February 2017 - Installer-dev

Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by Greg Neagle 27 Feb '17

27 Feb '17

Whitebox's Packages.app != Apple's PackageMaker.app -Greg > On Feb 26, 2017, at 10:58 PM, ebach <ebach2(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Note, earlier versions of packages weren’t as capable as the current one. It has significantly improved over the last few years. > > In particular, it can be tricky to get early versions of PackageMaker to properly make a package if you are spraying files over a variety system directories. > > > >> On Feb 26, 2017, at 8:28 PM, Stephen Kay <sk(a)karma-lab.com> wrote: >> >> On 2/25/17 11:19 PM, "Motti Shneor" <motti.shneor(a)icloud.com> wrote: >> >>> Packages is wonderful. I used it for a rather complicated >>> installation/deployment task, and It made it easy. >> >> That's good to know! >> >>> One thing though. You say you want to distribute a Mac Application? If so >>> - there is no need for an installer. If you just upgrade your app a >>> little (to not spread its stuff everywhere, but rather store its >>> resources in its own App bundle) you can skip the ³Installer² thing >>> altogether. That¹s also Apple¹s recommendation. >> >> I've pretty much done that with everything that I can. >> >> >>> You should only make an installer if you have special things to put in >>> special places, and even then - other methods are preferable. >> >> Well, I do have "special things" that need to be put in special places, >> i.e. drivers, support files for /Library/Application Support/ etc. What >> other methods are you referring to? >> >> >>> >>> Another point - You cannot deploy an app that needs an installer in >>> Apple¹s Mac App store. The deployment process takes an App archive - not >>> an installation package. Rather, the App-store itself creates a temporary >>> installer package from your app when deploying it to users. >> >> Never used the app store (so far), and don't envision doing so with this >> app. Given how old it is and carbon-based, from what I understand it would >> never be able to satisfy Apple's requirements for apps these days. But if >> I ever come up with a newer app...good to know. >> >> Thanks, >> - Stephen > > > _______________________________________________ > Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. > Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) > Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: > https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/greg.neagle%40disneya… > > This email sent to greg.neagle(a)disneyanimation.com _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by ebach 27 Feb '17

27 Feb '17

Note, earlier versions of packages weren’t as capable as the current one. It has significantly improved over the last few years. In particular, it can be tricky to get early versions of PackageMaker to properly make a package if you are spraying files over a variety system directories. > On Feb 26, 2017, at 8:28 PM, Stephen Kay <sk(a)karma-lab.com> wrote: > > On 2/25/17 11:19 PM, "Motti Shneor" <motti.shneor(a)icloud.com> wrote: > >> Packages is wonderful. I used it for a rather complicated >> installation/deployment task, and It made it easy. > > That's good to know! > >> One thing though. You say you want to distribute a Mac Application? If so >> - there is no need for an installer. If you just upgrade your app a >> little (to not spread its stuff everywhere, but rather store its >> resources in its own App bundle) you can skip the ³Installer² thing >> altogether. That¹s also Apple¹s recommendation. > > I've pretty much done that with everything that I can. > > >> You should only make an installer if you have special things to put in >> special places, and even then - other methods are preferable. > > Well, I do have "special things" that need to be put in special places, > i.e. drivers, support files for /Library/Application Support/ etc. What > other methods are you referring to? > > >> >> Another point - You cannot deploy an app that needs an installer in >> Apple¹s Mac App store. The deployment process takes an App archive - not >> an installation package. Rather, the App-store itself creates a temporary >> installer package from your app when deploying it to users. > > Never used the app store (so far), and don't envision doing so with this > app. Given how old it is and carbon-based, from what I understand it would > never be able to satisfy Apple's requirements for apps these days. But if > I ever come up with a newer app...good to know. > > Thanks, > - Stephen _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by ebach 27 Feb '17

27 Feb '17

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by Stephen Kay 27 Feb '17

27 Feb '17

On 2/25/17 11:19 PM, "Motti Shneor" <motti.shneor(a)icloud.com> wrote: >Packages is wonderful. I used it for a rather complicated >installation/deployment task, and It made it easy. That's good to know! >One thing though. You say you want to distribute a Mac Application? If so >- there is no need for an installer. If you just upgrade your app a >little (to not spread its stuff everywhere, but rather store its >resources in its own App bundle) you can skip the ³Installer² thing >altogether. That¹s also Apple¹s recommendation. I've pretty much done that with everything that I can. >You should only make an installer if you have special things to put in >special places, and even then - other methods are preferable. Well, I do have "special things" that need to be put in special places, i.e. drivers, support files for /Library/Application Support/ etc. What other methods are you referring to? > >Another point - You cannot deploy an app that needs an installer in >Apple¹s Mac App store. The deployment process takes an App archive - not >an installation package. Rather, the App-store itself creates a temporary >installer package from your app when deploying it to users. Never used the app store (so far), and don't envision doing so with this app. Given how old it is and carbon-based, from what I understand it would never be able to satisfy Apple's requirements for apps these days. But if I ever come up with a newer app...good to know. Thanks, - Stephen _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by Stephen Kay 27 Feb '17

