This is for the devs. You guys should use an installer like Nullsoft (found here -> http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page) Or something else

Quote from master_lfs.5101 :

This is for the devs. You guys should use an installer like Nullsoft (found here -> http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page) Or something else

allthough it's not meant for me, but why?

Add a MB to the installer, and provide no gain in functionally.

Excellent?

seems so

Lol.

Because some people dont know how to install it and just delete it. So if it had an installer they wouldnt need to do all of that crap create new folder and stuff. the installer would do that for them. and for xfire people doint need to always do manual install. lol

You have to be kidding

I hate installers and I'm sure I'm not alone

... It comes as a self extracting EXE anyways, they just runit, say "OH YEAH, DESKTOP" and it's there.

Is that so ****ing hard?

lol so many replys!!!!

Yeah, because it's so ****ing stupid.

lol.

lol.

As much as this is pointless I still think it would be a good idea. Have a choice between the self extracting zip or a installer version. What you have to keep in mind is that not everyone is as smart as some of the people here.
Some people do have difficulties keeping their files organised especially when programs come in self extracting files with default locations set to temp or desktop. I've seen some peoples desktops completely filled with applications because they, 1 don't know what they are doing, and 2 because they extracted the files to the default location.

Ahh, I'm slightly less tolerant, I use my desktop as a file storage place.

Quote from PaulH :

As much as this is pointless I still think it would be a good idea. Have a choice between the self extracting zip or a installer version. What you have to keep in mind is that not everyone is as smart as some of the people here.
Some people do have difficulties keeping their files organised especially when programs come in self extracting files with default locations set to temp or desktop. I've seen some peoples desktops completely filled with applications because they, 1 don't know what they are doing, and 2 because they extracted the files to the default location.

i was about to write something like this, but since it's already this one, all that is left to do is to second it.

Quote from jonny__27 :

i was about to write something like this, but since it's already this one, all that is left to do is to second it.

Same here.

15 posts and not even an hour. Must be a new record

Quote from master_lfs.5101 :

15 posts and not even an hour. Must be a new record

not really. i once saw a few hundreds of posts in 1 hour...

Quote from PaulH :

As much as this is pointless I still think it would be a good idea. Have a choice between the self extracting zip or a installer version. What you have to keep in mind is that not everyone is as smart as some of the people here.
Some people do have difficulties keeping their files organised especially when programs come in self extracting files with default locations set to temp or desktop. I've seen some peoples desktops completely filled with applications because they, 1 don't know what they are doing, and 2 because they extracted the files to the default location.

I agree it would be an interesting idea, however most of those installers are owned by companies, and most have a license that sets it free for non-profit issues, but you need to pay if it's for commercial products.

While I don't know whether Scawen & Co. are willing to pay for it or not, I think a self-extracting file is easy enough to use so anyone can extract the game safely wherever they want. Maybe the only thing would be to have a pop-up window (like this that you get while entering Test forum) with instructions on how to use it properly.

Actualy NSIS installer installs is open source. i dont think you would need to pay.

Quote from master_lfs.5101 :

Actualy NSIS installer installs is open source. i dont think you would need to pay.

Open source means it's free for you to modify it to fit your needs, it doesn't specifically mean you can use it for free for any use you might want to think about.

The piece of paper (be it physical or virtual) that defines whether you can re-distribute some program or not (for free or else) is the license, and this is what we should read about it.

I don't know if this particular installer is free to use for everyone, but usually they are not when it's for commercial purposes. I could be wrong, and I hope so as well.

Cheers.

Quote from DeMS :

Maybe the only thing would be to have a pop-up window (like this that you get while entering Test forum) with instructions on how to use it properly.

I've seen this done with self extracting zips before. Pop up a dialog box with instructions. This would be a good compromise for providing instructions to some and also keeping file size down and not doubling the server space required to host the installer.

[edit] Ah 7-Zip. I don't know if it's possible with that. The ones I've seen it done with were the WinZip® self extractors [/edit]

Only works for some archivers / archive types. IIRC, LFS uses a self-extracting 7-zip archive due to the LZMA compression being better than most others for some file types. This also has limited features of what can be done when the unpacking process happens. Zip / RAR however, can be pretty much customised to whatever you want.. but possibly at the cost of some bytes in filesize.

Out of all the installer programs I've used over the years, from my own concoction using C++ and a zip library to InstallShield, the one I've always settled on is InnoSetup. Free for both commercial and personal usage and although not as feature packed as InstallShield, _definitely_ much lighter and still very powerful (not that an installer for LFS requires complex procedures, I've already built one with InnoSetup in about 20 mins)

Whether it's warranted, or "the people" / devs want an installer available however is a different kettle of fish



Regards,

Ian

I'm using NSIS myself for VHPA, plenty of scope for customisability. Not come across InnoSetup but I doubt it's worth me switching over now (unless Ian can convince me otherwise).

Having an installer interface will add a notch of professionalism to the LFS package, particularly if this linked you backed to the registration page on lfs.net to sign up for an account if you already haven't (more now than ever once patch Z comes out and all those demo users need accounts).

I don't know now. I'll create a lfs installer with nsis and inno and see witch is better.