Installer creation utilities.

[Steeveeo]

Hey all, since we (the SRV team) have started work on patch version 2.20 of SRV, I'd like to get into the modern era (ie, make installation a bit more smooth, and well...cool).

Im wondering, besides "Install Creator" by clickteam, are there any free softwares that have a similar GUI for creating installers?

Prefered Features:
- Version Check (checks a textfile/part of a textfile for a version number, then procedes with installation if the version < the check)
- Version Prompt (Ability to ask the user to choose between "Full install" or "Patch to current version" (possibly using the above feature to check to see which patches to install))
- Uninstallation Autocreation (catchy ryhme, no?)
- File Warning/Prompt (Prompts the user with a warning about an optional file (say, a CFG file) and asks whether the user wants to install it or not)
- Installer Images (Images placeable in different panels of the GUI and a background)
- Custom Icon embedding (Installer Icon)
- Any other cool features you can find.

(NOTICE: This is not a "How much do you like installers?" thread! This is a "What Installer Utility is right for me?" thread!)

Please and thank you!

[GSH]

1.3 uses a completely custom installer. It has all assets packed in a .7z file, which is decompressed to memory, and 90+% of the files are then added to a .pak file; the rest are live. This really helps reduce download size.

If I didn't use that, I might be tempted to go with something free like http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page . Some more things http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nullsoft_Scriptable_Install_System here.

-- GSH

[Steeveeo]

Sweet, quick responce!

I'll be sure to check this out when I finalize the patch.

Anybody got any others to share?

[Nielk1]

I personally like GSH's way. I will look into some 7z libraries. How can I make pack files? Is there source code for the PAK explorer or PAK format or is that all 'in house' code.

[OvermindDL1]

Yea, Nullsoft (more of a unique look, looks less like the standard windows installer, I honestly have no clue how many plugins it has, have not used it), InnoSetup (which I use, has some nice graphical tools to create it, ton of plugins), WIX (the open-sourced Microsoft windows installer, yes you read that right, have not used it, not really any of the advanced features that InnoSetup has, hence why I still use InnoSetup, but it is the pure Windows installer itself).  I am not even sure if there are any for-pay installers out there...

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[Steeveeo]

Maybe if this list gets big enough (or informative enough) it can be stickied for future use. (Hint )

[Feared_1]

I found that the NSIS ZIP to EXE utility is useful for making installers. I don't know if that is quite what you're looking for though.

[bigbadbogie]

whats wrong with clickteam??

[Steeveeo]

The free version doesnt do all I want it to.

[General BlackDragon]

Okay, I need something like this now...

I need an installer with radio button options that installs different additional files depending on the users choice. (cant be able to select multiple of them or it'll give u a nice duplicate asssets warning)

[OvermindDL1]

Almost any installer will do that, pretty common functionality.
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