TweetFollow Us on Twitter

Installer Roundup
Volume Number:10
Issue Number:5
Column Tag:Tools of the trade

Installer Roundup

The last thing you think of may be the first thing your customer sees!

By Kevin Savetz

Your software probably arrives on your users’ desks on floppy disks, perhaps sealed in a little white envelope covered in tiny lawyerspeak. Your manuals may be thick and your tech support may be free, but before the user can run your software, they need to install it onto a computer system. Getting it there is half the battle - welcome to the wonderful world of software installers.

As the advertisements for just about all of the following products will tell you, your software installer is an important - but often overlooked - part of your product. Most of today’s software products are disk space gluttons that must be distributed on multiple floppy disks. The installer is a program that takes the files on your product distribution disk(s) and puts them in their appropriate locations on the end user’s computer.

Depending on your needs and the complexity of the installer, the program may make decisions on the best way to install the files on the user’s computer - based on installation “rules” that you define. For instance, you may have versions of your program for color and monochrome systems, or for machines with and without an FPU chip. Many installers feature various types of compression, necessary on all but the smallest products, which saves space on your distribution disks by compressing your files by two to three times.

On the Macintosh, the most familiar installer is surely Apple’s own. If you’ve ever (re-)installed System 7 on a Mac, you’re already familiar with Apple’s Installer. Traditionally, creating installers for your applications that look and feel like Apple’s has been a laborious process, requiring coding of “installer scripts” that define how the installer works. Multi-disk installations and rule-based installations only complicate this process. A couple of the installer-creation applications seek to ease the pain of creating Apple-esque installers by doing the majority of the work for you.

Apple’s Installer offers a number of features, and we’ll cover a few briefly. Custom splash screens are as simple as having a named PICT in your script. You can add custom code resources for before and after actions. For example, you could have an “after” action to decompress a file once it’s copied into place. You could also write custom code to play a sound (maybe to teach users how to pronounce your product name) or bring up a dialog to remind your customer to do something.

Apple’s Installer in action

Although Apple’s installer is elegant for the end user, and it’s extremely powerful, especially with complicated installs (like Apple system releases), it may not be everything you want. It is quirky and doesn’t handle very complex installation decisions. So, a variety of applications exist for creating other types of installers. Although the end products of these applications lack the look and feel of Apple’s own Installer (some would say this is a definite plus!) they often include features absent in the standard installer like built-in file compression and so forth.

Which installer is right for you? Naturally, this depends on many things. How much time do you have to create the installer? If your product is already a month past the expected shipping date, you probably won’t want to spend a week or more writing a custom installer script.

Are you a programmer? Some installer applications require that you muck about in MPW, Think C or ResEdit to create a customized installer; others do all the dirty work for you. Touching up an installer isn’t a problem for most developers - but ready-to-go installers are a great choice for non-programmers or those who couldn’t possibly stand to eye another line of code. Some of these installers are so easy to use that non-programming members of your organization may very well be able to build installers for you.

How much money can you afford? Prices for installer applications and distribution licenses are all across the board. Some applications are free, and require a license fee based on the number of units of your product installer you will distribute. Some installers cost something but offer unlimited distribution. The price you’ll pay for many products may be a flat fee, or may depend on your projected sales or other criteria. At any rate, get the full story on cost and licensing fees before deciding on an installer application.

Finally, consider who your end users are. Are they hardened professionals, or clueless newbies who may appreciate the familiarity of Apple’s installer?

Below are comments about six installer programs. Frankly, in the end all these products produce fine, usable installers. The comments will point to you interesting features and pitfalls and will guide you to the type of installer that you need. After narrowing down your search, try out the most promising installer applications on your project - most of these tools are available for limited testing - to choose the one that best suits your needs.

Whichever you pick, it sure beats coding your own installer from scratch...

ScriptGen Pro

StepUp software’s ScriptGen Pro provides a simple way to create and manage scripts for use with Apple’s Installer program. Its intuitive interface makes creating Installer scripts blissfully simple and quick. Finished Installer scripts look and feel just like Apple’s, including “easy install” or customized installations and an optional splash screen. ScriptGen’s scripts are professional-looking and easy to use.

