Single-CD Installation

[Bri---]

We have an application that will be installed from a single CD-ROM. We would like for the user to be able to run the application directly from the CD-ROM in addition to being able to install it onto their hard drive.

Is there any way to get InstallAnywhere to NOT place the files into the subdirectory "DISK1" on the CD-ROM but to rather install the files from the root of the CD-ROM? We would like the CD-ROM to have the same directory structure as the target directory on the hard drive after installation, and there is no need for the "DISK1" subdirectory on the CD-ROM since the application fits on a single disk.

-Bri

[Bri---]

Does nobody else do single-CD installations, or they just don't generally care if the application can be run from the CD-ROM without installation? This seems to be something that would be fairly common, and it seems like it would be relatively easy to implement an option for this (if there isn't already one).

-Bri

[pv7721]

In case you want your application to run directly from the CD-ROM, what is the need for an installer? What I see as a workaround would be to run the installer, and then have the installation folder put on the CD-ROM (yes, I realize that this duplicates the information, but you might not be aware to the fact that information within the installer might be organized VERY differently from what you have as final installation path) and yes, I also realize that depending on the size of your installer this workaround might not even work (duplicating the information would generate more than 700 MB).

[Bri---]

In my case, the structure on the CD-ROM is exactly the same as the structure on the hard drive, precisely because I want users to be able to run it straight from the CD-ROM (slower but doesn't take up disk space and can work even if the user doesn't have admin access) or to install it on the hard drive (faster but takes up disk space and the user has to be an admin).

Currently, the installer doesn't contain the files (they are stored external to the installer in a directory structure that precisely mirrors the one that is installed on the hard drive), and since the installer and files all fit on one CD-ROM, there is technically no need for the "DISK1" directory.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is enough space on the CD-ROM for a full installer (including the files) plus another copy of the application. One possible workaround would be to include some sort of batch/script file or shortcut/alias to the actual files, but I'm not sure how that would work (I don't know what the implications for shortcuts and aliases on a CD-ROM under Windows and MacOS).

-Bri

[Yves_Kreis]

What you could do is create an installer that does not contain the files, but uses the ones on your CD-ROM (by copying the to the correct locations)...

Best Regards,
Yves

[Bri---]

That's what I've done (I actually have the previous version, not the newest version). But InstallAnywhere apparently requires that all of the files be in a sub-directory of the CD-ROM (named "DISK1") rather than in the root of the CD-ROM where they need to be for a user to find them.

My understanding is that the need for the "DISK1" sub-directory is because of multi-disk installations, but in my case my application fits on one disk. There ought to be an option that allows for a single-disk installation and doesn't require the "DISK1" sub-directory.

I was hoping the new version has this feature.

-Bri

[Yves_Kreis]

Can you post your project file?

Best Regards,
Yves

[manjunath317]

pv7721 wrote:
In case you want your application to run directly from the CD-ROM, what is the need for an installer? What I see as a workaround would be to run the installer, and then have the installation folder put on the CD-ROM (yes, I realize that this duplicates the information, but you might not be aware to the fact that information within the installer might be organized VERY differently from what you have as final installation path) and yes, I also realize that depending on the size of your installer this workaround might not even work (duplicating the information would generate more than 700 MB).

Hi, I am facing problem of Disk1 size is exeeding 700 MB even though i have set the disk size to the default size. Because of this issue, we are not able to write Disk1 to CD. For more details, please see the info below.
The Disk1 size mentioned in the distribution list is: 681574400 (default size)
Total size of the installer(all 9 Disks) is 5.70GB.

CD's created

Disk1 = 727 MB size
Disk2 = 649 MB size
Disk3 = 649 MB size
Disk4 = 649 MB size
Disk5 = 649 MB size
Disk6 = 649 MB size
Disk7 = 649 MB size
Disk8 = 649 MB size
Disk9 = 567 MB size

Can i know, why Disk1 is creating more size of 727MB instead of 649MB?

Please help, if you know the solution.

Thanks,
Manjunath