How to use SFXEHAD.SFX to create a custom installer?

[George Mpouras]

I am trying to use the SFXEHAD.SFX from
https://plugins.ghisler.com/addons/newinstaller.zip
to create a custom installer , but at install I get the message

"The setup information file not found!"

I've done the same steps as I used , everything worked then

George Mpouras

[ghisler(Author)]

Did you follow the instructions in readme.txt, especially this one:
Compression ratio: 0 (stored)
?

[George Mpouras]

It was the compression level. I set it to 0 and then worked.

But I notice a problematic behavior on an other test , that I am not sure it is my mistake.
I uncompress the tc900x64_rc1.exe installer , and copy there also the SFXHEAD.SFX from newinstaller.zip (64bit) as install.exe
when I run the install.exe it complaints about "The setup information file not found!" .This does not make sense

[ghisler(Author)]

The sfxhead.sfx cannot work as standalone install.exe - it always looks for the install files appended to itself, not as separate files within the same directory.

[George Mpouras]

I understand.

Is it too much asking for a newer version of install.exe exe inside the newinstaller.zip ?

[ghisler(Author)]

This is planned for the CD installer too, but I haven't had the time yet. Why not use the new install method with installer and appended data?

[George Mpouras]

the new method is ok.
but the old one can be scripted easier.
e.g. you can not pack the new install unattended , you have to do it manually

[Dalai]

e.g. you can not pack the new install unattended , you have to do it manually

It might seem so, but it's not true. I scripted it about 1.5 years ago using WinRAR. I did it like this:

Code: Select all

WinRAR.exe a -m0 -afzip -ep1 -sfxH:\path\to\install32.exe -- "H:\unattended_tc_setup.exe" "H:\directory\with\tc\unattended\files\*.*"

Notes:

• WinRAR must support all switches shown above (I used version 4.20).
• install32.exe is the installer from https://plugins.ghisler.com/addons/newinstaller.zip - I find it much more meaningful to name the files install32.exe/install64.exe instead of sfxhead.sfx.
• unattended_tc_setup.exe is the target file that gets created

This method still works with recent TC and installer releases.

But: you can still use the old installer if you want to. I still use it, because it's indeed easier to set up and it supports command line parameters like "install.exe unattended.inf".

[EDIT]
Added path to install32.exe
[/EDIT]

Regards
Dalai

[ghisler(Author)]

OK, here the updated installer:
https://plugins.ghisler.com/addons/installer.zip

It cannot be used as sfxhead.sfx!

[Dalai]

What Ghisler meant to say:

OK, here's the adapted installer.
It cannot be used as sfxhead.sfx!

[ghisler(Author)]

Sorry, I thought that I was in the German forum. Fixed.

[George Mpouras]

real thanks , you are the man !