ScriptGen supports the most common features of Apple’s installer, including file decompression, copying files to system- or user-specified folders, installing fonts and copying resources into files. You can define “packages” of files which the user can hand-select using the Installer’s “custom install” feature, or just let “easy install” do the work for the user.

ScriptGen knows to place control panels and extensions in their appropriate destinations, depending on the user’s system version. However, ScriptGen can’t create scripts that include rules (installation procedures that choose files based on what type of computer the user is running.) If the software you want to install depends on the monitor type (for instance,) the best workaround is creating two scripts, with names like “Color Installer” and “B&W Installer.” This probably won’t work well for installations that have multiple variables, like System version, monitor type and so on.

ScriptGen Pro supports “action atoms” which extend the functionality of installer scripts. StepUp Software offers a separate product, InstallerPack, which includes six useful atoms. The package includes action atoms that decompress your StuffIt, Diamond and Compact Pro archives on the fly. Compression and file segmentation is not handled within ScriptGen Pro or InstallerPack - you must use a third-party compression program for those tasks, then run ScriptGen to create the finished installer.

ScriptGen Pro includes both the ability to force a restart, and it also gives you the ability to offer the user the chance to uninstall. To liven things up, you can use other InstallerPack atoms to show PICT-format pictures and even play sounds during installation.

ScriptGen Pro in action

The ScriptGen Pro and InstallerPack manuals are slim but well-written. StepUp Software requires no licensing fees for scripts generated with ScriptGen Pro, although license fees are required for Apple’s Installer program as well as InstallerPack’s action atoms.

Script-Ease

Script-Ease, from Glen Canyon Software, is another utility for creating and editing Apple Installer scripts. Script-Ease is a powerful tool for creating full-featured installation scripts - but with that power come dozens of options and a steep learning curve.

The traditional way of writing Installer scripts is in MPW typing in the code for the individual resources, and using Rez to create the Installer Script. This really doesn't seem like you're using a Macintosh, does it? Script-Ease was designed for those who don't want to type so much and who would rather use a standard Macintosh interface to create a script.

Installer scripts created with Script-Ease and combined with Apple’s Installer software are friendly, intelligent and professional-looking. Besides letting the end user customize software installation by choosing amongst pre-defined file packages, Script-Ease allows rule-based installation: the “easy install” option can install files depending on the user’s system configuration. For instance, you can have your installer script install one version of an application for 68000-processors and a different version for 68020s.

Script-Ease’s scripts includes other handy features, including the ability to force a restart after software installation and the ability for the user to uninstall software any time after installing it. Installer applications can include a splash screen, but you’ll have to add one manually with ResEdit. Clear instructions on how to do this are included in the manual.

Script-Ease supports action atoms, and includes a small army of atoms for copying files and resources, tweaking a disk’s boot blocks and creating audit trails. Compression and decompression can be handled through Glen Canyon’s GCS Compressor software, sold separately. CGS Compressor includes a proprietary file compression application and action atoms for decompression, finding the amount of free disk space and joining file resources. GCS Compressor doesn’t require any other compression tools like StuffIt or Compact Pro.

The manuals are very thorough and include several tutorials to get you started. Script-Ease and GCS Compressor offer a complete set of installation tools and a clean, professional installer script. However, this product isn’t for the faint of heart - it takes time and patience to learn the many complex steps necessary to create even a simple installation script.

Smaller Installer

The Smaller Installer toolkit consists of an installer builder and a set of auxiliary files that work in combination with Compact Pro (a popular file compression utility). The purpose of Smaller Installer is to provide easy-to-use installers while overcoming the limitations of Compact Pro’s standard self-extracting archives. This combination creates small, customizable, gimmick-free installers.

If you need an installer without a complex interface or file placement rules, Smaller Installer will provide. More complex tasks are possible, but may require knowledge and use of a resource editor and MPW.

