Installer issues and request...

[ecraft]

1) Why is the installer paths hardcoded to fixed lengths? This causes problems if you have long paths names. I can pick from the browser, or copy and paste, but the result is always an incomplete path.

2) Why does choosing install license server only option complain that Vray 2.0 is already installed if it is installed? For example I installed the 3ds Max render slave version so that I can easily distribute all necessary files to render farm machines, then I wanted to install the license server only and it wanted to uninstall Vray 2.0 before continuing, this is unnecessary in my opinion for the option selected?

3) The license server settings should be a part of the installer (not launched afterwards) so that the information is properly logged to the installer_log file.

4) There needs to be a Dump/Unpack option (something that I love from the Splutterfish installer) where the user picks a single folder and the installer simply unpacks the files to the folder building the full program files folder path. It should also include information about any registry, Environment Variables, or any other files that need to be set for proper running.

Basically what I need is an easy way to get all the files out of the installer so that I can run a batch file through Backburner to copy the files and run any other batch commands. I can handle everything else, but I need a quick and easy to unpack files for distribution to the render farm without manually having to access each machine.

-Eric

[vlado]

1) Why is the installer paths hardcoded to fixed lengths? This causes problems if you have long paths names. I can pick from the browser, or copy and paste, but the result is always an incomplete path.

I wasn't aware of this limitation... will be fixed, thanks for reporting it.

2) Why does choosing install license server only option complain that Vray 2.0 is already installed if it is installed? For example I installed the 3ds Max render slave version so that I can easily distribute all necessary files to render farm machines, then I wanted to install the license server only and it wanted to uninstall Vray 2.0 before continuing, this is unnecessary in my opinion for the option selected?

There is no specific reason, except legacy reasons. Ideally, the license server should have been a separate installer, like it is for V-Ray for Maya.

3) The license server settings should be a part of the installer (not launched afterwards) so that the information is properly logged to the installer_log file.

Yep, this can be done, thanks for the pointer.

4) There needs to be a Dump/Unpack option (something that I love from the Splutterfish installer) where the user picks a single folder and the installer simply unpacks the files to the folder building the full program files folder path. It should also include information about any registry, Environment Variables, or any other files that need to be set for proper running.

Won't you get the same thing if you just enter folder as the installation path? The install log contains all the actions that the installer does, including environment variables and registry entries.

Basically what I need is an easy way to get all the files out of the installer so that I can run a batch file through Backburner to copy the files and run any other batch commands. I can handle everything else, but I need a quick and easy to unpack files for distribution to the render farm without manually having to access each machine.

Probably not useful in that scenario, but just for info, you can also run the installer in non-GUI silent mode with all the options coming from a simple XML file.

Best regards,
Vlado

[ecraft]

Won't you get the same thing if you just enter folder as the installation path? The install log contains all the actions that the installer does, including environment variables and registry entries.

Yes, but it also creates a lot of unneeded clutter, like setting Environment variables that have to be changed, and all the links in the start menu. Also, its not a single path it means setting 3 paths, which needs a folder and directory setup to start from. It also misses things like the Common Files folder. So it still requires a lot manual work, which may be missed unless you do some digging.

-Eric