Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS

About PD Install

Introduction

Using PD Install

Using
Running
Quitting

Creating your own menu file

Why should I create my own menu file?
install.ini
pdinst.id
Creating ZIP files
Files Needed


INTRODUCTION

PD Install is Public Domain. That means that it 'belongs to the public'. It is free and anyone who wants can use it, as long as they don't take credit for it, or sell it.

I wrote PD Install in November 1994. Writing programs is my favourite hobby, but this is the first I have released into the public Domain. If you do use this program, and would like to support me, then any contributions, in the form of a cheque made payable to James Pharaoh, would go towards buying a help file creator because this took me a awfully long time to make. I don't expect much.

If you have any suggestions or comments, or would like to report bugs, then write to me at:

James Pharaoh
Scarab Barn, Chapel Lane,
Marton le Moor, Ripon,
North Yorkshire, HG4 5AS,
England

or e-mail me at: 100541.1116@compuserve.com

from compuserve that's just: 100541,1116


USING

If the Install prgram is minimized, double click it's icon with the left mouse button to restore it. If it isn't running, see Running.

You should see the PD Install Window. Click on an item in the menu, using the scroll bars to see items that are not shown. The description will appear in the box at the side. If you want to install this program click on OK.

A dialog box should appear, asking you for a destination directory. It will give a suggestion. Type a new name in the box if you don't like the one given, otherwise just press OK. The program should install, in a black DOS box. This box may ask you for another disk so watch it. Do not quit back to the PDInstall window while this is installing.

See Also:

Running
Quitting


RUNNING

This is only a basic guide - see documentation for more info.

Click on Run from the file menu in Program Manager. Type in the drive, directory and file name of the install program, eg:

a:\install
a:\toadgame\install

Consult the documentation for a more detailed description, but the first example should work from most floppy disks.

See Also:

Using
Quitting


Quiting
QUITTING

To quit, you can do one of 3 things:

1. Click on the abort button.
2. Double-click the Sytem Menu.
3. Type Alt-F4.

See Also:

Running
Using


WHY SHOULD I CREATE MY OWN MENU FILE?

If you wish to use PD Install to create an install program for your own application then you have to create a menu file. This file gives the install.exe program infromation about the programs you wish to install. It must be called install.ini and be located in the same directory as install.exe. It must also contain certain commands, as follows:

Install Menu File
>Source
>Title
>Item

You must also have files named pdinst.id. These go in your >Source directory on each disk. They hold a copy of the disk name, as specified in >Item, and are used to correctly identify the disk when it is placed in the drive. You must include these files on all disks, or the program will continually ask for another disk and the user will have to cancel.

See Also:

install.ini


INSTALL.INI

This file contains information about the menu, essential for it's use. The neccesary commands are:

Install menu File
>Source
>Item

You can also include the following command:

>Title

Install.ini must be located in the same directory as install.exe, or you get an error message. It must be valid, as there is no checking as of yet. Each command must start at the begining of the line. I hope to remedy these problems in a newer version.


INSTALL.INI: INSTALL MENU FILE

This command must appear exactly as follows at the start of the menu file:

Install Menu File[END OF LINE]


INSTALL.INI: >SOURCE

>SOURCE
[path]

This command must be present in install.ini or the program will NOT work. As of yet there are no error checking routines for this so the program will simply not work when you try to install. It specifies the directory where (1) The .ZIP files are found (2) Where the pdinst.id file is located and (3) The files PDIUNZIP.PIF and PKUNZIP.EXE are kept. Every disk in the install set must have this directory

Note that the >Source command must not contain a drive, must start with a backslash and must end with a backslash

Example


install.ini >Source Example
INSTALL.INI: >SOURCE (EXAMPLE)

This example will install from zip files and use the disk identifiers in the directory zips in the root:

>SOURCE
\ZIPS\

>Source


INSTALL.INI: >ITEM

>ITEM
[menuname]
[description]
[zipname]
[destination]
[startdisk]

This command is used to specify individual menu items. You must have at least one, although there is no error message. The parameters are as follows:

[menuname]	This is the name as you wish it to appear in the menu	(50 chars max)
[description]	The description that appears in the box on the right	(200 chars max)
[zipname]	The name of the zip file (with or without .zip) containing the item 	(50 chars max)
[destination]	The default destination (including drive and path) 	(100 chars max)
[startdisk]	The disk name as specified in pdinst.id 	(50 chars max)

Example


INSTALL.INI: >ITEM (EXAMPLE)

This example creates the item ToadGame 3, with the description: "This is a game", the ZIP name toadgame.zip the default destination c:and the start disk Games Collection disk C

>ITEM
ToadGame 3
This is a game
toadgame
c:\toadgame
Games Collection disk C

>Item


INSTALL.INI: >TITLE

>TITLE
[title]

This command is Optional, if you include it then the large shadowed text at the top of the screen is changed to the text you specify on selecting a menu item. If it is not specified the text becomes PD Install v1.0.

Example


install.ini >Title Example
INSTALL.INI: >TITLE (EXAMPLE)

This example sets the title to Toad Hopper installation process:

>TITLE
Toad Hopper installation process

>Title


PDINST.ID

This file must be present in the directory specified by the >Source on every disk in the install set. It must contain the disk name as specified by >Item. It is used to identify the disk with the first part of a .ZIP file for a specfified item. The file must simply contain the command and no extra spaces. Only the first line is read, the rest may be whatever you like


CREATING ZIP FILES

You must have a copy of pkzip.exe and pkunzip.exe to use PD Install. To create archives for files put them all in one directory tree and go into the parent. Insert a blank disk and type the following (assuming that pkzip.exe is in the path, if in doubt put it in the dos directory):

PKZIP -rp -& -ex [zipname] *.*

Where [zipname] is the name including full path of the destination, eg:

PKZIP -rp -& -ex a:\prog1.zip *.*

will create a ZIP file on the floppy in the root (>Source should be "\") on as many disks as neccesary. Since this will fill the disk you should copy the install program, help files, menu files, pkunzip.exe and disk ids onto the disk beforehand. If you leave some garbage characters in the StartDisk section of >Item  you can replace them with the actual start disk later.

To copy pkunzip.exe to a: goto it's directory, eg:

CD\PKWARE

and type:

COPY PKUNZIP.EXE A:

To create the other files use windows notepad. NB: install.exe, install.hlp and install.ini all go in the same directory. All other files: pdiunzip.pif, pkunzip.exe, *.zip and pdinst.id go in the >Source directory.

For more information refer to the PKZip documentation. Please take note of PKZip's copyrights etc. . .


FILES NEEDED

To use PD Install in your own programs you must include the following files on your installation disk:

install.exe
install.ini
bwcc.dll
pkunzip.exe

The following files must be in your >Source directory:

pdinst.id
*.zip

If you wish you may include the following file:

install.hlp

If you don't include install.hlp then the program will display a quick box about using it instead when the help button is pressed


Hold down ALT and press F4