How do I create a single file installer for LV 6.1 App Builder Output?

[Eyecheck2003]

I have created an application using the 6.1 App builder and it installs fine. To be able to send this app to others, I would really like to put it in something like a self extracting executable file. How can I do this with app builder or can you suggest another software to buy that will let me create this.

Thanks for any help that you can provide

[unDees]

To make a single-file installer, you can put the setup files generated by App Builder into a self-extracting archive. On Windows, the WinZip Self-Extractor works reasonably well and is inexpensive. On the Mac, a lot of people use StuffIt. (Aladdin makes StuffIt for Windows as well, but I find it harder to use and buggier than the Mac version.)

If you're making an installer for Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 98 users, all you need to put in your self-extracting archive are the .msi and .cab files. The three .exe files aren't really needed on these platforms.

[Andrew S.]

Thanks, unDees, for the advice. I assume this material is common to CVI & LabView, as I work with LabWindows CVI.

I was hoping you or someone else could confirm/correct the following points on MSI basics to round out this thread:

- T/F: Windows XP, 2000, and 98 include an MSI installer, therefore instmsi and instmsiw are generally unnecessary for a distribution kit for those OSs. What about 95, 98SE, ME, NT?

- T/F: To make a self _installing_ zip file work, the WinZip Self-Extractor must wait until a certain program has finished before deleting the temporary unzipped files. In Win 95 -> XP this will always be msiexec.exe.

- T/F: instmsi and instmsiw themselves are self-installing programs that install the Microsoft MSI Installer, and therefor
e generally only get used once on any PC, if at all. (The exception would be to repair or update msiexec.)

- T/F: Setup.exe is the NI-supplied msi bootstrapper that is _only_ needed to install the right version of msiexec depending on the OS, if needed.

Hopefully straighforward questions, but useful info to have the answers in one place. Thanks in advance!

[unDees]

You raise a number of important points. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.

1. Usually true. Win98/2K/XP have the Windows Installer Service built in, but 95/98/ME require InstMsiA.exe, and WinNT4 requires InstMsiW.exe. The difference is in the character set (ASCII vs. Unicode), and I don't know how that difference applies to the non-Roman alphabet installations. It's safest to include both if you're going to include one.

On the same subject, I noticed that the first thing the LV7 evaluation installer does on a Win2K box (and therefore probably on a Win98 box as well) is update the Windows Installer service, so LV7-built executables may very well require InstMsiA.exe/InstMsiW.exe on Win98/2K.

2. I think so. I usually don't distribu
te LabVIEW EXEs as self-extracting installers, but it probably is safest to wait until the setup is complete before returning control to the self-extractor software.

3. True. (And note that one of the circumstances under which you might repair/update msiexec is with LV7 on Win98/2K).

4. True. Setup.exe appears to install/update msiexec if needed and then launch the MSI file.