Smaller Installer in action

Smaller Installer’s installers are simple and straightforward. More robust features require other tools, but the manual guides you though the steps necessary for creating an installer customized to your needs. For instance, your installer can have a customized user interface tailored to your requirements - with your logo and an onscreen “read-me” file - but you’ll need to spend a couple hours in ResEdit to do it. An included toolkit includes “starter” resource files you can use as templates for your own customized resources. As a well-though-out addition, Smaller Installer includes ready-to-use resources for creating installers in Swedish, French, German and Japanese. Nice touch.

Smaller Installer helps with Non-English installs

Another powerful feature of Smaller Installer allows you to create “installer hook procedures” - code resources that modify installation based on user’s system configuration (using “rules”). You can select files based on specific machine features, personalize an application after installing it, or even remove files from a previous version of your product. Again, these “hooks” are robust, but don’t come easily - you’ll need to hack them out in Think C or MPW - but the manual gives a complete description of the steps to take. The product also includes several examples of working hooks.

All in all, Smaller Installer creates clean, easy-to-use installers that can be as simple or complex as you need.

DragInstall

Another tool on the installer front is DragInstall from Ray Sauers Associates. It truly simplifies the complex task of creating installer applications. It, too, produces clean, easy-to-use installers. DragInstall wins points for being one of the simplest to use from the developer’s standpoint, too: you can create complex installations - even based on the configuration of the user’s system - with ease. It also features built-in compression and support for “x-rays”, external routines that provide information about the user’s system and increase the functionality of DragInstall.

DragInstall’s built-in compression (which has been improved over previous incarnations in version 1.5.3) allows you to specify “best”, “faster” or no compression. For installations that aren’t huge, you might want to use the “faster” compression, which speeds up compression time by a third by sacrificing some compression size. Most of the time, though, stick with the “best” compression mode to save space on your distribution disks.

DragInstall’s installation interface is simple and unique - the user just drags an installation folder icon onto an icon depicting the desired destination hard disk, and voila! Instant install.

DragInstall doing its thing

Built-in rules can customize placement of files and folders cased on the users’ CPU type, FPU, color, memory size and system software version. It also enables development of installers that intelligently update software with options for replacing and updating old versions of your software.

Although you probably won’t need to, you can use your favorite programming language to create x-rays, code resources that add functions to DragInstall installers. You might create an x-ray to delete old versions of your software or serialize a newly-installed package. DragInstall includes x-rays [for making aliases from installer files, renaming files] and so on.

The product includes templates for creating installers in French, German and Italian, as well as English. Creating an installer for an these languages doesn’t even require a trip to ResEdit - just select a template from the builder application. Of course, you can also hack out installers in Spanish, Swahili or Pig Latin with a resource editor.

StuffIt InstallerMaker

From Aladdin Systems, the folks who brought us the StuffIt series of compression programs, comes InstallerMaker, a strong contender in the battle of the installers. InstallerMaker has integrated compression and strong support for file placement "rules."

MPW and ResEdit are not needed to create powerful installers. InstallerMaker is very easy to learn - our first installer - complete with splash screen, rule-based package installation and on-screen “read-me” text - was created in about forty minutes without so much as a glance at the manual nor a trip to ResEdit. Even more incredibly, the finished installer worked perfectly.

Aladdin Systems has been distributing its StuffIt line of compression programs since (seemingly) the dawn of the Macintosh. The compression used in InstallerMaker is among the best available.

InstallerMaker includes the ability to customize installers by adding custom code “extensions” that can add any steps that you desire to any part of the installation process.

StuffIt InstallerMaker allows you to place files based on the user’s system configuration, or can let the user choose from a list of pre-defined installation packages. It provides easy addition of a custom splash screen and onscreen text (for licensing or “read me” notes.)

InstallerMaker’s interface is appealing and intuitive. Icons make the process of choosing how and where to place files blissfully simple. Choose the “7” in the “system” column to place an item only on System 7 computers, choose “6/7” to also place the item on System 6 machines, and so on. Pick the rainbow to install a folder on color systems or the checkerboard for black-and-white systems. Choosing the files’ locations is as easy, once you learn to identify the icons that mean user folder, system folder, extensions folder and so on.

InstallerMaker in action

The manual is among the best, including step-by-step instructions, tutorials, sample code for custom installation extensions and a list of commonly asked questions and answers.

