Packge and Deployment wizard

Hello all,

Here is my problem. Someone created an installation program using Package and Deployment Wizard (PDW). So all the files resulted were:
setup.exe, archive.cab, setup.lst, ... (one or two files not so important).
he told me that every time he had to make another build, just recreated the archive.cab using PowerArchiver and that's all.

I did the same, but, ..., setup is going 10 time slower. I don't know why. I used all types of compresion, even the very low form. Same result.
I even used another tool, cabarc.exe (command line tool).

Can someone tell me where is the problem. I have VB6, but I don't know which vb version my friend used the first time.

Thank you all for help.

If you not adding additional functionality that requires external library, some custom controls then all you need to do is to compile new executable and distribute only that file.
On the other hand if you introduce new dll and/or ocx that were not included in the original package then you need to re-build distribution using any available utility (perhaps P&DW).
Not sure what PowerArchiver does and why would you need to use it ...

carstos,

If you are using PDW... All you need to do to recreate the CAB file is to run the batch file in the setup folder where your original PDW files are (Of course after updating your exe file). Why are you using PowerArchiver?

I was able to recreate the CAB file using PowerArchiver or CabArc.exe utility.
How should I rebuild the exe file ? (setup.exe). This file was creted first time when setup was build using PDW. Please tell me more about "batch file in the setup folder where your original PDW files ".

Thank you all.

carstos,

When PDW created your setup it put all the files you needed in a folder. There should be a batch (.bat) file in that folder also. You would run that to re-create the setup .CAB file that you need.

Unfortunately I don't have the original file anymore. All I have is setup.lst, setup.exe and the cab file which I am able to recreate using some utilities like PowerArchiver, ...
Setup works fine, only it is slower 50 times than the original.

carstos,

Well, you can change installers. Take a look at ********** and Inno Setup. ********** can take your Setup.lst file and create a script for Inno Setup which will create an installation package for you.

Look at my signature...

I tried to use InnoSetup, ********** ... I managed to create a setup, but, ..., it just copy the files to specified folders. The original setup was launched, an exe(an application made in VB) file was run and after that all files were copied according to setup.lst. The actual setup option were in that exe file. How can I create a setup like this using Inno?

carstos,

Zip and upload your .iss and setup.lst file and I will take a look. I did not understand your explaination.

It seems that first part of lst file is not considered by ********** when converting:

[Bootstrap]
SetupTitle=Install
SetupText=Copying Files, please stand by.
CabFile=Test.CAB
Spawn=Setup1.exe
Uninstal=st6unst.exe
TmpDir=msftqws.pdw
Cabs=1

Setup1.exe is the file I was talking about. It is a VB application.

The setup.iss doesn't contain info about it. Only files that should be copied are in setup.iss.

carstos,

It would help if you did like I asked. Setup1.exe does not need to be in the script. That is not how it works.

BTW: You can extract all the files from the CAB file.

I am sorry but I can't attach files. Here is the portion of the files until the files to be extracted.

[Bootstrap]
SetupTitle=Install
SetupText=Copying Files, please stand by.
CabFile=MyApp5.CAB
Spawn=Setup1.exe
Uninstal=st6unst.exe
TmpDir=msftqws.pdw
Cabs=1

[Bootstrap Files]
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),,,6/1/1999 12:00:00 AM,101888,6.0.84.50
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),$(DLLSelfRegister),,5/30/1998 12:00:00 AM,22288,4.71.1460.1
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),,,3/8/1999 12:00:00 AM,147728,2.40.4275.1
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),$(DLLSelfRegister),,3/8/1999 12:00:00 AM,164112,5.0.4275.1
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),$(DLLSelfRegister),,4/12/2000 12:00:00 AM,598288,2.40.4275.1
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),$(TLBRegister),,6/3/1999 12:00:00 AM,17920,2.40.4275.1
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),$(DLLSelfRegister),,10/25/2001 12:00:00 AM,1388544,6.0.92.37
[email protected],$(WinSysPathSysFile),$(DLLSelfRegister),,1/27/2000 12:00:00 AM,92672,0.7.1.0

Setup.lst

[IconGroups]
Group0=MyApp5
PrivateGroup0=-1
Parent0=$(Programs)

