NEXT Generation 31/NEXT31.iso/mac/Setup/Aladdin Systems/InstallerMaker™ 3.1.3 Installer/InstallerMaker™ 3.1.3 Installer/Users Guide & License Agreement/What's New, InstallerMaker3.1.3

Text File | 1996-11-21 | 24KB | 270 lines

What's New in StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.1.3

Aladdin Systems, Inc. is the industry-standard in compression and archiving utilities on the Mac OS.  StuffIt InstallerMaker is the benchmark installation product used by developers and network administrators on the Macintosh.

StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.1.3 picks up where your compiler stops. It allows software developers, MIS directors, and network administrators to easily create custom installers for distributing software or files.

InstallerMaker 3.1.3 includes  changes and suggestions from InstallerMaker users including developers, system administrators, and multimedia developers.  InstallerMaker provides all the core functionality of Apple’s installer, and more, yet is significantly easier to use.


Bug Fixes

To ensure you have the best installation software available, Aladdin has resolved several issues in InstallerMaker. The items below have been addressed:

•    Fixed an issue with the preferences not being handled correctly. The compression and encryption checkboxes were not being saved properly in the preferences and options dialogs. This could result in compression and/or encryption to be turned off when adding items to an archive.

•    Fixed a memory leak.

•    Fixed a problem with updaters failing to update an old file if the old file's name did not match the name of the old file used to create the updater. This was a side effect of the new capability where updaters work on a copy to prevent corruption to the original file in the event of a failed update.

• The "Foo ƒ" Tutorial files - needed for use in the Updater tutorial - are now included.

We hope you enjoy using this software as much as we enjoyed creating it. ;-)

Upgrading to InstallerMaker 3.1.3
from InstallerMaker 3.1, 3.1.1 & 3.1.2

Throw away InstallerMaker 3.1, 3.1.1 or 3.1.2.  Start using InstallerMaker 3.1.3.  Before building a product installer for the first time with InstallerMaker 3.1.3 using an existing archive from an earlier version, open and click "OK" in both  "User Specified folder" and "Uninstall Options" under the options menu. This corrects a problem in the archive created by versions of InstallerMaker 3.1.1 and earlier.



What's New in StuffIt InstallerMaker™ 3.1.2

Features
• The updater supports updating files that have been compressed with Apples resource compression scheme.
• New version of Internet PrefSaver (formerly PPP_PrefSaver) has been expanded to allow configuring Netscape Navigator and Eudora Lite. Of course it still configure PPP settings. Look for it in "Customizing InstallerMaker: Sample Code".
• New Language modules have been added, we now support Italian, Dutch, Spanish (Euro & Latin Am), and Catalan. German and French continue to be available. The Japanese module has been removed for updating and will be posted on the Aladdin web site when available.
    • Folders can have restart (and open) actions associated with them. This also fixed a bug where opening a folder might open all folders inside the folder with an open action.
    • The default behavior has been changed when adding aliases to an archive. The new behavior is to add the alias, not the original item.
    • Items to be updated are copied before we update them, and then if the update is successful, the updated item is copied back to the original location. This insures the integrity of the original item  if the update fails.
• The User Guide and Addendum have been combined into one document and transferred into Adobe Acrobat format from Common Ground. We are investigating HTML for future versions of the User Guide. If you have an opinion about how we should be delivering documentation, please send and email to [e-mail].


Improvements
    • The new "Create Uninstall Packages" Applescript now uses a new procedure for deleting folders. If the script encounters a folder at the top level of an archive, it makes deletion tasks for each individual item inside the top level folder. The top level folder is set to be deleted only if it is empty. If there are folders inside the top level folder, the deletion task created by the script will delete them regardless of their contents.

    • Replaced all System 7-only calls in the product installers.  They now use System 6 equivalents or calls to glue in the product installers to ensure full compatibility in System 6.

    • The Destinations menus now support full menu colors (there were some compatibility issues with 3rd party software that colorizes the menus).

    • Fixed issue when building localized product installers.  All resources are tested to return a valid result, (i.e. the resource exists in the language file) before adding it to the product installer which improves stability, especially in Japanese systems.

    • InstallerMaker ejects segment media volumes (like Zip, Jazz, and Syquest cartridges) and requests the next segment of media for multi segment archives, if next segment isn't found on the same volume.

    • When an updater renames a target file, another file in that folder with the new target name get renamed with a "number" after the name. This means that in order to replace something like "SimpleText 1.2" with "SimpleText 1.3.1" and there is already a file with the name "SimpleText 1.3.1" in that folder, this other file will get renamed to "SimpleText 1.3.1•1" (or whatever the next unused file name/number combination is).

    • There were hardcoded "System" names in the code.  Now InstallerMaker uses the name of the system file that the system maintains.

