home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Documentation Stuff:
-
- The Windows Installation Kit
- ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
- The Windows Installation Kit is a DOS based set of programs that analyze
- the Windows directory when an application is installed to determine what files
- are necessary to install or un-install the application on other workstations.
- In this fashion, the application can be installed to the network once, and
- multiple workstations can eaisly be setup to run that application. You don't
- even have to go into Windows to setup a workstation once you've run the install
- program all you need to do is run a batch file. To install the Windows
- application for the first time, you run the WININST batch file with three
- parameters:
-
- 1) [Install File] -The drive, path, name, and extension of the setup program.
- 2) [Hold File] -The name to assign to the information files.
- 3) [Destination] -The drive and path that the files will be copied to.
- Example: WININST A:\PCASETUP.EXE PCA F:\WININST\PCACOL (All parameters required)
- - You can also type WININST and get instructions.
-
- The Installation Kit performs the following steps:
- ∙ Takes a snapshot of the Windows directory before the application is
- installed.
- ∙ Checks/Creates the [Destination] directory for the install files.
- ∙ Changes the Windows shell to PROGMAN.EXE and disables the STARTUP
- group.
- ∙ Starts Windows with the install program as a command line parameter.
- ∙ After the application is installed, and the user exits Windows, the
- Windows directory is then compared against the snapshot from
- before the installation program.
- ∙ Copy the new files needed for installation to the [Destination]
- directory.
- ∙ Create five new files in the destination directory:
- [Hold File].PRG -All New/Modified files.
- [Hold File].NFO -All New/Modified INI and GRP Files only.
- [Hold File].CHG -Changes made to the INI files.
- [Hold File].CMD -Command file for workstation installations.
- [Hold File].BAT -Batch file to install application on a
- workstation. The name of the batch file will
- be the first four letters of [Hold File] plus
- INST.BAT. EX: If the [Hold File] is EXCEL, the
- name of the batch file would be EXCEINST.BAT.
-
- At this point the application is now installed on the workstation, and all
- data necessary to install the application on another workstation has been
- processed. To install the application on another workstation, change to the
- [Destination] directory and run the batch file from that directory, passing a
- parameter of A to install the application, or R to remove it.
-
- The batch file performs the following steps:
- ∙ Check your parameter to make sure that it is either A or R.
- ∙ For Installation:
- Copies the files to the Windows directory.
- Adds the necessary information to the INI files(s).
- ∙ For Deletion:
- Deletes the files from the Windows directory.
- Removes the information from the INI file(s) and deletes
- the empty ones.
- Page 1
- WININST.BAT uses the following programs:
- ∙ ASK.COM -Ask the user if the installation was successful
- ∙ CHECKDIR.EXE -Checks for and creates [Destination] directory.
- ∙ SETPROG.EXE -Changes the defalut shell to PROGMAN.EXE, and
- disables the STARTUP group.
- ∙ C_NEW.EXE -Analyzes the changes in the Windows directory,
- builds the and batch file for installing/
- removing the applicaiton.
- ∙ INIMOD.EXE -Changes the INI files in the Windows directory.
- ∙ ATTRIB.EXE -(DOS) Change the file attributes on the Windows
- directories.
-
- (These programs MUST be located in a Pathed/Mapped directory)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
- Quick Start Stuff:
- ∙ To Install a Windows application for the first time:
- - Type: WININST [Install File] [Hold File] [Destination]
- (All parameters required)
- - For an explination of each parameter, see "Documentation Stuff"
- - You can also type WININST and get instructions.
-
- ∙ To install an application on a workstation:
- - Change to the [Destination] directory you specified when you installed
- the application.
- - Run the batch file in that directory and pass it a parameter of A.
- EX: If the batch file is EXCEINST.BAT type EXCEINST A.
-
- ∙ To remove an application on a workstation:
- - Change to the [Destination] directory you specified when you installed
- the application.
- - Run the batch file in that directory and pass it a parameter of R.
- EX: If the batch file is EXCEINST.BAT type EXCEINST R.
-
- Page 2
- Disclaimer Stuff:
- THE AUTHOR SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR
- IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
- MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
- (Sorry, had to do it)
-
- Basic Info Stuff:
- I wrote this program to facilitate the installation of Windows
- applications in the environment in which I work. We frequently purchase
- 20+ copies of a Windows application, and installing it on each
- workstation can be a real pain. Certain packages allow for workstation
- installation on a network, but a great deal of them don't. It's even
- harder to try to UN-install a Windows application. That's the beauty of
- this program, once you install it, it takes all of 10 seconds to add it
- to another workstation, or remove it from one. Special consideration must
- be given to people who use a shell other than the default progman.
- Example: I myself use Norton Desktop for Windows when I install a Windows
- app, I have to in afterwards and install the new GRP in the Quick Access
- so I can add the icon to my desktop.
- Anyway, I hope that you find this program useful, and PLEASE register.
-
- Registration Stuff:
- If you find this program useful and use it for more than 30 days, please
- register. When you register, you will receive the next upgrade FREE.
- Registration is cheap too, given the time that this program can save in a
- large networked environment, I think that $20.00US is not too much to ask.
- All donations of $60.00US or more will recieve a disk with the source code.
- When you purchase the source code, you will also receive the Virtual Array
- Unit that I used in writting this for free. The source code is sold as
- is, it's commented, but not a great deal.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Page 3
-