Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software


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  1. #1
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    Default Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    I finally got around to testing INNO Setup. I haven't used a "pro" software so I had no preconceived ideas when I started about a week ago.

    I plan to "market" my software to maintain an inventory of electronic components using those handy drawer cabinets, along with a barcode that could be used on an android phone and bluetooth link to a PC. I have some work to do on finishing this app, but I figured I'd get a head start on preparing for deployment (never done one).

    I am impressed.
    INNO has been able to do everything I needed; starting with a basic format, saving each new version and adding one feature at a time. That way I always had a working copy to fallback on.

    I have to admit that knowledge of fiddling with the registry is an advantage, but you can get away with ZERO knowledge on registry and let INNO do everything for you.

    Same with custom pages, my experience as programmer has been valuable in copying and pasting working code from forums and modifying to suit my needs. INNO script is in Pascal, a language I learned waaaay back in college. It is a very friendly language, a lot less intimidating as C, so don't be afraid to experiment with simple features.

    I haven't played with version control 'cause my ACCESS Programs and Databases as in separate folders. When I Uninstall, Setup makes a backup of the Databases in a separate folder. During an update, I will just re-uninstall the ACCESS Programs and copy the Databases back in the appropriate folder. I prefer to keep a simplified approach to managing this application.

    I've also invested in buying a End User Licences Agreement, under $20 at https://termsfeed.com/blog/what-are-eula-agreements/.

    While I was at it, I also bought a License Key generator at http://skgenerator.vclexamples.com/. It supports many software and generates code that goes directly in INNO, super simple and extremely well made; supports both offline and online registration processes. I kept it simple, generated myself a list of 10,000 license keys used for offline mode with 4 blocks of 4 upper-case letters and numbers.

    I have one task to figure out, how to make Access 2002 link dynamic Databases. That's a "fancy feature", at worst I could leave instructions to the user on how to do it from within Access.

    I could also take a pic of a real cabinet and use it as icon and pic within the Setup exe.

    SETUP.EXE using INNO SETUP p1 by Robert H, on Flickr

    SETUP.EXE using INNO SETUP p2 by Robert H, on Flickr

    Something's wrrong with the link counter, it says I had 4 when I had only 3 in the post.

    (trying Flickr for first time, got fed up with sloooooow pages on Photobucket)


    Robert
    My Creality Ender 3 S1 Plus is a giant paperweight that can't even be used as a boat anchor, cause I'd be fined for polluting our waterways with electronic devices.

    Not as dumb as yesterday, but stupider than tomorrow!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    My Creality Ender 3 S1 Plus is a giant paperweight that can't even be used as a boat anchor, cause I'd be fined for polluting our waterways with electronic devices.

    Not as dumb as yesterday, but stupider than tomorrow!

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    My Creality Ender 3 S1 Plus is a giant paperweight that can't even be used as a boat anchor, cause I'd be fined for polluting our waterways with electronic devices.

    Not as dumb as yesterday, but stupider than tomorrow!

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    SETUP.EXE using INNO SETUP p9 by Robert H, on Flickr

    SETUP.EXE using INNO SETUP p10 by Robert H, on Flickr

    Flickr is MUCH faster and easier to use than Photobucket for online image storage.
    My Creality Ender 3 S1 Plus is a giant paperweight that can't even be used as a boat anchor, cause I'd be fined for polluting our waterways with electronic devices.

    Not as dumb as yesterday, but stupider than tomorrow!

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    First, I have to say I generated 1,000 keys, 4 columns of 4 characters each, upper case/numbers, in a blink of an eye. Note that I have an i7-6700K running at 4.0Ghz with 32GB RAM running at 3200Mhz and SSDs for pagefiles.

    Just for S***s 'n giggles I generated 1,000,000 keys, 100 columns of 100 characters each, upper case/numbers, just because the program supports it. It ran for over 5 minutes and ran out of memory with barely 1/10th through.

    So I figured let's try 100,000 keys, 100 columns of 100 characters each, upper case/numbers/lower case, and see what happens. I opened Task Manager to monitor memory usage, just under 1/4 through and slowly creeping past 3GB.

    ...just past 1/2 way after 12 minutes using 4.5GB of RAM. BOOM!!! Out of memory, something else must be busting, maybe paging or temporary files?

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    So let's try a realistic 1,000,000 keys, 5 columns of 4 characters each, upper case/numbers/lower case. Finished under 1 minute!

    So I removed the lower case 'cause I find them annoying to enter, 1,000,000 keys, 5 columns of 4 characters each, upper case/numbers. Finished under 40 seconds!

    The next step is to save to a text (or CSV) file; done in a flash, 24.7MB text file.

    The last step in the process is to generate the encrypted license file; finished after 8 minutes, 152MB in size.

    Serial Key Generator is pretty awesome too.
    My Creality Ender 3 S1 Plus is a giant paperweight that can't even be used as a boat anchor, cause I'd be fined for polluting our waterways with electronic devices.

    Not as dumb as yesterday, but stupider than tomorrow!

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    Quote Originally Posted by Demon View Post
    I have one task to figure out, how to make Access 2002 link dynamic Databases. That's a "fancy feature", at worst I could leave instructions to the user on how to do it from within Access.
    Are talking about re-attaching tables? Don't bother your users with that. I can show you how to do it programmatically. FYI, if you own Office Developper edition you can distribute the Access Runtime for free and embedded it in you setup...

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Review: INNO SETUP Package and Deployment software

    Yup. I'm just searching for my big white box of Access in the basement.
    My Creality Ender 3 S1 Plus is a giant paperweight that can't even be used as a boat anchor, cause I'd be fined for polluting our waterways with electronic devices.

    Not as dumb as yesterday, but stupider than tomorrow!

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