    • InstallerMaker uses the PBCatMove OS trap if the source and destination of a Move task are on the same volume. The significantly improves performance and reduces disk space requirements on Move tasks.

    •  When InstallerMaker is stuffing files in the in the background, performance has been dramatically improved. (We now give other apps 4 ticks rather than 30 ticks).

    • The amount of memory required when performing updates has been significantly reduced.  Updater resources from the target file are only loaded into memory while they are being updated, then flushed.  In addition, updater resource files are now being opened with ResLoad set to false, which prevents  resources in the updater resource with the "preload" flag to load into the application heap. We set ResLoad to false before opening resource files (and set it back to true afterwards).

    • The updater for the data fork is now more intelligent -- If the data forks are different, then we compare the data forks, and return the smaller of the difference or the new data fork.

•    You can now set the match criteria of tasks from AppleScript when the source location is FIND.


Bug Fixes
    • If building a multi-segment installer, and the user reinserts the first disk with it locked, the disk is ejected and a dialog appears telling them to unlock the disk and reinsert it.  InstallerMaker needs an unlocked disk to finish writing some housekeeping info to the disk. In the past the build would silently fail and produce a unusable product installer.

    • The tail of all Pascal strings are now zeroed out so that two builds of an identical archive will produce identical product installers. In the past, two builds from the same archive might not produce identical product installers on a byte level.

    • When finding the parent folder of an item for the destination, the dialog was coming up with a blank name.  If the name is blank, it now displays the name of the directory.

    • Corrected a rare bug where installing resources into the System file could corrupt the System file/or installed resource.

    • If the user cancels an installation because they don't want to restart, the installer successfully cancels. On some system versions this previously produced unexpected errors.

    • Fixed problem with archive items not setting destination "Find" default to "Search Local Disks". If more than one item was selected, then default was "Search Local Disks", otherwise default is what was last selected for that item. Now the default is always set to Search Local Disks.

    • When multiple items are found during a FIND and the user is required to select between them, double-clicking on an item in that dialog transmutes to OK.

    • Destination of Apple Menu Items now return "apple menu items" rather than "apple menu".  The old ways caused problems with AppleScripts because tasks would want "apple menu items" for a source location, and you couldn't use the destination of an item to set a task's source location to delete that item on an uninstall.

    • The returned item from "Make New Task" in AppleScript is no longer be off by one.

    • When creating an updater, there was a lower limit of the size of things being compared.  If the size of the resource or data being compared was less than 2k, it was creating a spurious "modified" value. The lower limit has been removed and all sizes now create proper values.

    • Numerous AppleScript issues have been resolved.

    • Creating tasks formerly produced an error if you didn't specify a source name. It no longer produces this error.

    • Opening the Get Info window should now never go off the bottom-right of the main screen (the window should be fully visible).

    • In the match criteria dialog of product installers, the OK button is always enabled.

    • Widened the date area in the registration dialog where the date entry wasn't wide enough for a full (including century) date.

    • Widened the date area in the Match dialog to handle century when that flag has been set in the Date & Time control panel.

    • Made the display of the match criteria in the Find... dialog a little larger for a nicer display of the match criteria.

    • Updated the AppleScript dictionary for tasks -- it said source location was not used for delete tasks, which is incorrect.


Known Issues

• Deleting items from a User Specified Folder

The "Uninstall Settings..." available under the Options menu govern the  execution of Delete Tasks for items in a User Specified Folder; this  refers to all Delete Tasks with a Source Location setting of User  Specified Folder.

Uninstall Settings Dialog: (Options Menu)
The prompt string: Enter a string here to prompt the user to locate the  folder containing the items you wish to delete, i.e. "Please Locate The  Folder: MyApp Folder".

Initially point standard file to: Set this to the default location where users begin locating the folder to delete items from.

Check the option to "Choose an existing folder instead of creating a new  one" to avoid having a new folder created, since you are looking for an  existing folder to delete items from.

Uncheck the option to: "Automatically open the folder after installation".

Creating the Delete Tasks for your Uninstaller:
In your archive, select all of the items that are installed into a User  Specified Folder in your install package, then Use the Make Delete Tasks  script to create delete tasks for those items.

To delete the User Specified Folder itself, create a new delete task with  the Source Name field left blank and the Source Location field set to  User Specified Folder.  Make sure the box labeled "Only Delete Empty  Folders" is checked.  Set the name of the delete task item in your  archive to the name of the User Specified Folder you wish to delete.


Create an Uninstall Package

Under the Packages menu, select "Define Packages" and create new package  for your Uninstall.  Begin the package name with the ~ symbol to denote  it as an uninstall package.

After defining an Uninstall package, select all of the Delete Tasks in  your Uninstaller, pull down the package menu, and select the Uninstall  package you defined, to assign those Delete Tasks to that package.  Be  sure and deselect them from your Std, or Standard, package.


