Decrease installation creation time for multiple installations

radiosoft · 8th November 2005, 11:01

We have several installation packages which have base (non changeable) files and several small individual files for each installation.
Each client wants to see his logo and license text in the distribution package, but all exe and other files are the same for all.
When using Compression On (especially lzma) - MakeNSis application works too long (about an hour or so) to create all individual installations.

THE QUESTION
Is it possible to prepare pre-compressed data files which won't be compressed during install creation process but certainly be decompressed on installation process using installer decompress functionality?

May be someone has any other suggestion how to manage with such multiple installations.

Animaether · 8th November 2005, 12:17

I don't know if what you're asking is possible... but might it be feasible to compile a generic installer once - and then use something like Resource Hacker's command-line functionality in a batch setup to create copies of the generic installer, and modify the resources within ?

Pidgeot · 8th November 2005, 15:23

You can compress them prior to creating the installer, and then include an appropriate extractor in the installer, which you'll compile with no compression. Extract both things to a temporary directory and run the extractor to put the files where they need to be.

If you distribute your software on a CD or similar, you could optionally choose to just have the compressed file on there directly, and only have the extractor in the installer.

radiosoft · 9th November 2005, 06:06

Now I'm using external decompressor (lzma) to unpack files.
But NSIS already has built-in decompressor and I wanted to use it. :-)

Pidgeot · 9th November 2005, 08:48

In that case, you'd have to take a similar approach and make ONE installer, which you then pacakge into a different one.

The principle is the same, so you should be able to figure it out.

8th November 2005, 11:01	#1
radiosoft Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4	Decrease installation creation time for multiple installations We have several installation packages which have base (non changeable) files and several small individual files for each installation. Each client wants to see his logo and license text in the distribution package, but all exe and other files are the same for all. When using Compression On (especially lzma) - MakeNSis application works too long (about an hour or so) to create all individual installations. THE QUESTION Is it possible to prepare pre-compressed data files which won't be compressed during install creation process but certainly be decompressed on installation process using installer decompress functionality? May be someone has any other suggestion how to manage with such multiple installations.

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8th November 2005, 12:17	#2
Animaether Major Dude Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 1,173	I don't know if what you're asking is possible... but might it be feasible to compile a generic installer once - and then use something like Resource Hacker's command-line functionality in a batch setup to create copies of the generic installer, and modify the resources within ?

8th November 2005, 15:23	#3
Pidgeot Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 136	You can compress them prior to creating the installer, and then include an appropriate extractor in the installer, which you'll compile with no compression. Extract both things to a temporary directory and run the extractor to put the files where they need to be. If you distribute your software on a CD or similar, you could optionally choose to just have the compressed file on there directly, and only have the extractor in the installer.

9th November 2005, 06:06	#4
radiosoft Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4	Now I'm using external decompressor (lzma) to unpack files. But NSIS already has built-in decompressor and I wanted to use it. :-)

9th November 2005, 08:48	#5
Pidgeot Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 136	In that case, you'd have to take a similar approach and make ONE installer, which you then pacakge into a different one. The principle is the same, so you should be able to figure it out.