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Topic Summary

Posted by: Kulyok
« on: May 12, 2011, 12:42:03 AM »

Yeah, NSIS packaging all the way. :) The only thing a new user needs is to remember to set the archive settings to LZMA solid and read this post by SConrad(I built all my scripts on it):

http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php/topic,18071.msg242070.html#msg242070
Posted by: lennon
« on: May 11, 2011, 02:17:21 PM »

I started this thread, a long time ago, and as a result of the advice, created an NSIS installer for my Perils of Branwen mod.

Long story short, my web server blew up and it has taken me 11 months to recover it.  >:(

In the process of coming back on line, I found an unpublished article on NSIS which I have placed on my bliki, here..., its not that exciting, and I summarise it as,

Quote
The summary is that it was more difficult to install and understand than I wanted, but using Jason's script as a guide wasn't so hard.

Thanks to everyone who helped me get there, albeit 6 years ago  ;) It's the right way to go, but I offer people a choice since many people will wish to study a patch before installing it, and WRT to the MAC comments, I now have one, as do many more people than once was the case.
Posted by: Loriel
« on: January 24, 2005, 03:36:44 PM »

@lennon
CamDawg is right on the money about Mac compression.  Stuffit Expander comes packaged on most Macs, and can handle almost any form of raw compression.  If it's compression with a self-expander, YMMV.  Stuffit Expander will handle all .zip's and most .rar's, though.  I say most, because there are still a few auto-run .rar's that Stuffit can't/won't open.  If you download any of the OSX- prefixed G3 mods, they are great examples of a .rar package that does work.

[SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION]
I am currently offering to repackage mods in a .pkg/.dmg format for Mac-users.  For those who don't know, a .pkg is an installer package and a .dmg is a disk image.  Both are Mac-specific pre-packaged formats and are the best (most user-friendly) for distribution.  Although you can simply release your mod in a .zip or other format, Mac-users covet user-friendliness over all other qualities.  For most Mac-users, the sight of the Terminal window is enough to make us run screaming.  If you want to support your Mac OS X following, the best thing you can do is make it easy for them to install your mod.  Here's what you get when I package it for you:

1)  Mac-friendly distribution that doesn't require any third party software for installation.
2)  The most user-friendly installation a WeiDU mod can get (double-click).
3)  Auto-detection of the mod's install status.  This is important on a Mac, since copying over the new mod will completely replace the old backup directory, making it impossible to uninstall properly.  This feature will automatically uninstall the mod, if needed, before installing a new version.

Requests can be sent to loriel@quixjote.com
[/SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION]
Posted by: CamDawg
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:41:41 AM »

RAR offers better compression than zip (though is marginally less known and popular) and while WinRAR will nag about registration, there are still free RAR-file handlers. If you're distributing in SFX-RAR, it's no burden for the users as they do not need an uncompression program--though you will to create them.

As for the OS X folks, that's better answered by an actual OS X folk like devSin or Loriel. It's my understanding that the included OS X default uncompression program can handle zip files, and (I think) rar files. There are a number of programs for OS X that can handle both, though. StuffIt (SIT) files would be their first choice, I believe, though I've never encountered anything for the PC that can make SIT files.

edit: Scratch that, it appears StuffIt is available for Windows. So let me amend the last statement to read "I've never encountered anything free for the PC that can make SIT files."
Posted by: lennon
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:32:51 AM »

I've never used a Mac,

1. so  why is rar better than .zip
2. is .zip OK for mac-users & is it enough?

I didn't find any scripting capability for rar(which I know doesn't mean its not there)  and I still think that either the modder or the customer's use of *rar would attract a fee liability, although I'm willing to be put right  ;)

Posted by: SimDing0™
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:30:23 AM »

Shh. You're not supposed to tell Compton I can see that.
Posted by: CamDawg
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:29:40 AM »

It's a pinned topic in the G3 Commom Workroom, Ding0! :p
Posted by: jester
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:18:27 AM »

I might not be a good example, but whenever I do a complete overhaul, I extract every single WeiDU mods I can get my hands on into the appropriate folder. Then I open one to start the auto-updating carnage. Yes, some mods are still in version xx. :P So autostart is not that purrfact for my style of installing, but I am williing to concede that I am even outnumbered by Apple users. So don't start listening to me now. :D
Posted by: SimDing0™
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:18:06 AM »

scripts plz  :) :) :) :) :) :)
Posted by: CamDawg
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:13:51 AM »

Quote from: SimDing0™ on January 24, 2005, 09:55:23 AM
Do your SFX-RARs automatically run WeiDU afterwards?
Yes, they do.
Posted by: jcompton
« on: January 24, 2005, 10:05:59 AM »

Quote from: SimDing0™ on January 24, 2005, 09:55:23 AM
Do your SFX-RARs automatically run WeiDU afterwards? Mine certainly don't, and I think that's a more significant advantage than detecting the installation path.

And I happen to think doing both is an even greater advantage.

(And I happen to think "Delivering mods intravenously since April 2002" is a fine slogan.)
Posted by: SimDing0™
« on: January 24, 2005, 09:55:23 AM »

Do your SFX-RARs automatically run WeiDU afterwards? Mine certainly don't, and I think that's a more significant advantage than detecting the installation path.
Posted by: CamDawg
« on: January 24, 2005, 09:43:40 AM »

I've been following the thread, it's just  everyone has already decided what they're going to use already and I didn't think posting would accomplish anything. :) And yeah, Oversight is now in SFX-RAR as of v4.

I prefer SFX-RAR over NSIS because it can be extracted in a conventional fashion by WinRAR as there will always be folks inherently distrustful of exe packages (or just luddites) and wish to do their own extraction. I also don't like distributing a mod for a multi-platform game in a platform-specific package, though this is really more of a principles thing than a practical consideration--looking at the ratio between our OS X and PC distribution downloads, OS X users are the minority as JC suggests. The tradeoff is that the SFX-RAR packages do not truly detect the BG2 path in the same way an NSIS package does; we just populate the default path to equal the default BG2 path (or IWD or BG, depending). I find the tradeoff acceptable.
Posted by: lennon
« on: January 24, 2005, 08:14:52 AM »

Quote from: NiGHTMARE on January 23, 2005, 08:07:07 AM
I for one hate self-extracting .exe's with a passion, especially when they can't even be opened in WinZip/WinRar.

if I can get NSIS to work, which should be possible, I'm not exactly non technical, I propose to offer both a .exe and .zip.

Curious about SimDing0's comments. Is winrar shareware? My reading of their distribution rights is that you must pay to use after a trial period & purpose ? Am I worng?

Why have G3 gone winrar only? (or s G3 a better place to chat about this?)
Posted by: Ghreyfain
« on: January 24, 2005, 12:47:47 AM »

Oh, wow, wtf?  I hit enter twice while trying it again, and this time it worked.