Topic: Installation package (exe)

[JDBuzbee]

Has anyone used a third party to create an installation package for the AutoCAD customizations?  I cannot believe what Windows has done to their 2021 - 2023 operating system and I wake up one morning and nothing works

I've been using the same tools for 15 years and now they're dead - any thoughts?

[bilançikur]

In a previous life I have used the Inno software:
https://jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

Maybe this can help you out?

[JohnK]

I used NSIS for many things.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/nsis/

[Jeff_M]

I am currently using Inno Setup, have used this exclusively since 2009.

[BIGAL]

You can use a lisp to do a install, I found out how to open a zip file and unpack it using lisp. So I email a lisp and a ZIP. For me it makes the correct directory c:\Cad-tools etc and unzips the files to that directory, the menu's are menuloaded, support paths set and so on. All in the lisp.

This is the unzip part.

Code: [Select]

(setq filename (getfiled "Select the File \"CAD-TOOLS-OCT-25-2022\"" "" "ZIP" 16))

; unzip
(startapp (strcat "powershell -command Expand-Archive -Path '" filename "' -DestinationPath 'C:/CAD-TOOLS' -FORCE"))
(alert "programs unzipped to C:/CAD-TOOLS")

[kdub_nz]

Very enterprising Alan !!

[gile]

I had written a tutorial on how to create a .bundle folder and its installer with Inno Setup. Unfortunately, it's in French.

[It's Alive!]

I’ll second INNO setup, used it a lot, the only downside is it creates a .EXE, which is kind of a pain due to all the security stuff.
Now I mostly use a Visual Studio Setup project to create a MSI, it’s super easy to attach a bundle and contents, more of a pain if you need to edit the registry.

[gile]

Now I mostly use a Visual Studio Setup project to create a MSI, it’s super easy to attach a bundle and contents, more of a pain if you need to edit the registry.

So do I with .NET projects, but we're in the LISP forum...

[It's Alive!]

Now I mostly use a Visual Studio Setup project to create a MSI, it’s super easy to attach a bundle and contents, more of a pain if you need to edit the registry.

So do I with .NET projects, but we're in the LISP forum...

I didn’t know that doesn’t work. .bundle doesn't work with autolisp files?

[gile]

Now I mostly use a Visual Studio Setup project to create a MSI, it’s super easy to attach a bundle and contents, more of a pain if you need to edit the registry.

So do I with .NET projects, but we're in the LISP forum...

I didn’t know that doesn’t work. .bundle doesn't work with autolisp files?

.bundle does work with LISP (and DCL) files but most of the LISPers does not use (full) Visual Studio. That's why I thaught Inno Setup is a good way to build an installer.

[JohnK]

It's too bad Microsoft decided to have two APIs for the editor and IDE. It would have been nice if the extensions were more "interchangeable". I know the features of one are not in the other but porting from one language to another is a big pain; porting could have been easier if both used the same/one language.

[BIGAL]

As provided above yes the ZIP can be a Bundle install to C:\program files\Autodesk\Application plugins.

I can see like others the .exe being rejected at times. I know stuff I download at times can take a few extra steps to get past my virus checker.

[It's Alive!]

WinRAR can create a self-extracting archive that can be used as an installer… but yeah .EXE installers cause too many issues these days.
INNO was my go to installer until. EXEs were being rejected.

Wix is another option, https://wixtoolset.org/
Visual studio's setup, is all I need