Making an installer?

Ok, I want to make a mini-installer for my program (Just moves the files from one spot to the other). I thought the easiest way to make one, would be to use dos commands, but I dont know how to execute thoes, and I'm not sure if it can create a folder. So, as an alternative, I thought why not just move all the files from one spot to another? So, I attempted this, then realize I have no idea how to move files :P.

So, naturaly the first spot I looked was at the System commands, sure enough:

Code:

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System("move(blah, blah)");

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This complicates my probelm because I dont know how to use the system command either >.<. I've heard its unsafe to. So, I dug for an alternative, a few premade installers came up, nothing opensource.

So, my question is, how do I make a relatively safe installer? And, could you provide a quick example of moving one file to the another directory?

(PS) Is system the base for executing commands? (Like if I type in del, is it taking the del.whatever file from system?)

I'm certain there are Open Source installers - I'm pretty sure I've looked before. I use InstallShield for MSVC 6 but I think it came with my Visual Studio 6 (Enterprise) and I doubt you can download it (legally at least).

Have a look around Sourceforge if you haven't already.

A couple of installers that can be downloaded are freely available are Inno Setup and NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System). I'm sure there are others. If the two, Inno Setup is somewhat easier to use, but NSIS has a lot more features if you are doing fiddly installs.

recent editions of winzip have a feature called self extractor, that'll do what you're looking for, both quickly and easily - get your hands on winzip 7.0 though, cos winzip 9.0 has a nag screen waiting for anyone who tries to run the extractor file :mad: If you wanted to write a program that does it, as a personal challenge, then thats up to you

Or you can use WinRAR, which I prefer.

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(Just moves the files from one spot to the other)

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You can do that with the system command:

Code:

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system(string("move " + original_file + " " + new_file).c_str());

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(You could use copy instead of move.) But system() is non-portable, unsafe, etc.

There is no standard C/C++ function for copying/moving a file. But you can copy it yourself and then use remove() (in <cstdio>, I think; might be <cstdlib>) to delete the original file.

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and I'm not sure if it can create a folder.

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Sure you can.

Code:

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system("md C:\\directory");

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So, my question is, how do I make a relatively safe installer? And, could you provide a quick example of moving one file to the another directory?

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It's pretty simple. Open the original file for binary reading, and the destination file for binary writing. Copy every character over. Close both files. remove() the original file (if you want).

Here's a remove() example:

Code:

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remove("oldprogram.exe");
char oldprogram[] = "oldprogram2.exe";
remove(oldprogram);
string oldprogram3 = "oldprogram3.exe";
remove(oldprogram3.c_str());

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Quote:

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(PS) Is system the base for executing commands? (Like if I type in del, is it taking the del.whatever file from system?)

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Windows used to be just a wrapping on top of DOS. (Now it's the other way around.) The DEL command (or ERASE) deletes a file, MOVE moves one (not available on really ancient DOSes), COPY copies one, REN/RENAME renames one, etc.

In DOS, MOVE is the same as MovE or move. Unlike Linux.

I would recommend Inno Setup, i've been using it for a while now, and it is really good.

I'm not using serious installers cause they're 3 files :). +The directory needs to be very specific, I hardcoded all my paths in -,- (noobie mistake >.<). Thank you for the help!

For what it's worth, MS made one of their installers an open-source project, too. You just need to write the XML file that controls it by hand.