Important Workaround Step:

Temporarily, we are instructing developers to add this workaround step to  enable their uninstallers to function correctly to delete items in a User  Specified Folder:

Select one of the items in your install package that gets installed into  the User Specified Folder in when files are installed.  Set it to also be  included in your Uninstall package.  One file you might wish to choose is  an invisible icon file, if you install one in your standard installation  to give the User Specified Folder a custom icon. (Make sure the options of this file are set to Overwrite Any Existing File and Install if the Same or Newer, to ensure that it is installed, because that is the key to this workaround.)

The reason this step is needed is to cause the folder selection prompt to  be posted for the user.  Currently, if this step is not added no prompt  will be given and no Delete Tasks with a Source Location setting of User  Specified Folder will be executed.  This is an issue we will resolve in the next release.  You should not set the Delete Tasks to  "Perform Task Immediately" so that the file you have set to actually be  installed in this workaround will be deleted by your Delete Tasks.

There are known problems in the display regarding the number of items  being removed and with the "Installation Requires" message for an  Uninstall package.  We also hope to have these issues resolved in the next  release.

If you encounter any problems with this workaround, please contact developer support [e-mail] or [phone].




What's New in StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.1.1

Key improvements in InstallerMaker 3.1.1 include:

• New Script creates Uninstall for you
We've added a new Script that creates complete uninstall packages, from a installer that only installs.  This is possible because of the full Applescript support, that only InstallerMaker provides.   (Note, you may still need to use the workaround detailed on the previous paged for uninstalling items from a user specified folder.)

• More Developer Examples
We've added more examples on how to customize InstallerMaker.

• More Custom Locations
We've added a few more destinations, written by a fellow developer, Willie Raye - THANKS!
These are in a folder in the locations folder which contains these custom Locations, to access them, drag them up a level into the same folder as the other locations. The new locations are: Netscape ƒ, Eudora Folder, Apple Menu Items (Disabled), System Folder (Disabled), Fonts (Disabled), and Moved by Installer.

• Improved Find to support locating folders
It is now possible to specify the item that needs to be found is a folder.

• Improved Documentation Addendum:
New items were added to the documentation addendum until the finished version is completed.

Bugs Fixed

• Fixed a bug where using tasks and "Find" would not sometimes not work
• Removed some debugging code left in the 3.1 release
• Fixed a bug in creating updaters
• Recording scripts for "find" would sometimes not work.
• Fixed a bug building the AppleScript menu, when Applescript is not active.
• Fixed a bug when scrolling the destinations menu that caused the menu to be drawn improperly.
• Fixed a bug with segmented installers, causing the installation to fail in some cases.

Key improvements in InstallerMaker 3.1 include:

• Support for Installing OpenDoc® Live Objects™:
Four custom locations were added in the destination menu to handle OpenDoc parts: editors, libraries, shell plug-ins, and stationery.

• New Task Functionality:
√ Two new tasks have been added - alias and rename. The first allows the developer to create an alias for items to be installed on a user’s hard drive - for example to put an alias in the Apple Menu item folder. It can even make an alias of items that are outside the installer for use with CD's. The second new task can rename any found file on the user’s hard drive.

√ Task functions (copy, move, delete, rename, alias) can be performed on all items matching find criteria. It is useful processing a large number of files.

√ The UI of Copy and Move has been improved. Files will now default to maintain their names rather than renaming to the task's name, however, it is still possible to rename as part of a copy or move.

• Improved Find
√ Searching for applications, control panels, and extensions by version number is now supported. This functionality  is extremely useful when making updaters to automatically find old versions of software.

√ Limit Find to scan the startup disk or all local disks. It defaults to local disks.
Previously find would always search all attached disks including network volumes.

√ UI of the Find window has been improved. We rename "find folder" to "Return Item" and "find file" to "Return Parent Folder". This actually returns a complete path to the item or its parent folder.

• Updater PowerPC native: Performance is increased during builds and when creating "diffs"  for large files on PowerPC computers.

• Resource Compressor Enhanced: The compressor is now PowerPC native and supports compressing Control Panels & Extensions. Performance is increased on PowerPC computers and Control Panels and Extensions require less space on a user's hard drive. When an item is resource compressed with an unregistered copy of InstallerMaker, the application will now show a graphic indicating it has been resource compressed with an unregistered copy of InstallerMaker.

• Preset Custom Install:  Use custom code for checking system or configuration information to set a specific custom install to be highlighted for the user.

• Additional Custom Destinations:  Even more custom destination folders are available.
Aladdin Folder, Claris, Claris Translators, Control Panels(Disabled), Control Strip Modules, Documents, Extensions(Disabled),  OpenDoc Editors, OpenDoc Libraries, OpenDoc Shell Plug-Ins, OpenDoc Stationery, Printer Descriptions, Shutdown Items,
 System (Disabled), and Voices.

