Introduction

Our Installer application (for installing applications and data from floppy disc or CD-ROM onto a user's hard disk) has now been used for all of the Acorn products which have recently been created by TAG Developments, which need to be installed.

We have almost completed an Installer Builder, which automatically builds disk images (including the installer) ready for copying onto floppies. This has saved TAG a lot of time, and made the process of creating installation disk sets much easier and more reliable.

Although the Installer/Installer Builder suite was designed for in-house use, not as a commercial product, we recognise that many people are in need of such a utility, and so we have decided to make it available for a nominal charge, which we hope will eventually recover some of our development costs. In fact, for personal use, the suite is available free of charge !

Main Features

The current, Beta, version of Installer Builder includes the following features:

Easy-to-use

A simple user interface guides you through the steps needed to build an installation disc set. Instructions are given at each stage.

Automatic Compression and Splitting

Everything to be installed is automatically compressed (using Acorn's Squash module) and then split over as many discs as necessary (individual files are not, currently, split between discs). Both 800K and 1.6MB discs are supported.

Support for 'Existing Media' (e.g. CD-ROMs)

You can install things from existing media, as well as from the built floppy disc installation set. For example, the HyperStudio installation installs example stacks from the HyperStudio CD-ROM, resources from the CD-ROM and the installation set, and the HyperStudio application from the installation disc set.

Customisable Installer User Interface

Installer Builder lets you set the name of the software, the default folder name (which the user drags to their hard disc or network server), and the instructions to be given to the user.

Each thing which is intalled can be given a textual description; this is displayed by the installer while it is installed.

If necessary, the resources inside the installer may be hand-edited. We do not restrict this, within reason.

Support for Customisable Installations

Installers may be built which allow users to choose which components they wish to install.

Most of the features which we want are now implemented, but we will happily consider requests from users for additional functionality.

Installer Builder is currently at the Beta testing stage. After a suitable period of Beta testing, and when any bugs found have been fixed, Installer Builder will be released.

The Installer

When the installer application, placed on the first disc of an installation set by Installer Builder, is loaded, it displays a window instructing the user to drag a folder to specify where the software is to be installed to.

The software title ('Patient Profiler', here), instructions and default folder name are all set in the Installer Builder application. The 'disc' icon and, if necessary, even the layout of window can be changed by using appropriate editors.

When the user has dropped the folder somewhere, installation begins. A simple progress window is displayed, which allows the user to Abort or Pause the installation.

The messages which are displayed during installation ('Patient Profiler', here) are set up in the Installer Builder application.

Availability

• The Installer/Installer Builder Suite, version 1.14 Beta (18 Jun 97) is now available for download from here. Please remember that although it is publicly available is it NOT freeware, or in the public domain. It is commercial software. You must abide by the terms and conditions in the Installer Suite Licence.

• Installer Builder may now be downloaded and used for personal or commercial use, free of charge.

• If you have any questions concerning the Installer Builder Suite please contact us.

• Click here to download Installer/Installer Builder Suite, version 1.14 Beta (18 Jun 97).
  It is in a 399K ArcFS archive.

This document is thought to be correct at time of editing (23 May 97) but we can make no guarantees concerning the accuracy of the information provided; this is the World Wide Web! Please don't blame us if it all goes horribly wrong.
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