Package for the Web - similar capability?

[kjhurni]

I've used Admin studio to customize an MSI file and deploy some additional files. Works fine.

Now I need to take those files, and create a generalized "setup.exe" that will auto-extract and run the msi with the appropriate command lines.

I used to use Package for the Web, but it seems that's discontinued and no longer available.

And DemoShield is no longer available.

What is available and can it do the same thing that Package for the Web did?

I don't see any option in the distribution wizard for such a capability.

[Cary_R]

Hi There,

PFTW is indeed discontinued, and no longer offered for download from Flexera Software (although I've seen it hosted here and there on the web still, since it was once freely available).

Some other alternatives:

--A customized InstallScript Project
--Your own custom setup.exe bootstrapper (possibly based on the sample in the Windows Platform SDK)
--IExpress (a windows component. Try it out: Start -> Run -> IExpress -> OK)
--Winzip Self Extractor
--7-zip Self Extractor
--Custom NSIS package (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)

And those are just off the top of my head. Any option where I use the word "Custom" will require a little work to set up the first time, but likely be much less work subsequent times. And reusable, too, if you need to drop in some custom logic prior to running the MSI package at a later date.

Lastly, it's a little-known feature, but if you are editing an InstallShield setup, some changes are allowed by opening the compressed setup.exe in Direct Edit mode. You have to do this by selecting File -> Open -> type *.*, press enter -> Select the Setup.exe file.

Hope this gives you enough options to get started on this!

[kjhurni]

Thanks for the reply.

It's sad that a several thousand dollar package doesn't have the basic ability to create a self-extracting EXE that runs a customized install that was created with the several thousand dollar package.

IExpress won't work, unfortunately as it only deals with 8.3 formatted names and apparently truncates all the files if they're longer than that and then the installs won't work (unless one wishes to recreate their MSI and MST files, along with any included files they put in the package).

Winzip only makes a self-extracting .EXE and not one that can actually "run" a program (at least not with WinZip 11.1).

Looks like I will have to scrounge for any old copies of PFTW.

I'm amazed that they chose to get rid of this feature. Apparently nobody installs anything from the web anymore or downloads ISO Files and burns them to CD's.

[dougyang83]

not worthit... too expensive.. 😞

[Nio_the_Champ_2]

I agree, we should have the PFTW functionality in one of the current Flexera products.

[Johannes_T]

Something that came to my mind when I read this thread:
A guy told me some months ago, that he solved the "winzip can't execute & iexpress can't handle long file names" by combining them. I don't know exactly how, but he created a self executable file with winzip, put it in an iexpress package which started first the zip exe and then the main executable.