• Actions are tested before being performed. If an file or folder has the "open" or "restart" action  set, the action will not fire unless the item has actually been installed.

• InstallerMaker is now even more scriptable
Added support for new features in 3.1 (see InstallerMaker Applescript Dictionary for details)

• InstallerMaker includes more examples
We have added many new examples showing how to use InstallerMaker and also how to use custom code to modify InstallerMaker's behavior.

• New Language
We have added French and German in this release. Other languages are being worked on, and will be posted on our web site when available.


Bugs Fixed

• Fixed a bug where tasks might not run under certain conditions.
• Fixed a bug where a second alert could come up when restarting
• Fixed a bug where crash might result when canceling an install in progress.
• Fixed bug introduced in 3.0 where Find wouldn't work from scripting
• Fixed a bug where progress message could be wrong (Installing/Updating/Removing)
• When updating a file, we display the name of the file being updated NOT the temp file!
• Fixed a bug with doing updates on FAT applications
• Fixed some possible icon positioning problems
     -     if icons were stuffed w/initted bit cleared, they may have gotten screwed up on install
• Changed the size used for HD segments from 1400 to 1350 to make sure things fit!
• And miscellaneous other small fixes


What's New in StuffIt InstallerMaker™ 3.0

Key improvements in InstallerMaker 3.0 include:

• Fully Scriptable and Recordable:   InstallerMaker 3.0 is fully scriptable, recordable, and attachable.  It can even execute AppleScripts as part of the installation process. This is “industrial strength” script support for AppleScript, UserLand Frontier, and any other OSA(Open Scripting Architecture) compliant scripting system.  Automate builds to save labor and improve quality through more consistent and faster installer builds.

• Built-In Updating:   Build intelligent “diff” files and place them in an installer.  With this ability, a developer can create small updaters, perfect for online distribution.  Users can easily update any number of files, move files, copy files, delete old files, and install files as part of the update.

• Better Compression:  Accounting and production departments will be pleased with the reduction in the cost of goods due to shipping fewer disks.  This version is the best compressing installer on any platform, on average, it saves 5 - 15% more disk space than the competition.  There may even be extra room for additional tutorials and samples on distribution disks that were previously too large.

• Uninstall:   Users can now “uninstall” software as well as install it.  This feature is much more functional and flexible than Apple’s implementation.  A developer can instruct an uninstall to perform any action possible during installation, including renaming files, deleting files, moving, copying, or even installing a file as part of removal.  For example, uninstalled files don’t need to be completely deleted, they can be moved to a “removed items” folder.

• Built-In Resource Compression:  Applications can be compressed, either before or after they are installed, using Aladdin’s updated resource compression technology.  Resource compression will reduce the disk footprint of a product on the end-user’s computer.  Aladdin’s resource compression is significantly better than any other implementation now shipping, including Apple’s. Unlike our competitors who charge additional fees, resource compression is a free feature of InstallerMaker.

• Resource Installation:  In addition to support for Font/Desk Accessory installation, 3.0 allows you to install resources of any type into the System File or into applications or extensions.

• Move/Copy/Rename:   With InstallerMaker any file can be moved, copied, or renamed, including those not shipped in the installer archive itself.

• Increased Number of “Packages:”  The previous version of InstallerMaker was limited to 16 packages (groups of files for a custom installations), the new version allows up to 128 packages.

• Unlimited Custom Destinations:  A modular system for adding new “destinations” to your files, has been added to this version. It allows an unlimited number of locations in which files can be installed on a user’s hard drive.

• Improved Hooks for Developer Customization:  InstallerMaker 3.0 provides even more hooks for developers to customize their installers.


Using InstallerMaker reduces technical support calls due to end-user errors during installation, saves disks (when distributing on floppies), and saves on download time (when distributing software online).  Aladdin has found developers save more than the cost of the Installer license by significantly reducing distribution costs due to our advanced compression technology.

Aladdin’s StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.1 is “The Complete Installation Solution.” It provides support for installation, scripting, updating, resource compression and de-installation.  No other product has this wide range of integrated functionality.  Furthermore, upgrades and technical support is always free for licensed developers.

StuffIt InstallerMaker 3.1.3 is currently shipping. A demo version can be downloaded from our web site at http://www.aladdinsys.com  Licensed developers can enter their new 3.x registration number to convert the demo into a full-working copy. Licensed developers who have not received a new registration number from their 2.x license should contact Developer Sales at [phone]x6 or e-mail [e-mail]


Copyright © 1996 Aladdin Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. StuffIt and StuffIt InstallerMaker are trademarks of Aladdin Systems, Inc. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Revised November 20, 1996.