Need help in making installe

[GambleR]

Hello

I am trying to prepare a installer for my brother but he want it with below mentioned condition.

1) They will give away the installer in DVD.
2) He wants a function were he should be able to track like how many DVD are be used and how many just went dead.

He just need a way to check

If suppose he is giving away 100 DVD among that 100 DVD how many have been used, mean they installed it.

So is there any function in installer shield were i can add this sort of function.

Can anyone help me on this!!

[DLee65]

I do not know of any function that can do this within an installer.
This is something where you will need to create a custom action that executes when the install is run.
You will need to write your own DLL file that you call from the install. The DLL should identify that the DVD was run and send to some location to collect the data.

Questions you will need to answer:
1. How to test if the DVD has been installed, uninstalled, and reinstalled. This would affect your 'count'.
2. What to do if there isn't any Internet connection during the install?
3. Do you want to be sending data from a computer without the person's knowledge? I would consider this very bad practice.
4. What if I install the same DVD on multiple computers? Technically this is still one DVD but installed multiple times. In this case you will not be able to tell how many out of the total dvds have been installed.

I am sure there are other things to address.

[GambleR]

1. How to test if the DVD has been installed, uninstalled, and reinstalled. This would affect your 'count'.
I just want to know if its at least been used once, Not issues about re install and etc at this moment,

2. What to do if there isn't any Internet connection during the install?
Installer wont work if there is no internet connection.

3. Do you want to be sending data from a computer without the person's knowledge? I would consider this very bad practice.
No i don't wont such function as it will be really bad and user wont trust.

4. What if I install the same DVD on multiple computers? Technically this is still one DVD but installed multiple times. In this case you will not be able to tell how many out of the total dvds have been installed.
I wanted each dvd to be verified only once. as its just for count, and what if i add up some unique number in it and try this function.


To be short
I just want a function were i should be able to keep a track of how be DVD is been used, It may be any security key or any back end function with the installer. I want to know if the giving away thing is worth or not.

[ch_eng]

GambleR,

You may need to create a custom DLL and call it to get the DiscID. Perhaps this is worth looking into:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd376432%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd376453%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

HTH

[GambleR]

ch_eng wrote:
GambleR,

You may need to create a custom DLL and call it to get the DiscID. Perhaps this is worth looking into:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd376432%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd376453%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

HTH

Hey ch_eng

Thx for info, but i am not pure tech guy, so can you guide me with simple process, Don't know why
i am finding it difficult.

Thanks for Guidance

[ch_eng]

GambleR,

I have not had to do that before. Maybe your software developers can help. Good Luck!

HTH

[GambleR]

No issues, Thx for your assistance.

Any one who can help me on this ??