K-INSTALL for DOS and Windows 2.7 Copyright (c) 1994-96 by Rob McDonell, ARK ANGLES All Rights Reserved IMPORTANT INFORMATION WHAT YOU GET K-INSTALL is written by a software developer for software developers, both amateur and professional. I know the value of a risk free, hassle free product. K-INSTALL offers many benefits to all users. Unregistered users get limited support during the trial period, but are not licenced to use or distribute INSTALL.EXE or SETUP.EXE with their own software. The unregistered version may only be distributed as a package in its own right, including all files listed in VENDINFO.DIZ. Registered users get support for 12 months, and are licenced to use and distribute INSTALL.EXE and/or SETUP.EXE royalty free with any of their own software. They also receive the latest version of the package and a printed, fully indexed manual. Customised versions of K-INSTALL are also available such that your options can be hard coded into the program rather than specified in the separate settings file. This not only makes the program even more secure, but also smaller. You just need to send me a copy of your settings file the way you like it, and I will promptly return to you a new EXE file with those settings embedded. Registered users will get prompt resolution of problems, and free upgrades if they encounter bugs. See REGISTER.TXT for full details of licensing options and pricing. Electronic communication is probably the easiest for all feedback, bug reports or other support. See my CompuServe and Internet addresses below. In most circumstances I will respond within 24-48 hours. UPGRADING FROM OTHER VERSIONS In general, settings files from older versions can be used unchanged in newer releases, although they may not take advantage of all enhancements. For consistency, and to enable new functions, some syntactical changes have been made to a few keywords in various releases. Settings files vary only slightly between the DOS and Windows versions of K-INSTALL, and simply cater for differences in the operating environment. Specifically, this relates to the appearance of K-INSTALL (the WINDOW, COLS, PICTURE, ICON and PATTERN keywords) and how the installed program is run (the GROUP, ITEM and RESTART keywords). See the full documentation for more details. Settings file functions in K-INSTALL Professional are a superset of those in the Standard edition, therefore settings files from the Standard edition can be used unchanged in the Professional edition. DISK 2 PROBLEMS A couple of K-Install for Windows users have reported occasional disk read errors on the second disk in a multi disk set when running on Windows 3.1. The cause of this is unknown. If this happens please contact ARK ANGLES with details. PROGRAM HISTORY 2.70 05.06.96. Cancel option from additional dialogs during install. Enhancements to size/position defaults and options for main window and DOS box. Case insensitive PATH checking, and 'SET PATH=' format now catered for. Dictionary in manual reorganised. DOS version only: new options for PICTURE and INSTPIC keywords, default graphic removed. 2.60 12.02.96. Further improvements to file opening modes for read-only volumes. Windows version only: Enhanced support for PIF files, and inclusion of a generic COMMAND.PIF, especially to facilitate archive unpacking in a minimised window. Main window centred on desktop. Professional edition only: INSTMSG and INSTPIC changed to work after corresponding INSTALL as per documentation. Improvements to conditional logic use with INPUT keyword. 2.50 18.01.96. Alterations to file opening modes to be more compatible with Netware. Fixed uncompressed file names in log file. Windows version only: modified unarchiving procedure to overcome Windows 95 not closing DOS program windows. Professional edition only: enhanced INSTALL keyword to handle multiple source directories such as on CD-ROMs. 2.40 22.12.95. New ~MAINDSK and ~MAINDIR variables. Fixes to INI file handling, especially device statements in SYSTEM.INI. Additional ASK and INPUT variables to prompt the user at different times during installation. 2.30 04.12.95. FSPLIT Utility to split large files. Tilde variables can be used in defaults for ASK and DIR keywords. ASKDISK keyword to select type of "insert next disk" dialog box. Windows version only: Uninstall deletes Program Manager group if empty. Non-standard BMPs handled more reliably. 2.20 14.11.95. New ~CURR variable containing current default directory. Improved status bar updating after archive unpacking. Fixed incomplete deletion of INI files in uninstall. More reliable DIR keyword for opt value '1'. Professional edition only: New ELSE keyword. Utility to set disk serial numbers (for use with DISKID keyword). Fixed OPTIONS and UPGRADE keywords for chk value '3'. 2.10 30.09.95. Fixed Cancel button not working properly when entering variables. Minor code and documentation improvements. Windows version only: corrected Help button focus. Professional edition only: Enhanced OPTIONS and UPGRADE keywords to control directory checking. 