Setup: custom-setup-wrapper for your application. Create a real branded setup, with custom interface, icon, licence info and more.

Applies to:
Finish your application - the build function

Besides generating the actual program files, the extended method builds a setup routine and wraps it around your application. This setup routine works like a wizard that guides users through the installation process as you know it from other applications. It allows the user to choose the destination folder for the installation, to name the start-menu shortcut, etc... Here you can also assign your own desktop and program icon and License and Readme files. The setup file generated by this method is a single standalone  "setup.exe" file.
 

The setup wizard user interface for your application:
Since the creation of the user interface for your installation wizard is done with BrowserBob panel creation, this dialog may be free in shape and design, e.g. it can be created similar to the browser's layout or follow corporate identity specifications.


Tip: y
ou find some ready to use sample setup panels including buttons in the BrowserBob library or you create your own setup panel, following these simple steps: Setup panel creation
 

 

Settings of the Setup method
Open Project->Build...and click the Setup Tab in order to generate a setup wizard for your application. The following settings can be made on the Setup dialog:

 

Target Directory
This determines in which directory the setup file will be generated and saved.

To change the target directory, press the folder icon to the right of the input field, which opens a folder dialog where you can choose or create a directory.

Open target directory in explorer after building:
If you want to test the generated program immediately, check this box in order to open the target directory in a windows explorer window after the build process has finished.

 

Filename
Here you may enter the filename of the application's executable to be generated. A double click on this file in the installation directory will launch the application.

Important note: do not confuse this with a single exe-file generated by the executable method. The executable file generated here is only the runtime module, which does need all other files in the directory to run.

Encode Config-File
Every application made with BrowserBob loads a configuration file where all information about the application is saved. This file can be edited with a text editor or a word processor. In most cases you would not want to open these data for public editing - you would want to hide them from the user. In this case make sure the
Encode Config-File option is checked. Consequently your configuration file will be encrypted to make it unreadable/unchangeable by unauthorized parties.


Icon

This indicates the executable's iconic display. Click on the thumbnail to assign your own icon. A file dialog will appear where you may select an image of your choice: BMP, GIF, JPG, ICO file formats are supported. You may as well enter the path and filename into the text field to the right of the icon preview.

If the selected image is larger than 32x32 pixels, it will be shrunk to these dimensions. If the image has more than 256 colors it will be reduced to 256 colors.
 

TIP: invisible colors (non rectangle icons) will only work if you create an original 32 x 32 pixels icon in your graphics editor. Shrunk icons will not be able to have transparent areas (alpha color).

 

Alpha Color
Icons may have transparent areas. To obtain this, you need to determine an Alpha Color which represents the pixels that will be shown transparent. Determining the Alpha Color can be done in two different ways:

1. by clicking the color box to invoke a color selection dialog and choosing a color, or
2. by clicking the pick icon right to the color box first and then clicking on the part of the icon that shall be transparent.

TIP:
invisible colors will only work for icons if you create an original 32 x 32 pixels icon.

Setup

Setup Filename
Here you may enter the filename of the setup executable to be generated. It will be located in the target directory after building. Doubleclicking this setup executable will start the installation routine.
 

Control Panel
Under
Control Panel
you choose the setup panel (panel with role "Setup"), which will be the user interface during the setup process. All panels of your project with role "Setup" will be available via that list.
 

Textbox Color
The web object on the setup panel serves as a viewer for textual display. Here you determine its background color. Click on the colored box to open a color dialog.
 

Textbox Font
Choose the font and its properties used in the textbox during installation. Click on ABC to open a font dialog.
 

Readme File
If desired you may include a Readme file with your application. If you do so, it will be displayed in the final step of the setup routine. An entry in the start menu will be generated additionally.
 

Launch Program on finish setup
This option determines if the option of launching the application at the end of the setup process will be included. In this case the user will be asked in the final step of the setup routine if he wants to launch the application.
 

Weblication Title
The name of the application is determined by Weblication Title. The title appears in the Windows start menu and will be the title under the desktop icon.
 

Language
Here you can choose the installation language. The setup wizard will display its messages in the chosen language during the installation process.
 

Licence File
If desired you may include a licence file with your application. If you do so, it will be displayed in the second step of the setup routine. The user is asked to accept the agreement in order to continue the setup process.
 

Program Folder
This will be the suggested folder name of the directory where the program files will be installed. Enter the name of the folder you suggest for installation of your program, as subdirectory of the systems standard programs folder. This directory is editable by the user during the setup process.
 

Startmenu Folder
Startmenu Folder
indicates the suggested name for the entry in the Windows start menu and is editable by the user during the setup process.
 

Launch program on finishing setup
Enabling this checkbox included the possibility for the user, to launch the program automatically at the end of the setup process.

Create Icon on Desktop
When checked, the user will be asked in the final step of the setup routine if he wants a desktop icon to be created. The desktop icon will be the one you chose under Icon.

Per machine installation
If this checkbox is enabled, the program will be installed for all users on the target computer. If this box is not enabled, the setup wizard will install the program for the current user only. Other users of the computer (especially with limited accounts) will have no access to the installation.

Launching and installing finished programs under limited user accounts

 

Start the setup compilation process by pressing the Build Button
After all settings have been made, you can start the compilation process by hitting the Build Button. This process is going to take a few seconds, and mainly depends of the amount of additional files included with your application. Please watch the progress bar.

A status message beneath the bar indicates when your application is ready to use.

Your application is now finished and ready to run. Click Close to exit the build dialog.
 


 

Launching the setup wizard of your application:
Doubleclicking the setup file (*.exe) in the target directory will launch the setup process of the application. Please make sure you close the application before building again.

Distribution of setup applications:
The generated setup file contains all files needed for installation and execution of the program on any Windows system.

NOTE: the generated application is fully independent from the BrowserBob development environment and can not be opened in project mode anymore. Thus make sure to save your project file before you exit BrowserBob.

 

Related topics:
Setup Panel creation

Bulding

Build dialog

File structure of BrowserBob applications

Launching and installing finished programs under limited user accounts.