Message-ID:	<000a01be8f45$001f01a0$79003bd4@default>
From:	"Laurynas Biveinis" <lauras AT softhome DOT net>
To:	"DJGPP Workers" <djgpp-workers AT delorie DOT com>
Cc:	"DJ Delorie" <dj AT delorie DOT com>
Subject:	Re: Script language for installer - opinions needed
Date:	Sun, 25 Apr 1999 19:55:27 +0200
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Reply-To:	djgpp-workers AT delorie DOT com

>
>Some thoughts...
>
>The zip picker doesn't cover all the zips, so you'd still need some
>way to select additional zips.
>
>The 00_index.txt files on Simtel have one-line descriptions of the
>zips.  DJGPP zips are *supposed* to have a manifest/*.ver file that
>contains a one-line description of the packages.  These can be used
>for zips you don't recognize.

Or maybe for all zips. Why to mantain my own zip information database
if there are ready descriptions in zips?

>We could extend the *.ver file, or add another file, that could be
>designed specifically for the installer.  That way, the installer
>itself wouldn't have to "know" about each zip.  Not sure how well this

There are some things which are not included in manifests -
    - Which zip to which functionality belongs. However IMHO this is not
      neccesarry to have this in manifests.
    - From what zips depends given zip. This could be done by adding
      e.g. manifest/*.dpn file with list of them.
   - IMHO it would be nice to have longer description in manifest/*.dsr

And dealing with version control would be a pain... If major version
number stays one-digit, it would be easier. And now consider -
bnu281b.zip is 2.81 and after many years bnu111b.zip could be 11.1
and 1.11. But I look to far in the future :). Now we can deal with one-digit
major version number.

>would work for .tgz files, we'd have to make sure those special files
>are at the beginning to avoid uncompressing the entire archive just to
>read one file.  Same for zips, but you can skip around in zips if you
>need to.

Are there any tgz in DJGPP distribution? Can't recall.

>I don't think a generic installer is needed.  A djgpp-specific (or at
>least djgpp-aware) one is best.

If we make djgpp-specific installer with all that functionality management
and some other future plans (e.g. ability to upgrade), we get almost
generic installer. Only registry update code is specific.

>If you want to do a generic one, find out what InstallShield uses for
>their "input" script, and do it that way.  That will let us build IS
>versions of djgpp in the future with the same set of parameters.  We
>could have a text-based installer and an IS installer on the same CD,
>for example, or use the text-mode installer as the stub for the GUI
>one, so it "just does the right thing".


1. Would it be legal to use their scripting language? I didn't find anything
on InstallShield's web site on the subject. (couldn't spare too much
online time for it)

2. I looked to their InstallScript syntax. First impression (I didn't
examine
it detailly) - it is like programming language. Too complex for DJGPP
installer.
But maybe 1st impression is wrong.

Laurynas Biveinis

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