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INSTALL.DOC
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1992-10-01
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Instant INSTALL
***************
This is a software installation program which runs under any version
of DOS 2.x or higher.
You can customize it in several ways: Number of diskettes with ID
check, single or multiple destination directories, ensure minimum
target drive free space, view READ*.ME* files, a screen title, final
messages and run any program after installation.
Your choice of ARC, LZH or ZIP archives and extract programs is
supported automatically. Any of the following may be used:
File EXT "UNZIP" Utilities supported
-------- ---------------------------
LZH LHA.EXE - Haruyasu Yoshizaki
ZIP PKUNZIP.EXE - PKWARE Inc.
ZIP UNZIP.EXE - Borland International
ARC & ZIP PAK.EXE - NoGate Consulting
ARC PKXARC.COM - PKWARE Inc.
ARC XARC.EXE - System Enhancements Associates
ARC ARCE.COM - Wayne Chin and Vernon D. Buerg
ARC ARC-E.COM - Wayne Chin and Vernon D. Buerg
INSTALL detects whether the extract program is on diskette, or on the
target PC via the PATH= environment variable.
OVERVIEW
********
Source drive is auto-detected; the user selects a drive from a
PickList, then presses ENTER (or clicks with mouse). That's it!
Files are over-written during a re-install. INSTALL works with
versions 2.x - 5.0 of DOS.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
********************
FIRST DISK
----------
[X] A copy of INSTALL.EXE
[X] An archive extract program (see above)
[X] An INSTALL.DAT file, with line ".ID x" (".ID x y" for 2+ disks)
[X] One or more archive files (ARC, LZH or ZIP)
SUBSEQUENT DISKS
----------------
[X] An INSTALL.DAT file with line ".ID x"
[X] One or more archive files (ARC, LZH or ZIP)
INSTALL.DAT (all disks)
-----------------------
The contents of this file is ignored until the ".ID" keyword is found.
If there is more than one disk, the first INSTALL.DAT uses ".ID x y",
where "x" is the disk number and "y" is the total number of disks.
Subsequent disks use the form ".ID x", where "x" is the disk number.
In addition, there will usually be at least one pair of names; an
archive filename and its destination directory. If none at all,
files are sent to the current directory of the selected drive. If
not for a given archive, the FIRST is used as the default.
INSTALL.DAT EXAMPLES
********************
EXAMPLE #1
DISK 1 of 1
-----------
.ID 1 @@ only one disk
.TITLE Good Program @@ Title at top of screen
myarc \mydir\ @@ archive file and destination directory
If the user selected drive "F:", the contents of archive "myarc" is
extracted to "F:\MYDIR\".
It is not necessary to specify a file extension; the diskette is
scanned for a list of ARC, LZH or ZIP files; whichever is found first
determine what extension is used for INSTALL.
After files are extracted, INSTALL switches to "F:\MYDIR\" and leaves
the user at the DOS prompt.
EXAMPLE #2
DISK 1 of 2
-----------
.ID 1 2 @@ disk one of two
.TITLE Better Program @@ Title at top of screen
myone mydir @@ archive and default destination
myconfig mydir\cfg @@ special stuff
.DOS myprog /setup @@ run program, with setup switch
DISK 2 of 2
-----------
.ID 2 @@ disk two of two
DISK #1. Assuming drive "F:" again, the contents of archive "myone"
is sent to "F:\MYDIR\". The contents of archive "myconfig" goes to
"F:\MYDIR\CFG\".
The contents of any other archive files are routed to "\MYDIR\". It
was the first one specified, so it is the default.
DISK #2. If the archives on disk 2 can all go to "\MYDIR\", the
contents of INSTALL.DAT on disk 2 could consist of a single line,
".ID 2", to identify the correct disk.
When INSTALL is finished, the user will be in the "C:\MYDIR"
directory, and the "MYPROG" program is run with the "/SETUP" switch.
"MYPROG" can be a batch, command or executable file (BAT, COM or EXE).
EXAMPLE #3
DISK 1 of 2
-----------
.ID 1 2 @@ first of two disks
.TITLE The ~Best~ Program! @@ Title with "highlight"
.KILOBYTES 200 @@ 200 k needed; ie: 204800 bytes
@@ FILENAME DIRECTORY <--This is a comment!
myfile mydir @@ primary
mydata mydir\data @@ data directory
.MSG First disk installed!
.VIEW read.* readme1 @@ display files in destination directory
.DOS myfile /setup @@ A DOS command when done
DISK 2 of 2
-----------
.ID 2
.MSG Second disk installed!
.MSG
.MSG --------------------------------------------------------
.MSG Call "NONOTHING SOFTWARE STORES" to buy computer thingys
.MSG --------------------------------------------------------
.MSG "We'll sell you anything!"
.MSG
.MSG If you need computer stuff, call us!
