rInstaller

Now available: version 2.1.The latest version of the installer includes components, which enable the user to choose which parts of an application they would like to install. In addition, version 2.0 added the ability to automatically register DLLs and OCXs on installation, and mark files as shared.

The installer gives you the power to package your programs as a single, easy-to-transfer, compressed Setup.exe file which will unpack to give a fully professional install, including files, registry entries, associated extensions and an uninstaller. You can use it for anything, from packing up a few files to send to a friend to distributing a worldwide application, and the one-file format of the output makes it ideal for Internet downloads - in fact that's what it was designed for.

A rundown of its features:

• Split your program into components, and let the user choose what they need.
• Install as many files as you like, packed up into a single shipped file
• GZIP compression greatly reduces the size of the install
• Installation components allowing the user to choose what to install
• An uninstaller which removes everything the installer put in
• Include as many Start Menu shortcuts as you like, to extra tools, readme.txt files, help etc.
• Pre-fill your application's section of the registry as a part of the install process
• Register DLLs and OCXs when you install (and unregister them on uninstalling)
• Full support for shared files - you can even share with other installers!
• Associate extensions with your application
• ... and of course you can have a background picture!

The Setup.exe file which installs this Installer (Downloads, below) is, of course, made using the Installer itself. A sample project file is also included, indicating how you can fill in the various sections to produce a fully fledged product install set.

How do I use it?

To create an install set, you will be using the rInstall Project Editor which has a simple user interface allowing you to set up all the features listed above. The project editor looks like this:

The Project Editor, showing some of the important features

Each of the first five tabs allows you to set up one part of the install, and the final tab is where you create the build after you have decided on everything else. For more detail, see Working with the Editor.

Supported Platforms

The installer is designed and built under Win98, and has been tested under 98 and 95. It also works under Windows 2000 and XP. The Setup.exe files it produces will work under the same platforms.

Feedback

This product is very much in the testing stages, so please tell me of anything that goes wrong or you'd like improving at richard@redcorona.com.

Download now

rInstaller_Setup.exe, 1.5MB, Win95 and above
Download the latest version (2.1, uploaded 16/8/2002) and start packaging your programs for the web!

Disclaimer: I will not be held responsible for any system or file damage caused by the Installer or any Setup file created by it.

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Page and site © Richard Smith 2001
Please send any comments to richard@redcorona.com - thank you.