummy file can be set as the main executable of the 'application' we are going to install. You can then easily add a shortcut with the right parameters.

Note: Do not forget to set the dummy file not to be removed at the uninstalling of the mod!

There is probably be a better, correcter, way to do this, but there isn't as much documentation about this installer as I'd have liked and this works, so why bother?

The above explaination will pobably leave some questions. It is to late to write more detailed now. If you need any help using Qsetup, please send me a PM and maybe I can help you out.

Edit: I may just upload a generic shortcut profile file tomorrow. You can use that as a basis for the installers you want to make.

PS. If you can get it to work right, Advanced Installer looked pretty good. It failed to work at all for me, but I think that was just me doing stuff wrong.

Solinx

Edited by Solinx, 12 August 2006 - 11:18 PM.

[Pixel]

Edit: Ok, From the response, I'll post it up for anyone to take and use as they see fit. I'll just have to find it again, and put it up in a manner people can understand. Give me a couple days, then hit me if its not posted.

Wondering if we will be able to use/download this anytime soon?

[Bart]

i think i'm going to learn nullsoft

[Lord Of Gifts]

Nullsoft is rather simple to do, though it can be much more complicated, if you want it to be. Just take a look at the example scripts that come with it and it'll be a breeze.

But to help you along, the answers to your questions, for NSIS:

- copy files to a directory (_X_)

Creating an nsi script to install it this way is do-able, but alot of work. You would be repeating somthing like this for all your files:

SetOutPath "$INSTDIR\w3d\aa"
file "w3d\aa\aa1.w3d"
file "w3d\aa\aa2.w3d"
SetOutPath "$INSTDIR\w3d\ab"
file "w3d\ab\ab1.w3d"
file "w3d\ab\ab2.w3d"

Then if you opt to make an uninstaller you'll have to delete each file like...

Delete "$INSTDIR\w3d\aa\aa1.w3d"
Delete "$INSTDIR\w3d\aa\aa2.w3d"
RMDir "$INSTDIR\w3d\aa"
Delete "$INSTDIR\w3d\ab\ab1.w3d"
Delete "$INSTDIR\w3d\ab\ab2.w3d"
RMDir "$INSTDIR\w3d\ab"

- get the bfme2 location from the registry (_Y_)

ReadRegStr $BFME_2_INSTALL HKLM "SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\Electronic Arts\The Battle for Middle-earth II" "InstallPath"

- make a shortcut something like this: "_Y_" -mod "_X_"

CreateShortCut "$DESKTOP\YOUR MOD.lnk" "$BFME_2_INSTALL\lotrbfme2.exe" '-mod "$INSTDIR"'

[Bart]

ok thanks. i've just decided to but the mod in a .big file

doesn't the nullsoft software have some sort of generator that makes that script for you?

Edited by 2playgames, 15 August 2006 - 09:50 AM.

[Gumby22don]

Unfortunately, I seem to have lost my installer files in my last system crash. I may find a backup at some stage, but all my cds are somewhere under a bunch of boxes after moving house, so don't count on my installer any time soon.

Apologies,

Don
have a great day

[Bart]

i've already created and uploaded an installer with nullsoft. LoG was right, it really is easy once you know it a little bit

here is my script:

[codebox]
; settings for the installer
Name "Battle for Middle-earth II Deluxe Edition"
OutFile "bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.exe"

; get the _default_ install dir
InstallDir "$PROGRAMFILES\BFME2DeluxeEdition"
InstallDirRegKey HKLM "Software\BFME2DeluxeEdition" "Install_Dir"

; these page must be shown
Page directory
Page instfiles

; these for uninstall
UninstPage uninstConfirm
UninstPage instfiles

; the mode
Section "BFME2DeluxeEdition"

; Set output path to the installation directory.
SetOutPath $INSTDIR

; Put files there
File "bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.big"
File "bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.txt"

; Make shortcut
ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM "SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\Electronic Arts\The Battle for Middle-earth II" "InstallPath"
CreateShortCut "$DESKTOP\Battle for Middle-earth II Deluxe Edition (24-06-2006).lnk" "$R0\lotrbfme2.exe" '-mod "$INSTDIR\bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.big"'

; Write the installation path into the registry
WriteRegStr HKLM "SOFTWARE\BFME2DeluxeEdition" "Install_Dir" "$INSTDIR"


; Write the uninstall keys for Windows
WriteRegStr HKLM "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\BFME2DeluxeEdition24062006" "DisplayName" "Battle for Middle-earth II Deluxe Edition (24-06-2006)"
WriteRegStr HKLM "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\BFME2DeluxeEdition24062006" "UninstallString" '"$INSTDIR\uninstall_24062006.exe"'
WriteRegDWORD HKLM "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\BFME2DeluxeEdition24062006" "NoModify" 1
WriteRegDWORD HKLM "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\BFME2DeluxeEdition24062006" "NoRepair" 1

; make uninstaller
WriteUninstaller "uninstall_24062006.exe"

; show the readme
ExecShell "open" "$INSTDIR\bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.txt"


SectionEnd

; uninstaller
Section "Uninstall"

; Remove registry keys
DeleteRegKey HKLM "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\BFME2DeluxeEdition24062006"

; Remove files and uninstaller
Delete "$INSTDIR\bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.big"
Delete "$INSTDIR\bfme_2_deluxe_24_06_2006.txt"
Delete "$INSTDIR\uninstall24062006.exe"

; Remove shortcut
Delete "$DESKTOP\Battle for Middle-earth II Deluxe Edition (24-06-2006).lnk"

SectionEnd
[/codebox]

Edited by 2playgames, 15 August 2006 - 03:11 PM.