HowTos

Simple How Tos

Creating a usable configuration

Please check the content of the ZIP-File you downloaded. It should be like this:

\\
|de.darkeldar.dll
|de.darkeldar.dynsetup.configuration.dll
|de.darkeldar.dynsetup.scripting.dll
|ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.dll
|Interop.IWshRuntimeLibrary.dll
|Setup.exe
|Uninstall.exe
\\SetupData
-|ConfigCreator.exe
-|de.darkeldar.dll
-|de.darkeldar.dynsetup.configuration.dll
-|de.darkeldar.dynsetup.scripting.dll
-|gpl-3.0.odt
-|gpl-3.0.txt
-|gpl-3.0-standalone.html
-|Localization.xml
-|used ressources and licences.txt

This is an empty environment for building a delivery version of your software.
One of the following releases will contain an example script to use as a base for further customization.

To create a config-file you should run the "ConfigCreator.exe".
This program will test on startup if it is called from within a directory called "SetupData" and if the parent directory contains a file called "Setup.exe". If so then it will change its working directory one level up (to matche Setup.exe) and will use "SetupData" as the default directory when opening files. This is to make the creation simpler since filenames are stored relative to the working directory. So by changing its working directory you make sure your files are stored properly in the configuration and the setup can install.

If you don't have an existing configuration just hit File->New.
Now you have an empty configuration.

General usage

You switch between opened configurations by selectiong a node that is derived from your desired configuration: A.Settings selects A, B.Modules selects B, C selects C.

Most content frames (right part) have a "Save" button. This button is used to store your changes into the configuration in RAM. To save the configuration to disk you have to use File->Save.

Setting the Setting

The first five options in the settings-node are used for the uninstall entry in windows if "create an uninstall entry" is checked.
The GUID is there a special case because this will be the key under which the uninstall information is stored and it will be used as a temporary registry value while the application is being uninstalled. So it the the function of a .pid file on linux.
** Should the uninstall cancel by an unhandled exception or the taskmanager this entyr will still be there and prevent a new installation. It can be found under the key:
HK_CU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{GUID}

Application architecture: Currently unused. Will be added in a future version. This will be used mainly to redirect your application to "Program Files (x86)" and the matching regitsry node if you are installing a 32bit app on a 64bit OS.

"Base dir for installation" and "relative installation dir" are combined to the matching path structure: ProgramFilesX86 and "HelloWorld" will combine to either
"C:\Program Files\HelloWorld"
or
"C:\Program Files (x86)\HelloWorld"
depending on the architecture of the OS.

The installation title will be used as the form's title text during the installation.
Picture for side box should point to a valid image. The picture box is 222px wide and 400px high, the image will be zoomed to fit. A "Browse-Button" is scheduled for next release

Slideshow files and time are used for the pictures being shown during the installation phase. time is in milliseconds.

EULA filename should point to your EULA. The user will have to accept it to continue installation.

Readme filename should point to a readme file that may be automatically displayed at the end of the setup.

Now the mean options:
Advanced by default - The setup can switch to an advanced mode during the selection of the components to install. In advanced mode the user selects modules while in simple mode he will select preconfigured installation packs (see below).

Overwrite existing files - If checked the setup will overwrite existing files without further warning.
If overwrite is true then do (backup)[sic] - Only used if the above option is set. Every file or registry entry, that should be written, is backuped if it already exists.

Allow uninstall of older version - If the setup finds an older version (based on the uninstall entry and GUID) it will ask if this version should be removed (if checked) or will ignore the old version and install anyway. To uncheck this box does only make sence if you install an minor upgrade where it would be terrible to remove the major application before. If you are installing a standalone version over an older you should keep it checked to allow the user to remove the old version and save his valued disk space.

Modules

After you have set the basic settings of your installation you will have to add the data you want to install.
dynSetup used modules to store the data and installation packs to group modules.
You can split your application down into several modules that you can update easyly and group them back into one installation pack that is easy to install.
In this example I will use five modules and two packs:
1. basic application
2. documentation as HLP-file
3. documentation as CHM-file
4. requirements for the application
5. more requirements (pre-XP-OS)

The packs will be as followed:
1. Some modern OS = {1,3,4}
2. Some old OS = {1,2,4,5}

As you properbly think: yes, we should move the requirements up. ConfigCreator doesn't yet support this, so you either have to recreate the modules or you save and close the configuration and edit the xml file by switching the tags. dynSetup will execute module from top to bottom while ignoring the IDs, so you don't have to rewrite these but just move them up, so after this little edit and a reload of the configuration the modules are as followed:
5. more requirements (pre-XP-OS)
4. requirements for the application
1. basic application
2. documentation as HLP-file
3. documentation as CHM-file