27 Feb '17

On 2/25/17 9:05 PM, "Bernie Maier" wrote: >> >> As it's a much older Carbon-based app, it is still compiled on Xcode >>3.6.2 >> (in Mavericks) and hence I cannot use any of the newer Xcode-based >> packaging tools. > >What newer Xcode-based packaging tools are you referring to? I am not >aware of >any. If you are referring to the command line tools, they are quite >independent of Xcode. I guess I was under the impression that the command line tools I see mentioned here were "newer" and part of Xcode. >What I >have done is made my own packaging scripts that I run as an Xcode build >phase. >While I can now fortunately run these in a modern Xcode, for a while >there I >was using the older command-line packaging tools in Xcode 3.2.6 running >in a >Snow Leopard Server virtual machine. But even so, I'm not much of a CL kinda guy and I think it would take me a much longer time to implement and test something like this. If there were clear script examples available that say installed the app in the /Applications, a driver in the right place, some system app support files in /Library/Application Support/ etc. I might be able to follow it along, but to come up with that stuff myself would be hard. But thanks for the suggestion - nice to know it can be done! I'm going to give Packages a try... - Stephen _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by Stephen Kay 26 Feb '17

26 Feb '17

On 2/25/17 9:00 PM, "Mike Solin" wrote: > Packages is great! You should use that. On 2/25/17 9:05 PM, "Bernie Maier" wrote: >Many people here are perfectly happy with Packages, so you may want to >give it >a try. On 2/25/17 11:19 PM, "Motti Shneor" wrote: >Packages is wonderful. I used it for a rather complicated >installation/deployment task, and It made it easy. Moreover, whenever I >had a question or other issues - the developer was so kind to help me >very promptly. Thanks for the 3 votes of confidence (essentially) - I was mainly interested in whether or not Packages was considered obsolete these days, since it's been years since I investigated Installer solutions. Since it seems not, I'll give Packages a try, seems like it's what I'm looking for. Thanks, - Stephen _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by Bernie Maier 26 Feb '17

26 Feb '17

Is Packages still a decent solution for creating a package installer? [...] My app is not just a simple install into the Applications folder; there are a number of other files that need to go into various system level directories. As it's a much older Carbon-based app, it is still compiled on Xcode 3.6.2 (in Mavericks) and hence I cannot use any of the newer Xcode-based packaging tools. If not Packages, what would you suggest? _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com What newer Xcode-based packaging tools are you referring to? I am not aware of any. If you are referring to the command line tools, they are quite independent of Xcode. Many people here are perfectly happy with Packages, so you may want to give it a try. Personally, I haven't used it so I can't comment further on it. What I have done is made my own packaging scripts that I run as an Xcode build phase. While I can now fortunately run these in a modern Xcode, for a while there I was using the older command-line packaging tools in Xcode 3.2.6 running in a Snow Leopard Server virtual machine. The plus side for me is that I don't have to launch an external tool. I can just do the entire build and packaging creation within Xcode. Also, I find that this approach is more SCM friendly than the old PackageMaker approach, though I have been told on this list that Packages' file format is also SCM friendly. Since you are running Xcode 3.2.6 on Mavericks, and since I am recommending simple "Run script" build phases, those scripts are perfectly capable of running the Mavericks versions of the packaging commands. So you can build yourself a nice modern flat package that will still target back to at least Snow Leopard.

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Re: Packages vs. other package creator software
by Mike Solin 26 Feb '17

26 Feb '17

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Packages vs. other package creator software
by Stephen Kay 26 Feb '17

26 Feb '17

Is Packages still a decent solution for creating a package installer? I have been using MindVision VISE X for many years to distribute an older Mac app, but have not released a version in about 2.5 years. I now find that MindVision is apparently "gone", and I cannot renew my license and hence use it any longer. So I have to create a completely different installer mechanism. My app is not just a simple install into the Applications folder; there are a number of other files that need to go into various system level directories. As it's a much older Carbon-based app, it is still compiled on Xcode 3.6.2 (in Mavericks) and hence I cannot use any of the newer Xcode-based packaging tools. If not Packages, what would you suggest? Thanks, - Stephen _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. Installer-dev mailing list (Installer-dev(a)lists.apple.com) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: https://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/installer-dev/site_archiver%40lists… This email sent to site_archiver(a)lists.apple.com

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Re: Comverting .pmdoc to a more modern format
by Edward Spiegel 20 Feb '17

20 Feb '17

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