[<<]Message[>>]    [<<]Author[>>]        Subject[>>]        Thread[>>]

Number   :  4765
Date     :  2003-06-06
Author   :  Kan Yabumoto
Subject  :  Re: Installing Xxcopy
Size(KB) :  4



Ray wrote:

> On 04/06/2003 Kan wrote (in thread 'xxcopy to CD-RW')
> "That is, the code you supplied already handles the
> fairly common "mistake" of user double-clicking the
> INSTALL.BAT icon from the Windows Explorer."
>
> Why is this a "mistake"?

Because the accompanying documentation specifically
says you must invoke the INSTALL.BAT program after
making the directory current. That is, unless
you unzip the download file into the Desktop directory
(which is not commonly done and should be avoided
to keep your desktop clean), it will not work.

I called it a "mistake" because it is a method that
does not work and we warn it in the accompanying doc.
In my opinion, doing what many people commonly do
is not always the right thing, especially when the
instruction says not to.

On the other hand, we are fully aware that most, if not
all Windows-based program is more "mouse-friendly"
and people expects a reasonable action by the program
to take place. But, we have not encountered a
official rule that a INSTALL.BAT program must run
properly regardless of what is the current directory
happens to be.

Whether my viewpoint is right or wrong, I have always
been aware of potential problem with an INSTALL.BAT
program which imposes the condition that the
directory for the INSTALL.BAT program be made current
before invoking it. As I explained in my earlier
message, I was not aware of any technique which can
easily set the current directory to where the batch
file resides (and asked Garry if he knew of any
technique).

> I have always downloaded applications into a new
> folder (not on the path) and unzip into that same
> folder. In Windows Explorer double-click on the zip
> file and if it doesn't self extract unzip into
> the same folder with Pentazip or Winzip or whatever
> opens. The files are then available at a later date,

With GUI-based applications, it makes sense. But,
with XXCOPY like most console-based program,
installation is nothing more than placing the files
in certain directory.

As a matter of fact, even if we say the "official"
way of installation is to XXCOPY /INSTALL, this is
not even required. If you run XXCOPY.EXE on a
virgin machine with a valid command line (say,
you want to clone from drive C: to D:) as the
first command ever on the computer, XXCOPY will
recognize the fact it is the first time and will
implicitly invoke the /INSTALL equivalent action
and after the install (basically, file-copy), it
will then ask the user if he still want to proceed
with the original copy job that was entered in the
command line.

Why do we have INSTALL and UNINSTALL batch files then?

The real reason is when we submit our software to
various freeware download sites, one of the questions
they ask is "does this package have install/uninstall
procedure?" Even though such a question is generally
silly for a command line program like XXCOPY, we do
not want to say NO and being penalized for the lack
of such a "feature".

To fully appreciate this, we need to go back many
years in this industry. There was a time when many
products installed itself with elaborate manipulation
of directories and the system registry. And most
such programs did not provide adequate means to
uninstall itself (if the customer decided not to
use the product after a few trial, what incentive
does the programmer have to clean up the mess?)

It became a big head ache to the users and many
products came out just to clean up the mess that
was left behind by a "marginal" product.

This was especially true with downloaded shareware
and freeware. This is why some freeware download
sites made it one of the requirements to provide
install/uninstall feature. So, we have it.

We never claimed that the UNINSTALL batch file is
useful. Just delete it please. On the other hand,
the XXCOPY /UNINSTALL switch is still useful.
If you are a consultant who bring with you a copy
of XXCOPY and run it on a temporary basis in order
to perform some file management activities, it is
a courtesy to clean up the system registry entries
created by XXCOPY. That is what XXCOPY /UNINSTALL
command is good for.

Speaking of installation, I have another subject
to talk about --- XXCOPY-Pro Nomad Edition.
I should make a separate thread for this topic.

Kan Yabumoto



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