As a rule, we generally don’t mention as-yet-undelivered features, but we’ll make an exception because of the recent release of PowerMacintosh. A new version of InstallerMaker is planned for shortly after the release of the Power Macintosh, and it plans to support fat binaries ("smart" install, install fat, or ask the user), and offer control over whether you install only on Power Mac or only on 68K Mac. It may also include requested features like the ability to select localization languages, Gestalt values as condition options, and custom progress cursors.

DeveloperVISE

The final product to land on my desk was Developer VISE from MindVision software, makers of Stacker For Macintosh and Application VISE (an application resource compression tool). Developer VISE offers an easy-to-use graphical interface for building product installers. You can create installers with a one-stop “easy install” option and user-controlled installation of file packages. Compression is built in. The end product is elegant and professional, and MindVision claims to produce the smallest installer sets.

Developer VISEin action

The application for creating an installer is similar in look and feel to StuffIt InstallerMaker or Compact Pro. It provides an intuitive interface and sleek features like file packages that you can name (rather than using obscure labels like “package A”), diagnostic tools (that find empty packages, for example), and the ability to print reports of installer archives and packages. Tools like these make this product particularly strong for large or complex software installations.

More Developer VISE in action

Developer VISE provides excellent control during and even after the installation. You can create external code resources, allowing you to fully customize your installation procedure. When installation is finished, you can make your installer return to the Finder, suggest the user restart the computer, or force a system restart. It can install resources into the System file, and it can optionally generate a log file so users can see what you did to their machine.

PowerPC developers aren’t left out with Developer VISE. In addition to the usual abilities of installing based on the user’s monitor type, memory and so on, Developer VISE customizes installations depending on whether the user is running a 68000-based Mac or a PowerPC. For example, PowerPC-specific resources can be removed from fat applications being installed on 68000-based machines. In addition, the Developer VISE application can use native PowerPC code for compression of your software archives. Nifty.

Developer VISE lets you easily add a splash screen. You can delve in to ResEdit if you want to go even further and customize the installer’s look. The manual of the beta version we reviewed was a good start, although admittedly incomplete [The manual is now complete - Ed stb]. Developer VISEcomes with a tutorial and about ten samples of code for extending the installer’s capabilities.

All in all, Developer VISE is a robust package worth checking out.

What’s Next

Now that you’ve read about them, it’s time to give them a try. Each of these products offers more features and value than we covered here. Playing with them will give you a much clearer idea of whether they will meet your unique needs. Most of these products are available for a free trial. Pick a few, and give them a test drive.

Products mentioned in this article...

Apple Installer. Apple Computer, Inc. (408) 974-4667. AppleLink: SW.LICENSE. Information is also available on E.T.O.

Developer VISE. MindVision Software. PO Box 81886, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68501. (402) 477-3269 voice, (402) 477-1395 fax. AOL, AppleLink: MindVision; CompuServe: 70253,1437.

DragInstall. Ray Sauers Associates. 1187 Main Avenue, Suite 1B. Clifton, New Jersey, 07011. (201) 478-1970. AOL: Sauers; CompuServe: 70731,2326; AppleLink:D1922.

Script-Ease. Glen Canyon Software. 3921 Shasta View. Eugene, OR. 97405. (800) 477-6947 or (503) 345-6360. AppleLink: GlenCanyon

ScriptGen Pro and InstallerPack. StepUp Software. 710 Glendora Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75230-5428. (214) 360-9301 voice, (214) 360-0127 fax. AppleLink: StepUp; AOL: StepUp1; CIS: 73607,3630.

Smaller Installer. Cyclos. PO Box 31417, San Francisco, CA 94131-0417. (415) 821-1448. AppleLink: CYCLOS; CompuServe: 71101,204.

StuffIt InstallerMaker. Aladdin Systems. 165 Westridge Drive. Watsonville, CA 95076. (408) 761-6200 voice, (408) 761-6206 fax. AOL, AppleLink: Aladdin; CompuServe: 75300,1666.

