The future of MPI - we need your opinion! (2 Viewers)

[fforde]

Do you have one in mind?

He makes a good point. Maybe we could just use NSIS. It is open source and has an extensible architecture (you can create plug-ins for NSIS) so maybe it would be a good idea to use that with a MediaPortal specific NSIS plug-in to fullfill any app specific needs we have (if there are any that are not covered by NSIS).

We could have a template project so they all look sort of the same and maybe even a set of guidelines of how an install app for a plug-in/skin should look and behave.

As far as i know there is no good GUI editor for creating an NSIS installer.
So this would be a big step backwards compared to current MPI.

also creating those "complex" installers which was talked about in here will not be easier for the average skinner when using NSIS.

Hrmm... there are several GUI editors for NSIS out there, this one seems pretty capable and currently actively developed. NSIS is one of the most commonly used Windows based open source install tool though so if you are serious about not reinventing the wheel, then this is the one to look at. I am not saying this would be better than developing something in house like the MPI system, I am just agreeing with the above poster that there are some great open source solutions for this sort of stuff out there and I think it would be wise to spend a little time considering them, rather than blinding writing them off due to incorrect assumptions.

 

[infinite.loop]

so if you are serious about not reinventing the wheel, then this is the one to look at.

MPI is not meant to replace NSIS, it also not meant to install software the way NSIS does.

the required installation steps for the majority of Plugins and Skins of MP consists out of "unpack to destination". so using NSIS might be overkill for that, and makes creating pakages more complex.

but i am not an nsis expert. i will take this to the right developers in our team and speak with them about the possibilities of using NSIS for more complex community plugin installations.

 

[cheezey]

The features I use with the iPiMP NSIS installer are:

• Different files copied depending on user input and config.
• Run shell commands (NET STOP / NET START / IPCONFIG etc.)
• Backup/restore/copy specific files (user databases, config etc.)
• .NET Framework version detection
• IP address validation
• Runtime generated uninstall
• Registry reading/writing
• String manipulation
• Simple / Advanced installation options
• TV Server plugin & plugin configuration
• Create shortcuts depending on install options
• Controls for directory browsing, checkboxes, radio buttons, drop down lists
• Logic components (If..Then..Else, Select..Case)
• Functions & macros
• Hyperlinks

NSIS has also got a number of available extensions/plugins/example code which cover all sort of functionality making building your script a lot easier.

As for the GUI - I use HM NIS Edit: A Free NSIS Editor/IDE

I'm not saying MPI should offer all these, they are just the features I use to build a single, simple & robust installer for a quite complicated MP extension install.

 

[pilehave]

I had problems with the MPI package not installing the fonts under Vista, and installing corrupted fonts under XP. Could one of the devs confirm this problem?

I have attached a test-file that only includes three TrueType fonts. These should be placed in the fonts-dir in Windows.

Please try it and tell me I'm not insane

Edit: Just tested in XP and they get installed, but I kept getting an error when i had the font-folder in Controlpanel open. I also found out that the XMP-project doesn't remember the setting of "ClearSkinCache". If I set it to "true", save the project, close and reopen, then the attribute is set to "false".

 

[infinite.loop]

I had problems with the MPI package not installing the fonts under Vista, and installing corrupted fonts under XP. Could one of the devs confirm this problem?

I have attached a test-file that only includes three TrueType fonts. These should be placed in the fonts-dir in Windows.

Please try it and tell me I'm not insane

Edit: Just tested in XP and they get installed, but I kept getting an error when i had the font-folder in Controlpanel open. I also found out that the XMP-project doesn't remember the setting of "ClearSkinCache". If I set it to "true", save the project, close and reopen, then the attribute is set to "false".

i have just sent our developer dukus a pm regarding this issue.

 

[NielsSF]

MPI is not meant to replace NSIS, it also not meant to install software the way NSIS does.

the required installation steps for the majority of Plugins and Skins of MP consists out of "unpack to destination". so using NSIS might be overkill for that, and makes creating pakages more complex.

In my opion the MPI installer must be a tool that hase som overkilled futures. The problem will be when someone create a package that needs to do more then only "unpack to destination", they needs to switch to an other brand of installer, and you are again where we are now.

I do not know the NSIS installer, i know only the INNO installer, that one is also free, butit is developend in delphi.

 

[pilehave]

I had problems with the MPI package not installing the fonts under Vista, and installing corrupted fonts under XP. Could one of the devs confirm this problem?

I have attached a test-file that only includes three TrueType fonts. These should be placed in the fonts-dir in Windows.

Please try it and tell me I'm not insane

Edit: Just tested in XP and they get installed, but I kept getting an error when i had the font-folder in Controlpanel open. I also found out that the XMP-project doesn't remember the setting of "ClearSkinCache". If I set it to "true", save the project, close and reopen, then the attribute is set to "false".

i have just sent our developer dukus a pm regarding this issue.

Just tested back home in my Vista Ult. box, and fonts are not copied to C:\Windows\Fonts as they are in Windows XP when using the MPI. That's a showstopper

 

[tourettes]

Just tested back home in my Vista Ult. box, and fonts are not copied to C:\Windows\Fonts as they are in Windows XP when using the MPI. That's a showstopper

Make sure that you have rights to write into that folder with the user you are launching the MPI installation.

 

[fforde]

Just tested back home in my Vista Ult. box, and fonts are not copied to C:\Windows\Fonts as they are in Windows XP when using the MPI. That's a showstopper

Make sure that you have rights to write into that folder with the user you are launching the MPI installation.

I think the ideal solution would be for the UAC Security Prompt to pop up and ask the user for temporary admin permissions to install anything requiring it.

 

[pilehave]

Just tested back home in my Vista Ult. box, and fonts are not copied to C:\Windows\Fonts as they are in Windows XP when using the MPI. That's a showstopper

Make sure that you have rights to write into that folder with the user you are launching the MPI installation.

Well I'm Administrator on the box, the only user and have disabled UAC. Can't see what else I can do. I also have no problems assigned and formating diskdrives, starting/stopping services etc.

In other words, rights are not the problem