Installer program?

[stuartls]

Maybe I just have no idea how it actually works, but after I develope my rev program and save it to cd rom I am kind of confused. If someone gave me a program on CD rom or of course I buy it when I slip the CD rom into my drive an automatic "installer" type of program takes over and installs the program into the directory that I chose. Am I missing something with the rev program? Or do I need to purchase ad-on software?

Stu

[Mark]

Hi Stu,

Programs don't automatically turn into an istaller when you put them on a CD. You need to create installer software or use a tool such as VISE or InnoSetup. You could also create your own installer with Revolution.

Best,

Mark

[xApple]

Rev standalones don't need to be installed. Just copy the ".exe" file to somewhere convenient on your hard disk and launch it.

Cheers.

[Mark]

xApple,

Although I don't quite agree. Some form of installation is often required, as many Windows users don't know how to associate files with the correct icons and how to create shortcuts in the Start menu. There are also cases in which the user doesn't know how to copy a standalone from a CD. To avoid too many support requests, an installer can be very useful.

Best,

Mark

[xApple]

Mark: yup you are right. Automation and less work for the user is always good. I just wanted to point out to stu that an installer isn't mandatory with rev programs. Your first post could have misguided him.

Cheers, xApple.

[Mark]

Hi xApple,

I did't mean to mislead anyone, I apologise if I did. I am pretty sure Stu already tested his standalone without an installer. He must be aware that an installer is not necessary to run the standalone. Also he seems to be talking about launching or installing the standalone from a CD, which implies he wants to distribute his software.

Best,

Mark

[Garrett]

Using an installer and a .inf file for the cdrom will do the job 80% of the time for a windows box. The other 20% are probably like me and have autorun disabled.

Stu, either look up .inf online and then either create your own install using Rev, grab a freeware installer like Inno, buy an installer, or even use a .bat (batch) file.

At least for windows you can do this. I'm not sure how to do it on Mac, and I don't believe Linux has any kind of autorun yet.

[stuartls]

Thanks guys!

Thinking of what the problems would be just running if off the CD. You see i am not that familiar with programming and have made great strides with REV with the help of everyone in the forum. So I am learning and appreciate everyones imput and direction. I would like it to be installed on someones hard drive however. Maybe I can give them a choice in the matter. I think one of my biggest worries at this point has to do with password protection. That is an area i really don't understand. Don't get me wrong I understand the concept but am just not sure on how to get to where i want. The password part of it I am thinking why not do it with an "IF" statement. But lets say I distribute 100 copies of my CD. If I want each one to have a unigue password wouldn't that run into a problem in code, meaning I would have to hard code my stack for each password. I think in my mind I can work around all that and might just do 100 or so different passwords and save them on my hard drive for burning to a cd as 100 separate files (programs). BUT is there any way to prevent a CD from being copied? Also is there any way to lock my code so it is not viewable by the end recipient on a text editor? For example someone does manage to copy one of my CD's then it would have the same password as the one copied from. AND I don't want someone getting into my code via a text editor and changing it so there is no password, or reading it and freely distributing it. Really need help on the protection end of it guys.

And I thank you in advance!
Stu

[maxs]

Hi,
The only installer programs I have com across work for Mac only, and it hijacks the app into some package, so it cannot be used with with a windows installer.

Is there a way or program that I can use to build a Mac installer and Windows installer that share the same app?

Max

[Mark]

Hi Max,

I created an installer creator with Revolution. I create standalones with Revolution and my Installer Maker uses these standalones to create platform specific installers. I still end up with three diffent packages (Win, Mac, Nix), but the final result is still easier to deal with than three folders with files and executables.

Best,

Mark

[FourthWorld]

I think one of my biggest worries at this point has to do with password protection. That is an area i really don't understand. Don't get me wrong I understand the concept but am just not sure on how to get to where i want. The password part of it I am thinking why not do it with an "IF" statement. But lets say I distribute 100 copies of my CD. If I want each one to have a unigue password wouldn't that run into a problem in code, meaning I would have to hard code my stack for each password.

Do you mean the password to protect your stack's scripts or a registration code for your users?

Unless you're selling source code, you can just use a single password since no one but you will ever need access to your source.

For registration codes, rather than a single code you may want to use a formula to define a series of code algorithmically. This way you can generate any number of them, and when the user enters the code in your app's reg window it checks the string against the algorithm to see if it's valid or not.

A simple example might be "MP-100108-4444" where the first two letters are the initials of your app (here "MP" for "MyProduct"), the first set of numbers is a release date, and the last set of numbers is a serial code. It's simple enough to verify by making sure any reg code entered has "MP-100108-" followed by an integer within a specific range.

Of course that particular scheme is too simple to use in the real world, but you can make all sorts of variants of that by adding additional characters whose values are derived from other characters so that attempting to change any character produce an invalid string unless you know the pattern.

For example, you could have a function in your key generator which takes the value of the first and third characters and averages them to produce the second character, and that second character could be averaged along with the fourth character which may be of a certain range subtracted from an arbitrary fifth character to produce a six, and so on. Once you derive a scheme for generating codes you make another to check a string using that pattern and that's what your reg window uses so you apps never has any of the actual reg codes anywhere in it.

With a little time on your hands you can come up with a sufficiently convoluted scheme to dissuade most casual crackers, and that's really all that's worth doing since the pro crackers cannot be stopped anyway and you'd just spend time needlessly trying.

[maxs]

Hi Mark,

It sounds like just what I need. Is it available to the public? I did not see it on RevOnline.

Max


I created an installer creator with Revolution. I create standalones with Revolution and my Installer Maker uses these standalones to create platform specific installers. I still end up with three diffent packages (Win, Mac, Nix), but the final result is still easier to deal with than three folders with files and executables.

[Mark]

Hi Max,

Currently, I use the installer for my client's projects. You could make one yourself or contact me off-list. There are also a few shareware products around, which may be worth checking out, but usually those aren't cross-platform.

Best,

Mark

[RRobert]

Just my two cents:

Windows - MSI Package (Win SDK, InstEd, InstallShield, ...), InnoSetup, ZIP-Archive
Mac OS X - Disk Image (DMG Canvas, Disk Utility, ...), Package (PackageMaker, part of XCode), ZIP-Archive
Linux - RPM/DEB Package (GiftWrap, RPM Package Maker, alien, ...), TAR-Archive

Robert