Silent Installer Modification

[crashfly]

An idea came to me while reading another thread (you could probably guess which one).

 

Would it be possible to modify the manner in which WinToolKit runs the silent installers?  By this I mean instead of using the "RunOnce" registration key to launch all of the installers, use only one to start the process.  The "process" would read a text file (in the currently used apps folder) that has each installer listed (one per line) with its necessary parameters. In addition, I believe that WinToolKit has more than one mode of installation (all, minimal, etc), so more than one text file can be used for each mode.

 

Reasoning behind this request:  What is currently in place is a good method, however to go back and *just* change the silent installers requires the mounting of the registry hive.  Then you have to locate where the silent installers are saved.  To reduce the tedious work of modifying the registry hive, a simple editable text file could be an effective solution.  This would also allow for "custom" commands to launch windows executables (using environmental variables, etc).

[mooms]

That seems a good idea.

Also, why each installer is in is own folder, named the same minus the extension ? An unique folder seems to be OK, ike the svcpack folder in XP.

To just change the installer, a workaround is to rename the new sfx with the same name as the old version. hacky and dirty but it works.

[crashfly]

That can be a part of the solution too, mooms.  Being that a text file is being read in the "Apps" folder, those installer lines can point to almost anywhere.  It could be a subdirectory of where the text file is saved, or even an available network drive (assuming it is all setup before the installers are run, like possibly in a batch file).

[komitaltrade]

An idea came to me while reading another thread (you could probably guess which one).

 

Would it be possible to modify the manner in which WinToolKit runs the silent installers? 

 

In those other thread I already explained how that will be pure waste of the Legolash2o resources, as all that (and much more) you can easy to do with other tools (not just toll mentioned in the thread).

 

Moreover, during the installation, you have eleven (11) moments to try to change most of the the installation aspects and question will be - where will be the end with functions extensioning requests to Legolash2o?

[crashfly]

This has nothing to do with changing "most of the installation aspects".  This is about ease of use for changing a silent installer *without* having to recreate the whole installation DVD.  Plus, it would allow for some 'creative' installation tricks that are just not quite possible right now (might be possible with a bit more work).  You also forget that this request is about changing the silent installers *after* a disk has been prepared, not during a WinToolKit preparation.

 

Your thread might be about a "pure waste of Legolash2o resources", but this thread is not.  It is just a simple idea that would be easy to implement and maintain. That is all.

[komitaltrade]

“... add custom behaviors to your applications with both Batch and C# scripts. Also new: Snippets allow
you to re-use often used scripts. ”

 

“Allows you to batch install or update ...”

 

...

 

...

 

..................

 

But no problems. Whatever you claim. My intention wasnt destructive, I just tried to help.

 

P.S. Everything can be executed trough the XML single file (like unattended) in practically unlimited combinations and scenario’s. Off course, no need to place it in install image. So, fully dynamical, independent and customizable solution.

[komitaltrade]

To not forget:

 

- GUI

 

- Groupable files overview by user defined categories

- Regular expression and custom commands support

 

- Binaries (zip, 7z, rar, etc.) and executable s (exe and paf.exe) fully support (but also practically
all file types), what mean:

 

a) automatic, manual or scheduled updates of ALL types of packages/files (e.g. all *Reaper* silent installers, or all PortableApps, or all SourceForge, FileHippo, etc. packages/files are available for fully automatic monitoring and downloads)

 

automatic binaries extraction in custom specified path (e.g. Win Toolkit can be extracted wherever you decide, also more than once – for multiple copies)

 

c) automatic, manual or scheduled execution (any type of file, e.g. pdf document, or movie, or …) or
installation is supported

 

- Custom tasks:

 

a) Write to *.ini with NirCmd help (see example)

Writes a value into INI file. If the file doesn't exist, it'll automatically be created.

Example:
inisetval "c:\windows\test.ini" "section1" "TestValue" "1"

or

start "" /wait {root}USB-Toolkit\Backup\Uniextract\UniExtract.exe "{file}" "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}" &
start "" /wait nircmd inisetval "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\ImgBurn.ini" "Settings" "PortableMode" "1" &
start "" /wait nircmd inisetval "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\ImgBurn.ini" "Settings" "FILELOCATIONS_GraphDataFiles" ".\Graph Data Files\" &
start "" /wait nircmd inisetval "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\ImgBurn.ini" "Settings" "FILELOCATIONS_ImageFiles" ".\Image Files\" &
start "" /wait nircmd inisetval "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\ImgBurn.ini" "Settings" "FILELOCATIONS_LogFiles" ".\Log Files\" &
start "" /wait nircmd inisetval "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\ImgBurn.ini" "Settings" "FILELOCATIONS_ProjectFiles" ".\Project Files\" &
start "" /wait nircmd inisetval "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\ImgBurn.ini" "Settings" "FILELOCATIONS_QueueFiles" ".\Queue Files\" &
rd "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\$temp" /s /q &
rd "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\$PLUGINSDIR" /s /q &
rd "{root}USB-Toolkit\{category}\{appname}\Uniblue" /s /q

