Mail Archives: djgpp/1996/06/13/15:05:44
> 1) The instructions for installing DJGPP are all there and quite complete
> if anybody would ever bother to read them.
Yep, but it's still very unfriendly. A lot of people could install
windows by hand to, but the installer makes it a hell of a lot
more bearable. I'm just thinking that making the thing more
user-friendly is the way to get more users. I mean, that's what all
the other work's for, isn't it ? Most of us could do without docs,
and look at the source code every time we need to know something,
but it might increase the development time a bit =)
> 2) DJGPP is made up of lots of separate files, and you don't have to install
> all of them, but only the ones that you need. Since installing them is a
> simple matter of moving them to the correct directory and unzipping
> them, a simple batch file might even suffice. The things that kill
> most people are the system configs, like the DJDIR environment
> variable and the DPMI host. We've only had one person so far who
> tried unzipping without '-d'. :)
>
Hmm.. there was a batch file in the first copy I had (on the Libris
Britannia CD - thank god for internet... =), but they'd renamed the
unzip program to use a '-' instead of a '_', and the script wouldn't
work. I'm not saying that's a reason for an installer, but it's
something to consider too. The other thing is that the batch file
was very unfriendly because you'd lots of files to choose from,
going through them a screen at a time.. if you changed your mind
about a file (for example, because of disk space restrictions) you
had to go through the whole process again.
The point is that that a powerful script language for an installer is
basically just an enhanced batch file.
> Lemme see... you want an installer AND a complete script language
> for writing your own installers?
Nope, I want a generic installer that can be used for all DJGPP
programs, including the actual DJGPP distribution itself.
> Hmm... I'd be willing to take a crack
> at the former, but the latter boggles the mind... DJGPP is not professional
> commercial software, remember! Its developers have lives and real
> jobs of their own. :)
>
Well, it's not commercial, but there's no reason why it can't be
presented and supported in a professional way..
> I could see using one of the DJGPP windowing libraries together with
> some basic hardware checking routines to do a basic installer program,
> or at least one that checks system configs, makes necessary changes,
> and recommends which files to download and install. The problem is
> that I don't know enough about hardware analysis to do it. It would be
> a fun way to learn, though...
Yep, if we do get inline stubs, then I'd like to recommend JPTUI -
it's a free TUI, and it looks great..
> Hold on... are you talking about writing a DJGPP installer, or an
> installer in DJGPP? Do you mean that if you should happen to run
> the installer twice, it will detect this and abort without having to
> search the entire disk first?
No, I'm talking about when different programs that use DJGPP stuff
are installed, they won't install ten copies of the same file in
their own abitrary dirs because there's no standardised installation
dirs.. I don't know about you, but I've had to delete a few extra
copies of go32 and cwsdpmi.. not to mention .BGI files from programs
done in borland.. Also, if files are always in one directory, the
installer can check whether the file already present (if there is
one) is newer than the one to be installed, and not install it in
that case (ie, only perform updates).
> That could be done with a simple
> check for the DJDIR environment variable. Besides, as I well know,
> people love to install things in other directories than the standard
> ones. However, the DJGPP directory tree is imbedded in the zipfiles,
> and unless the poor schmuck forgets to use '-d', everything gets put
> in the right place without any work from the user.
>
Hmm.. that's true about non-standard dirs, and using the env var.
But people using DJGPP programs aren't likely to have DJGPP, and even
if they have other programs which are done with DJGPP, it's not
guaranteed that they will have the env var set up when installing a
new program.. there's gotta be a safe way of finding the right
directory.
> Despite these problems, it might be a fun project to undertake -- both theDJ
> installer and the script language. Anybody else interested? Maybe
> working together on it?
There's no need for both.. one good generic installation program
would do everything. It would be much more consistant too...
--
Lee Braiden (lee_b AT celestia DOT dnet DOT co DOT uk)
<Celestia>
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