Install Makers for Win/Linux/Mac?
by Martin Schultz · in General Discussion · 09/06/2005 (8:12 am) · 7 replies
Hi all,
I've searched some time now the web and all the resources mentioned here in the forums about install makers. What I've learned so far is that it seems not to be an easy job to find a suitable install maker. For example the only software I found that supports Windows, Linux and Mac is BitRock and is a commercial software for 199,- USD. But is there also any free resource available that I didn't found so far?
I stumbled across project called InstallBase here which supports Windows and Linux, but this project seems to be dead, because there were no updates since 2003. I learned from a Linux guru friend that such old project usually wouldn't produce an installer which installs on today's Linux distributions.
Well, my minimum requirements would be to support at least Windows and Linux installers and so I would like know from you guys what install maker software you are using for your projects today? (both commercial and non-commercial software). Maybe we could assemble here a list of all available software. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one interested in this :-)
Martin
I've searched some time now the web and all the resources mentioned here in the forums about install makers. What I've learned so far is that it seems not to be an easy job to find a suitable install maker. For example the only software I found that supports Windows, Linux and Mac is BitRock and is a commercial software for 199,- USD. But is there also any free resource available that I didn't found so far?
I stumbled across project called InstallBase here which supports Windows and Linux, but this project seems to be dead, because there were no updates since 2003. I learned from a Linux guru friend that such old project usually wouldn't produce an installer which installs on today's Linux distributions.
Well, my minimum requirements would be to support at least Windows and Linux installers and so I would like know from you guys what install maker software you are using for your projects today? (both commercial and non-commercial software). Maybe we could assemble here a list of all available software. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one interested in this :-)
Martin
#2
I'm using InnoSetup, which is great and free ;-)
http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php
09/06/2005 (9:56 am)
I'm quite sure that you won't find a free installer to support all OS, but why do you want it anyway? why not choose different installer programs for the different OS?I'm using InnoSetup, which is great and free ;-)
http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php
#3
09/06/2005 (9:42 pm)
Nullsoft Installer System is a great one for Windows. Fully cuztomizable with source code and scripting.
#4
09/07/2005 (8:17 am)
@Artur: Quite simple - With one install maker for all platforms I would only need to create a build script once with their local dependencies and not do 3 times the work for each OS.
#5
It's in very active development [the lead developer sits in the office next to mine, and we use it on our products at work]. Just be sure to pull CVS, not the last official release; it's been a while since there was an official release.
For windows, I do rather like WiX.
Gary (-;
09/07/2005 (11:34 am)
For Mac, Linux, and a variety of other unices, Loki Setup is great. A lot of people don't like it, but it works for ID, Epic, GG, and many other big-name places.It's in very active development [the lead developer sits in the office next to mine, and we use it on our products at work]. Just be sure to pull CVS, not the last official release; it's been a while since there was an official release.
For windows, I do rather like WiX.
Gary (-;
#6
09/08/2005 (6:01 am)
Well, of course you would only need to compile 3 times the same setup script, but is it really so importent? when you work 2 years on a game, does it count if you need 10 mins, or 20 mins to create the setup?
#7
09/11/2005 (11:48 am)
They have a java based installer, you create your executable with a script file, then compile the script file using a .exe file. Kind of complicated, but it works awsome. Did i mention it makes the installer with like 10 languages? 
Torque Owner Karthik Krishnan
I'm currently using WIX to create my MSIs for windows installations at work.