[MyApp5]
Icon1="MyApp5.exe"
Title1=MyApp 5
StartIn1=$(AppPath)
Icon2="MyAppWizard.exe"
Title2=Správce MyAppu
StartIn2=$(AppPath)

[Setup]
Title=MyApp5
DefaultDir=$(ProgramFiles)\MyApp5
DefaultDataDir=$(ProgramFiles)\MyApp5
AppExe=MyApp5.exe
AppToUninstall=MyApp5.exe


Setup.iss

; ********** Version 4.0.6
; Randem Systems, Inc.
; Copyright 2003, 2004
; website: http://www.***********
; support: http://www.**********.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi

; Date: July 26, 2005

; VB Runtime Files Folder: P:\Projects\MyApp\Setup\standalone\files\
; Package and Deployment Wizard Setup.lst File: P:\Projects\MyApp\Install\Setup.lst
; Inno Setup Script Output File (.iss): d:\setup.iss

; ------------------------
; Visual Basic References
; ------------------------



; --------------------------
; Visual Basic Components
; --------------------------



[Setup]
AppName=MyApp5
AppVerName=MyApp5
AppPublisher=
AppVersion=5.0
VersionInfoVersion=
AllowNoIcons=no
DefaultGroupName=MyApp5
DefaultDirName={pf}\MyApp5
AppCopyright=Copyright 2005, All rights reserved.
PrivilegesRequired=Admin
MinVersion=4.0,4.0
OutputBaseFilename=MyApp5

[Tasks]

[Files]

I will explain again how the old setup works. We have an application in VB (setup1.exe) that is the actual setup (select target directories, agree with license, ...). The only thing PWD does is to launch this file and copy all files to directories.

The setup done with Inno doesn't launch the setup1.exe app. Only copy files to directories.

carstos,

It should not launch the Setup1.exe. That will not solve your problem. Could you email me the cab file? I will take a look at your script.

I have a .cab file, a setup.lst and setup.exe created with PWD (this is the installation kit have).
.cab file contains 600 files. One of this files is setup1.exe, which is the result of a vbp project. I think this vbp was used with PWD.
This setup1.exe let user choose a directory, or more directories, displays a license, write some registry entries, ... does a lot of stuff. This is the actual setup.
Setup.exe from installation kit I have launches this setup1.exe. After setup1.exe is done, Setup.exe copy all files from .cab file to directories specified in setup.lst file.

My original problem was that after rebuilding only the cab file, setup is 50 time slower. That's why I tried Inno.

I explained how old setup works. Can Inno provide me a setup with the same functionality?(setup1.exe must be launched)

carstos,

Please let me help you and stop telling me how it works. I am an expert on how it works. Just get me the cab file and you will possibly have a new setup to run.

I am working for a company and I can't give you the .cab file. I tried to explain how old setup works. I want that setup created with Inno to work in the same way. I am sorry I can't give you more info. I think I will have to use the old setup ...
Thank you very much for your help. Maybe you can still help me using just the info I gave you.

carstos,

You cannot use the old setup unless you re-create it from scratch. The only thing you can do is to leave the setup as it is and send a seperate exe with your changes and have the user copy it over the old file. If you did not add any components to the exe then you will be fine. However you are asking for real trouble continuing down this path.

Can you at least look into the cab file and get a list of all the files it contains?

I can get you a new installation and have it work but not without your cooperation.

The guy who created the setup in the first place told me that he was using PowerArchiver to recreate the .cab file, everytime he needed a new build.
I did the same, but now it's much slower.
The .cab file contains:
- some vb files and controls
- setup1.exe (which is the application launched by setup.exe). It is not changed, I don't want to change it.
- a lot of files that setup copy in directories specified by setup.lst.
I only modifiy files from above category (the ones that are copied). And I repack them back. This is the only thing I do.
But repacking them makes setup slower.

I hope everything is more clear now.

carstos,

Everything was clear to me the first time. You don't seem to understand. You keep repeating yourself as if something is going to change and the facts remain the same. I can't help you unless you get me what I need to help you. you keep avoiding the issue and nothing will change. I could have a new installation done in 10 minutes or you can keep repeating the same things and get nothing done.