2.00 09.09.95. Uninstall undoes changes to autoexec.bat, config.sys and INI files. CPU and COPR keywords for hardware checking. FUNCTION keyword to automatically start any functions. HELP keyword to provide installation help. Modified INPUT keyword to specify variable number, default value, and more powerful format specification. Multiple PATH and SHELL keywords allowed. REBOOT keyword to control rebooting of DOS. Multiple RFILE keywords allowed to create several files, and new append format to add to an existing text file. Use of original name from compressed file if available. Improved handling of blank parameters. DOS version only: WINDOW keyword to control screen size. WINVER keyword for compatibility with Windows version. Windows version only: Program Manager icons not added again on re-install, and uninstall removes installed icons. RESTART keyword to control restarting of Windows. New Professional edition only: ASK and IF/ENDIF keywords for conditional processing of most functions. INSTMSG and INSTPIC keywords to change message line and bitmaps displayed during install. STRING and BUTTON keywords to customise predefined text and provide full multi-language support. OPTIONS keyword to enable separate installation of optional components. UPGRADE keyword to check for an existing installation. DISKID keyword for basic copy protection. Settings file scrambler. 1.90 15.08.95. Support for archives with subdirectories. DOS internal commands may be used in FIRST, LAST and INSTALL keywords. New replace method '5' for INSTALL keyword to append to existing files. Installation log file appended to rather than overwritten if it already exists. DOS version only: added length parm to PICTURE keyword which can now be anywhere in the settings file. Changed button shadow colour if menu background is black. Windows version only: fixed spurious error message when updating WIN.INI. 1.80 31.07.95. New binary format registration data file for writing strings without leading length byte or terminating null. ISECT default value 'NoSection' no longer provided. Windows version only: Reduction in size of SETUP.EXE. Enhanced bitmap file error checking and screen refreshing. Fixed occasional GPF error when running external programs. 1.70 28.05.95. Improved error handling when updating Program Manager. Minor enhancements and documentation changes. 1.60 11.05.95. New ~GROUP variable. Enhancements to RUN keyword and reboot/restart functions. New options on INPUT and DIR keywords for longer explanatory questions. Beeps with error messages only. Registration data file backed up before overwriting in text format. Running percent during install. Some minor problems fixed. DOS version only: BIG and WIN keywords replaced by RUN option, and new GROUP keyword to update Windows Program Manager. Windows version only: new WINDOW keyword to set window size and style, new WINVER keyword and variable for checking Windows version, and Uninstall now deletes SETUP.EXE correctly. 1.50 25.04.95. Basic settings file generator. Maximum of allowable MKDIR, DEL, INSTALL, AUTO, CONF, REG, INI, ITEM and REMOVE keywords limited only by available memory. New options for INSTALL keyword to display file desciptions and run external programs. New option for PATH keyword to add multiple directories. New EXE keyword to add parameters for self-unpacking archives. Additional predefined variables, and all variables now available with FIRST, LAST, INSTALL, RUN and CATALOG keywords. Duplicate "device=" statements handled in SYSTEM.INI. User confirmation not required if installing to root directory. Faster file copying to and from diskettes. Other minor enhancements. DOS version only: new IFILE, ISECT and INI keywords to allow updating of INI files. 1.40 04.04.95. New ~INST variable to perform functions on the install disk itself. User confirmation sought during install if chosen directory already exists, and during uninstall before deleting files from Windows or Windows System directories. Fixed problems with AUTO keywords wiping out a final shell command in AUTOEXEC.BAT. Windows version only: PICTURE keyword no longer causes hang if bitmap does not exist. 1.30 13.03.95. New REMOVE keyword to delete application-generated files during uninstall. New ARCHIVE keyword to define an additional unarchiving program. Windows version only: PICTURE keyword can now read BMP files from disk, has more flexible positioning, additional styles, and bitmap stretching. 1.20 10.03.95. New DOSVER keyword to check DOS version number. Changed INST keyword to INSTALL and MKD to MKDIR. New BUFFERS keyword to check and update BUFFERS value in CONFIG.SYS. Windows version only: New PATTERN and ICON keywords and enhanced PICTURE keyword for greater customisation of K-INSTALL screen. 1.10 23.02.95. First general release. 1:0x Early 95. Various limited release versions for testing. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS Thanks to feedback from users all over the world, I believe the various versions of K-INSTALL are amongst the most sophisticated and versatile install programs available. You can help to make K-INSTALL even more powerful by sending me your requirements and wishes. A native Windows 95/NT version will definitely be released in 1996, an OS/2 version may also be released if there is sufficient interest, and new features will continue to be added to all existing versions. Take the time now to vote for the features you would most like to see included. Beta testers are always required for new versions. All you need is a CompuServe Id, and to be a registered user of any version of K-INSTALL. Send me a note if you would like to participate. Regards, Rob McDonell Proprietor, ARK ANGLES Postal: P O Box 190, Hazelbrook NSW 2779, AUSTRALIA Phone: (047)588100 or Intl+61-47-588100 Fax: (047)588638 or Intl+61-47-588638 Internet: 100237.141@compuserve.com CompuServe: 100237,141