 

Community Search:
MacTech Search:

Software Updates via MacUpdate

calibre 6.18 - Complete e-book library m...
Calibre is a complete e-book library manager. Organize your collection, convert your books to multiple formats, and sync with all of your devices. Let Calibre be your multi-tasking digital librarian... Read more
War Thunder 2.25.1.119 - Multiplayer war...
In War Thunder, aircraft, attack helicopters, ground forces and naval ships collaborate in realistic competitive battles. You can choose from over 1,500 vehicles and an extensive variety of combat... Read more
Garmin Express 7.17.0.0 - Manage your Ga...
Garmin Express is your essential tool for managing your Garmin devices. Update maps, golf courses and device software. You can even register your device. Update maps Update software Register your... Read more
Wireshark 4.0.6 - Network protocol analy...
Wireshark is one of the world's foremost network protocol analyzers, and is the standard in many parts of the industry. It is the continuation of a project that started in 1998. Hundreds of... Read more
BBEdit 14.6.6 - Powerful text and HTML e...
BBEdit is the leading professional HTML and text editor for the Mac. Specifically crafted in response to the needs of Web authors and software developers, this award-winning product provides a... Read more
Microsoft OneNote 16.73 - Free digital n...
OneNote is your very own digital notebook. With OneNote, you can capture that flash of genius, that moment of inspiration, or that list of errands that's too important to forget. Whether you're at... Read more
iMovie 10.3.6 - Edit personal videos and...
With a streamlined design and intuitive editing features, iMovie lets you create Hollywood-style trailers and beautiful movies like never before. Browse your video library, share favorite moments,... Read more
Microsoft Remote Desktop 10.8.3 - Connec...
Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac is an application that allows connecting to virtual apps or another PC remotely. Discover the power of Windows with Remote Desktop designed to help you manage your... Read more
MegaSeg 6.3 - Professional DJ and radio...
MegaSeg is a complete solution for pro audio/video DJ mixing, radio automation, and music scheduling with rock-solid performance and an easy-to-use design. Mix with visual waveforms and Magic... Read more
Carbon Copy Cloner 6.1.6 - Advanced back...
Carbon Copy Cloner is an advanced backup and file copying application for macOS. Looking for something better than Time Machine? With just a few clicks you can set up CCC to make hourly or daily... Read more

Latest Forum Discussions

See All

TouchArcade Game of the Week: ‘Super Cat...
If you have been a reader of this website in any way over the years, chances are pretty good that you’ve heard one of us singing the praises of the Super Cat Tales series at some point in time. The original set the benchmark for unique and intuitive... | Read more »
SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Skye Tales’, ‘Fi...
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 26th, 2023. Gosh, yesterday was quite the day. Counting the few games that popped after I finished my writing, there were forty-five new games that hit the eShop. Today is a... | Read more »
‘Cat Quest: Pirates of the Purribean’ An...
Developer The Gentlebros. released the original Cat Quest way back in August of 2017, and it was a game we had been eyeing for more than a year at that point and were incredibly excited for. In short, it did not disappoint. | Read more »
Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales Update R...
Mojang and Microsoft previously revealed the official name and more details for the Minecraft ($6.99) 1.20 update. The Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update was confirmed for release this year, and it has been confirmed to release on June 7th... | Read more »
Apple Arcade Weekly Round-Up: Updates fo...
Just like last week, a few notable games on Apple Arcade have gotten updates this week with no new releases. If you’re wondering why there is no new game this week, Apple’s release of a few Apple Arcade Originals and App Store Greats earlier this... | Read more »
The Latest ‘Marvel Snap’ Update Introduc...
It’s been a busy week over in the world of Marvel Snap (Free). Following on from last week’s big update, this week saw a major new card introduced, a handful of significant balance tweaks over the air, and a new update schedule from the team. I... | Read more »
Recruit yourself a shockingly powerful a...
Tower of Fantasy welcomes their latest simulacrum to the field, and she is one powerful character. The former head of the Listener Project, Dr. Rubilia is swapping research for adventuring and comes with some truly powerful skills. [Read more] | Read more »
‘Yolk Heroes: A Long Tamago’ is a Hybrid...
Virtual pets are pretty cool. Raise, take care of, and ensure the safety of a little virtual creature that lives inside your pocket or on a keychain. Fun stuff. But wouldn’t it be even cooler if that little pet actually, you know, did something... | Read more »
SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring...
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 25th, 2023. We start things off today with a review of Convergence from our pal Mikhail. After that, it’s new release time. There are somewhere near forty new games hitting the... | Read more »
‘Real Bout Fatal Fury 2’ Review – A Furi...
When it comes to fighting games, the NEOGEO had more than its fair share. Its top three franchises in terms of name recognition were almost certainly The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and Fatal Fury. | Read more »