I know I keep repeating myself. I thought that I was missunderstood.
I would send all files in a minute, but these are not my files. I am working for a company. Can you please tell me which is the minimum amount of files I should send so you can create a new setup? Is the setup.lst file enough?

carstos,

Now I get to repeat myself LOL. I need the cab file to see what your project uses.

I attached a list with all cab files.

carstos,

Do you have the vbp file that originally created this installation. If so run ********** on the vbp file and add the folder with all the mdb's and other files. This will create a more precise installation since you have so many files. I will still work on this.

carstos,

Could you send me the vbp file?

I run ********** with vbp and folder where I exctracted all files from cab file.
But it doesn't know the paths where files should be copied.
Those paths were in setup.lst.
Find attached an archive with vbp file.

carstos,

This is not the vbp file to your app. The vbp file to PDW setup won't help. I need the vbp file to your app.

This is the vbp file of the app setup1.exe. I debug it. This is the one. Its output is setup1.exe which can be found in cab file and it is launched by setup.exe (created with PDW). Again, i am repeating myself. Sorry.

carstos,

I don't care about this vbp. This is not the vbp of the app you are deploying. This vbp project does not use databases. Please stop attempting to tell me how things work and actually take the time to understand what I need. Unless Of course you know how to do this.

The application that uses databases is between files in cab file. But this is no important. I don't have any other vbp but the one I already gave you.
The application I am deploying is a bunch of files working under AutoCAD.

carstos,

Then how did you modify the app then? This is the best I can do for you with you being uncooperative and all.

Obviously I wasn't repeating myself for nothing. I didn't modify any app. I modified the .lsp files from .cab file. Look inside of cab file, there are a lot of lsp files (lisp files, they run in AutoCAD). I didn't modify anything else, only these files, and then I repacked them in .cab file.

carstos,

That is exactly what I am talking about. I can't look into the CAB file. I DON"T HAVE IT! If I had it you would have a working installation by now. I can't make something out of nothing.

Giving you the cab file (with over 600 files) means to give you all sources of the program. I can't do this. I gave you a list with all files from cab. Isn't that enough?

carstos,

How on earth is that SOURCE CODE? Look if that was enough you would have a new installation, but since you know more than I... and I don't need the help, This matter is closed.

I didn't want to upset you. It seems that conversion from lst to iss is not fully functional.

carstos,

How can you stand to be wrong so much? Conversion from lst to iss is fully functional. But if you do not have the information, how do you expect anything to work properly. It like saying a car is not fully functional because it is out of gas. If you gave it the gas... IT WOULD BE! The problem is not the car, it's the lack of GAS!

You refuse to give or do what is needed and expect the results to be favoritable. If you did like I stated and followed the instructions you would have a new install. But you would have to extract all the files from the cab file to start or at least point ********** to where they exist.

You somehow expect Inno Setup to run the PDW setup file and do it better. Now how you expect that is unknown to me. When you have problems you must listen to those who know what they are doing not try to tell them what to do.

You do not understand how installers work... You must listen to those who do to get favoritable results.

If .CAB files contained source code, we'd all have the source code to Windows, and every other app that was created with some installers. It isn't so, unfortunately, or rather fortunately.

Hello Randem,

Of course I've extracted all cab files into a folder and run **********. I told you. The setup created by ********** contains all the files, extracts them correctly but it does NOT run setup1.exe. That was my problem. Giving you all cab files won't help.

carstos,

You must read what's in my posts. It is not supposed to run Setup1.exe. and why haven't you posted the script. Why is getting info from you so hard. Do you work for the CIA?

Is your app written in VB?

carstos,

Let's try this one last time. Send me the files in the cab. along with your script and if your auto cad program is a vb program send the vbp file. Send any other important info like where the files should be installed etc. Then we can get you an installation that works.

I read all your posts, but it seems you didn't read mine. The OLD setup, created with PWD, launched setup1.exe. I gave you vbp file for this application, which is a setup application (a dialog box is displayed, a path can be selected, ...). All the other files from .cab are .lsp files (text files). These lsp files are copied in the selected path and loaded by ACAD. There is no other vbp. So all i have is a vbp for setup1.exe and a bunch of text files (lsp, dat, ...). I've also gave you setup.lst.