Windows installer tool change proposal

[Steve Huston <sh...@riverace.com>]

Hi,

I'm working on the Windows installer for Qpid 0.6. During the 0.5 -> 0.6
development cycle the build system changed to cmake-generated projects
and along with that I put the additions in place to generate the Windows
installer via Cpack which has built-in support for NSIS-based
installers. The end result was that the 0.5 installer was done with WiX
and the 0.6 installer (up til now) was based on NSIS.

The Cmake/Cpack changes also put the structure in place to generate
other types of kits such as RPMs. I haven't tried to generate an RPM
with it.

I've been disappointed with the Cpack/NSIS experience and the resulting
installer and would like to go back to WiX for the Windows installer. I
would like to better integrate the WiX mechanisms into the cmake scheme
as part of this. I would also like to remove the NSIS-specific parts of
the Cpack stuff, leaving what's needed for RPMs, etc. in place.

Does anyone have an issue with my removing the NSIS-specific parts of
the cmake builds, and replacing that with WiX? This has no affect on
plain, every-day development - it would only affect people who are
building binary installer kits. I believe I'll be able to mostly
automate the WiX process, but it's possible there will be some manual
items needed, which I'll document as they come up. I'm happy to bid NSIS
good-bye, but if anyone out there has noticed NSIS support in the
development process and become attached to it, please yell. Quickly.

Thanks,
-Steve

--
Steve Huston, Riverace Corporation
Total Lifecycle Support for Your Networked Applications
http://www.riverace.com


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RE: Windows installer tool change proposal

[Steve Huston <sh...@riverace.com>]

Hi Andrew,

> On Fri, 2010-03-12 at 10:58 -0500, Steve Huston wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> 
> I've been working on windows installation too. Specifically 
> an SDK type install.

Ok.

> > I'm working on the Windows installer for Qpid 0.6. During 
> the 0.5 -> 
> > 0.6 development cycle the build system changed to cmake-generated 
> > projects and along with that I put the additions in place 
> to generate 
> > the Windows installer via Cpack which has built-in support for 
> > NSIS-based installers. The end result was that the 0.5 
> installer was 
> > done with WiX and the 0.6 installer (up til now) was based on NSIS.
> 
> Remember that the 0.6 release already contains the NSIS based 
> packaging. I'd be against using a packaging that wasn't 
> exactly what is in the 0.6 source for 0.6.
> 
> However going forward for 0.8 is another thing.

The 0.6 NSIS packaging already doesn't work. Packaging issues weren't
deemed important enough to fix before the release so they're patched up
privately to build a functional installer.

So the packaging mechanics will change from what's in the source
release. Whether or not anyone cares about the change to WiX is what's
at issue.

> > ...
> 
> > 
> > I've been disappointed with the Cpack/NSIS experience and the 
> > resulting installer and would like to go back to WiX for 
> the Windows 
> > installer. I would like to better integrate the WiX mechanisms into 
> > the cmake scheme as part of this.
> 
> I'm also not happy with the NSIS/cmake packaging, so I'd be 
> for removing the packaging specific things from the cmake 
> config. I'm not sure how you could integrate WiX into cmake 
> better though, could you amplify.

I'm working on that... The basic plan I'm testing now is to have a base
WiX source file for qpid that has substitutions in that cmake
preprocesses (similar to how config.h is built).

After artifacts are built, WiX tools are invoked to build the packaging
description, compile, and link the kit. This uses cmake custom commands
and targets to invoke the heat, candle, and light tools.

Playing with this by hand is encouraging; cmake-generated tests are in
progress...

-Steve


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Re: Windows installer tool change proposal

[Andrew Stitcher <as...@redhat.com>]

On Fri, 2010-03-12 at 10:58 -0500, Steve Huston wrote:
> Hi,
> 

I've been working on windows installation too. Specifically an SDK type
install.

> I'm working on the Windows installer for Qpid 0.6. During the 0.5 -> 0.6
> development cycle the build system changed to cmake-generated projects
> and along with that I put the additions in place to generate the Windows
> installer via Cpack which has built-in support for NSIS-based
> installers. The end result was that the 0.5 installer was done with WiX
> and the 0.6 installer (up til now) was based on NSIS.

Remember that the 0.6 release already contains the NSIS based packaging.
I'd be against using a packaging that wasn't exactly what is in the 0.6
source for 0.6.

However going forward for 0.8 is another thing.

> ...

> 
> I've been disappointed with the Cpack/NSIS experience and the resulting
> installer and would like to go back to WiX for the Windows installer. I
> would like to better integrate the WiX mechanisms into the cmake scheme
> as part of this.

I'm also not happy with the NSIS/cmake packaging, so I'd be for removing
the packaging specific things from the cmake config. I'm not sure how
you could integrate WiX into cmake better though, could you amplify.

Andrew



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