a) Using CMD with NirCmd help (see example, create shortcut on desktop)

shortcut [filename] [folder] [shortcut title] {arguments} {icon file} {icon resource number} {ShowCmd} {Start In Folder} {Hot Key}
Creates a shortcut to a file.
Examples:
shortcut "f:\winnt\system32\calc.exe" "~$folder.desktop$" "Windows Calculator"
shortcut "f:\winnt\system32\calc.exe" "~$folder.programs$\Calculators" "Windows Calculator"
shortcut "f:\Program Files\KaZaA\Kazaa.exe" "c:\temp\MyShortcuts" "Kazaa"
shortcut "f:\Program Files" "c:\temp\MyShortcuts" "Program Files Folder" "" "f:\winnt\system32\shell32.dll" 45
shortcut "f:\Program Files" "c:\temp\MyShortcuts" "Program Files Folder" "" "" "" "max"

or Elevate CMD ("Run as Admin") with NirCmd help (UAC will prompt you to accept or deny):

nircmd elevate cmd /c copy /y "{file}" "%ProgramFiles%"

c) Create your own NSI installer script (e.g. for extracted content of the archive). Example will be
too long for this occasion.

 

P.S. Did I forgot something else (it is not cynical, I’m just ready to prove to you that solutions
are already developed also for something what maybe I forgot, but it is visible from your idea)?

AND TO NOT FORGET, again – EVERYTHING fit on simple and single XML file without needs to integrate it in image, fully dynamically customizable and replaceable like unattended file (and could be followed by nice GUI also).

[crashfly]

You are not adding to this request.  This is not about what you think you have suggested.  Please quit polluting this thread.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

crashfly = This guy is simply an e-thug and is trying to make a martyr of himself.

[Etz]

Off-Topic Comment(Click to Show)

Why not just e-ban him and give him his life back?

[Close]

[bphlpt]

I guess his comments would make more sense, in a way, if we were to find out that he is involved in the development of the app he is promoting.  He certainly is championing it!  After a quick look, I like the concept of the app, but the promotion of it in this, or any other, Win Toolkit thread is innappropriate.

 

Cheers and Regards

[komitaltrade]

No problem at all. This is my last comment at all on this forum, so you can freely continue to destroy the otherwise brilliantly conceived, initiated and designed project (but he was and will remain only the mirror of Legolash2o, himself).

Regards the all offences with which you honored me with (did anyone knows at all – why???), just freely keep on, as they talk only about yourself and not about the person you were sent.

 

True, I am a programmer (among other things), but I'm not involved in any single software that you can find on any of the forums (so you can look into exhaustive and infinity), and therefore I do not advertises any single project.

My intentions were more than “clean” and in good faith and are intended solely as Legolash2o colleague who is under pressure by countless wishes of the users of this forum.

 

However, I didn’t notice that “crashfly” (or any other) exposed any argument against my claims that that will be waste of time, as it is much than one projects which can perfectly fine solve all possible
ideas regards any of “on the fly” installation customization, but …

 

Legolas2o, I wish You all the best (You will need it)!

 

T H E  E N D !!!

[crashfly]

An idea came to me while reading another thread (you could probably guess which one).

 

Would it be possible to modify the manner in which WinToolKit runs the silent installers?  By this I mean instead of using the "RunOnce" registration key to launch all of the installers, use only one to start the process.  The "process" would read a text file (in the currently used apps folder) that has each installer listed (one per line) with its necessary parameters. In addition, I believe that WinToolKit has more than one mode of installation (all, minimal, etc), so more than one text file can be used for each mode.

 

Reasoning behind this request:  What is currently in place is a good method, however to go back and *just* change the silent installers requires the mounting of the registry hive.  Then you have to locate where the silent installers are saved.  To reduce the tedious work of modifying the registry hive, a simple editable text file could be an effective solution.  This would also allow for "custom" commands to launch windows executables (using environmental variables, etc).

 

Bump on this.  If it is not going to happen, or maybe something else is planned, please just say so.  Thanks.