Use of InstallShield

[Ben Taylor]

Hi,
I have got InstallShield with VC++, and I would like to
use it to create a setup for various types of project,
e.g. a game, activeX control, etc. However the project
wizard only allows you to choose an .exe, and it makes you
choose between 'database application', 'finance
application', etc. What if my product isn't an .exe, say
it's an .ocx, or what if it isn't one of these predefined
types of program?
I've no idea on where to start with the blank project
option. I added my .ocx to the 'components' view and then
tried pressing Ctrl+F5, but all it did was show the
initial progress bar 'InstallShield is peparing...guide
you through the rest of the installation process' then
just stops.
Can anyone with experience or knowledge in this give me a
few pointers on how to create a simple setup project? I
don't want anything fancy like optional modules or
custom/typical/compact distinctions, I just want a simple
setup program that will install the dependencies and
register it in Add/remove programs if it's an application.
Are the Visual Studio .NET setup project options easier to
use and as good as InstallShield? Can anybody tell me more
about these?
Many thanks
Ben


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[Sreeram]

Hi Ben

You can add an OCX control into that. And about the application type i am
not sure how to change it. That 4 or 5 options only it is giving,

Regarding OCX control adding and registration:
What you should do is in the "File Groups" tab you can see a folder as
"Shared DLL". If your dll/ocx is a shared one you can add that there. or in
the right side you can set the "Shared" option to "No" so that files
included in that group won't be shared. So in a folder you can add both
"Shared" and "Not Shared" dll's. You can even create a new folder. Select
the appropriate items from the right side lis. for ex: if it is a self
registration dll/ocx you can choose there. Also extra options as you want.

In the components tab you should add a ne component and in the right side
"Included File Groups" add the newly created file group. And also choose the
destination folder from the right hand side.

Finally in the scrip you should ad few lines of code in MoveFileData
function. I will paste that code here. This code is even available in the
InstallShield help.
// Register the files, check for errors.
if Do ( SELFREGISTRATIONPROCESS ) < 0 then
szMsg = "File(s) failed to self-register: \n" + ERRORFILENAME;
MessageBox (szMsg, WARNING);
endif;

This much i know. Not sure about that Visual Studio .NET setup project.

Hope some of this will help you.

Sreeram

 

[Ben Taylor]

My intention is JUST to distribute an OCX, not to
distribute an application that uses an OCX. I just
wondered how you can get that to be the main file, and not
get it to make you choose an .exe, as there isn't any .exe
associated with this. Maybe it's better to just use a zip
compression utility and create a self extracting exe from
that? I see what you mean about the shared and non-shared
folders, but I still don't know how I would get it to know
that my .ocx is what I'm distributing. I'll have another
play around with it, and the .NET setup projects.
Thanks for the advice
Ben