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

Memorial Day Weekend Sale: 13-inch Apple M2 M...
B&H Photo has 13″ MacBook Pros with Apple M2 processors in stock and on sale today for $200 off MSRP as part of their Memorial Day Weekend sale. Their prices are among the lowest currently... Read more
Memorial Day Weekend Sale: $30 off Apple AirP...
Amazon has Apple AirPods on sale for up to 38% off MSRP as part of their Memorial Day Weekend sale. Shipping is free: – AirPods 2nd-generation: $99 $30 (38%) off – AirPods Pro 2nd-generation: $199.99... Read more
Memorial Day Weekend Sale: Apple Watch Ultra...
Amazon has Apple Watch Ultra models (Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Bands) on sale for up to $97 off MSRP, each including free shipping, as part of their Memorial Day Weekend sale. Their prices... Read more
Memorial Day Weekend Sale: $100 off Apple iPa...
Amazon has 10.9″ M1 WiFi iPad Airs on sale for $100 off Apple’s MSRP, with prices starting at $499, as part of their Memorial Day Weekend sale. Their prices are the lowest available among the Apple... Read more
Memorial Day Weekend Sale: $100 off Apple iPa...
Amazon is offering Apple’s 8.3″ iPad minis for $100 off MSRP, including free shipping, as part of their Memorial Day Weekend sale. Prices start at $399. Amazon’s prices are the lowest currently... Read more
The cheapest M2 Pro-powered Mac is available...
Apple is now offering M2 Pro-powered Mac minis in their Certified Refurbished section starting at $1099 — $200 off MSRP. Each mini comes with Apple’s one-year warranty, and shipping is free. The... Read more
Memorial Day Weekend Sale: Apple AirPods Max...
Amazon has Apple AirPods Max headphones in stock and on sale for $100 off MSRP as part of their Memorial Day Weekend sale. Price is valid for all colors at the time of this post. Shipping is free: –... Read more
Record low price: Open-box 16-inch Apple M1 M...
QuickShip Electronics has open-box return 16″ M1 Max MacBook Pros in stock and on sale for $1200 off original MSRP on their eBay store today. According to QuickShip, “The item in this listing is an... Read more
Open-box 16-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro available...
QuickShip Electronics has open-box return 16″ M2 Pro MacBook Pros in stock and on sale for $600 off MSRP on their eBay store today, only $1899. According to QuickShip, “The item in this listing is an... Read more
14-inch Apple M1 Pro MacBook Pro on clearance...
Amazon has the Silver 14″ Apple M1 Pro MacBook Pro (16GB RAM/512GB SSD/10-Core CPU) on clearance sale for 24% ($600) off Apple’s original MSRP, only $1899 including free shipping. Their price is the... Read more

Jobs Board

*Apple* iOS CNO Developer (Onsite) - Raytheo...
…Pacific Boulevard Building CC4, Sterling, VA, 20166-6916 USA Position Role Type: Onsite Apple iOS CNO Developer Cyber Offense and Defense Experts (CODEX) is in need Read more
*Apple* Technician - CompuCom (United States...
…assistance. Join **e** **X** **cell** **!** Our client is currently seeking an ** Apple Technician** to join their team onsite in Bloomfield, CT. This is a Read more
*APPLE* Intermediate Administrative Assistan...
…administrative services related to planning, hosting, and supporting the national APPLE Training Institutes - the leading national substance misuse prevention and Read more
Cashier - *Apple* Blossom Mall - JCPenney (...
Cashier - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Blossom Mall Read more
Operations Associate - *Apple* Blossom Mall...
Operations Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Read more
All contents are Copyright 1984-2011 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.