.MSG If you need Technical Support, we don't know you!
Note that blank lines are ignored, but ".MSG" will result in an empty
line inserted into the final message screen.
COMMENTS. The double at-sign ("@@") is used for comments; anything
after the "@@" symbols is ignored. Leading and trailing spaces are
also ignored.
DESTINATION(S). Drive names ("C:", "D:", etc) are ignored; this is
selected by the user. Leading and trailing slashes are optional.
Directories are created before extracting files (for each diskette).
OPTIONS
*******
You specify destination directory(s) in INSTALL.DAT; if none are
given, files are extracted to the current directory of the selected
drive. The user selects a drive from a list of fixed and network
disks; if ".KILOBYTES xxx" is used in INSTALL.DAT, only those with
enough free space are listed.
KEYWORDS
********
The following keywords let you specify destination directories, total
number of diskettes, ID check, minimum free space, file(s) to view
after installation and a final DOS command, to run a program which
further customizes installation (see SETUP.BAT for an example).
Certain keywords are used BEFORE a diskette is processed, others
AFTER the entire installation process is completed.
BEFORE (each diskette)
======================
Keyword Purpose
------- -------
.ID x Required on all diskettes.
.ID x y "x" is the disk number, "y" is the total disks.
First diskette only; if "y" isn't given, it is
assumed this is a single diskette installation.
.KILOBYTES xxx "xxx" is the minimum disk space you require. If
given, only drives with enough free disk space
will be shown to the user.
ANYTIME
=======
Keyword Purpose
------- -------
@@ Comment symbol; anything after it is ignored
.TITLE string There can be only one of these, in the first
INSTALL.DAT file. It displays a single line
inside a bordered window.
You can "highlight" by enclosing text with pairs
of title (~) characters:
.TITLE A ~highlighted~ title
.MSG string These "accumulate" from each INSTALL.DAT file,
then are presented when the whole job is done.
The number of lines is not limited. The display
pauses when the screen is full and/or when the
last sentence is displayed.
AFTER (all diskettes)
=====================
Keyword Purpose
------- -------
.VIEW f1 f2 "f1", "f2", etc are filespecs (wildcards OK)
Use to view extracted files in the final directory.
.DOS setup %1 /sw A command just like at the DOS prompt. "Setup" can
be any string; ie: ".DOS myprog /go".
This feature is used to run an extracted program,
to customize installation (see example SETUP.BAT).
It can be a BAT, COM or EXE file.
The total length must be 15 characters or less.
If the "%1" is used, INSTALL will replace it with
the drive from which the program was installed.
It will be either "A:" or "B:" (in case your SETUP
program needs to know this.)
This command is executed when the installation
process is completely finished; there is no memory
overhead, and the diskette no longer needs to be
in the drive (unless your SETUP program needs it).
HOW TO CREATE DISKETTE(S)
*************************
INSTALL.EXE and the "extract" program are needed only on the first
diskette. For multiple disks, INSTALL copies the extract program to
the root directory of the target drive, then deletes it when the
installation process is finished.
[X] You can save diskette space if you KNOW the target PC has the
extract program available via the "PATH=" environment variable.
If the extract program is not on the first disk, INSTALL will
search PATH= automatically.
Now all you have to do is archive your program into ARC, LZH or ZIP
file(s) and copy to diskette.
The simplest possible disk would have INSTALL.EXE, INSTALL.DAT and
one archive file. In this case, you're counting on the extract
program being present and available via PATH= on the host.
A more likely scenario: INSTALL.EXE, INSTALL.DAT, an extract program
such as LHA.EXE (tightest compression), and your program in several
archive files, to be routed to several destination directories.
The INSTALL Process
*******************
If an error condition arises, or the user cancels the process, a
message is displayed, and the program ends. The sequence of events
is as follows:
FIRST DISK ONLY
---------------
Ensure user is running from diskette. Read the INSTALL.DAT file,
ignore everying until ID check passes, then get additional options.
Determine archive type and find extract program. If 2 or more disks,
copy program to root of target drive. Present user with PickList
dialog, to select a drive. Check free space on on target drive.
ALL DISKS
---------
Check disk ID number, get other information from INSTALL.DAT. Create
specified directory(s) on target drive. Scan diskette for list of
archive files (*.ARC, *.LZH or *.ZIP), route to destination as
specified. Call extract program to de-archive; if user interrupts
with Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break, flash ABORT message and stop.
If more that one diskette, prompt user for next disk and continue.
AFTER LAST DISK
---------------
If 2+ disks, erase extract program from root directory of target
drive. Perform "CHDIR" to specified (or first) directory of list.
If ".VIEW" files specified, load viewer; continue when user presses
"ALT-X". Display ".MSG" screen(s), then custom screen(s); run the
".DOS xxx /xx" command (if specified).
*** END DOCUMENTATION ***