Windows Installer

[Sandman]

I really don't like the current installer. It looks... well not the way I imagined it. I also don't really understand the need for 4 different folders. A separate folder for externals I can understand, OK. But the most troublesome of all is that the installer just messes up the PATH in such a way that the Windows paths don't work anymore (stuff like ping.exe can't be found...). I've seen this on three separate occasions now, so if y'all have no trouble with this, ok.

Anyway, I took the liberty of creating a BennuGD installer with Advanced Installer. It could probably be better, but this is the result of only an hour or so. The freeware version doesn't allow file association nor making it optional to install the externals. It does allow to add to the PATH variable. And the best part is, it can be uninstalled easily too.

So, maybe there are other freeware software capable of doing this and the options not in this one, but I don't know them. I do know, that this is better than the current installer. Installing this one on top of the old one is not going to work. But it's meant as a replacement anyway. Tell me what you think and maybe a thing like this can become the new installer. I don't expect you to actually install it with this (maybe some of you will, that would be nice feedback), but feedback on the idea is enough.

And here it is.

[Windgate]

Well I have just installed it, I can say:

The default install folder is C:\Archivos de programa\BennuGD\BennuGD\
wouldn't be better if it was C:\Archivos de programa\BennuGD? (Only one BennuGD folder by default)

Furthermore it would help a /doc folder with the function_list.txt or similar... And the installer could have te current Bennu3D release, sockets, etc... Only suggestions...

The installer looks pretty good, yes, but I prefer the Bennupack by now, maybe cause I'm a little bit N44B...

(Regarding the PATH variable, I'm still learning to use it, I can't give an opinion by now. Good work anyway, Sandman)

EDIT: The uninstall option at Control Panel very usefull too, but I still prefer the Bennupack...

[panreyes]

(Bad grammar is to be expected)
Mmm... so it was Bennu which messed up ping, netstat and stuff? :(

At the same time I'm relieved, because I thought I cought a virus...

About the topic, I would even vote for not doing any official installer, and leaving that for the Bennu Pack or other packages.

Also, when we export a project in order to have the game in just one exe, we need every dll in the same folder as bgdi or bgdc so bgdc and bgdi won't blame. I would even give the package all in one folder all right.

Those ideas will make Bennu's binaries a little mess.

BTW, Sandman, you should try NSIS (NullSoft Installer System).
http://nsis.sf.net

[DCelso]

Oh, a BennuGD Installer for Windows, great job.
I thought to do one using inno setup but I never have time.

[SplinterGU]

early versions of bennu installer mess with paths... the newest versions don't mess any more... maybe you run an old version...

msi installer is cool, but bennu installer have an educative purpose... (I'll share the sourcecode soon)

[Sandman]

I don't really like the Bennupack because it get's so big overtime. Their effort is better spent at the Wiki, adding those examples, software and software explanations. Then the user can download what he wants. It cannot be less userfriendly, because one simple page describing what he needs and links to it is enough. The user only needs BennuGD + extensions to run stuff and the extensions depend on what he wants.

If you bundle this (or any other Bennu installer) installer with your game, your game doesn't have to contain any exes (you could also link to the installer). I think a *GOOD* installer is important if Bennu wants to become a VM like Java in the sense that computers have a BennuVM installed. On Linux this is very easy to achieve and is already done by the .sh. Good effort. This means that there has to be official control, because otherwise you end up with multiple installers that don't cooperate properly. This is the first step.

NSIS and Inno Setup look cool, I will look into those sometime. Maybe they provide the functionality we all want.

About the installfolder: yeah I know, this is quite annoying, but I couldn't change it... adding a /doc folder... I dunno, maybe that's nice, but we have a proper wiki and doing stuff twice is not great. Unless you can somehow export the wiki to a useful format? And including those 3rd party tools is something for Bennupack. :) BennuGD <Modpackname>.msi...

Educative purposes you say. Can't these educative elements be in a nice game tutorial or something?

[Windgate]

I use Fenix/Bennu on teaching for children... And I have a tutorial (For noobs/childs) that is currently being translated to English by Josebita... It could do the work, isn't it?

I think Bennu is the BEST way in order to teach programming to children (12+ years) cause they are really interested on build a videogame... First programs made with C or Java wouldn't be so funny for such young children... No no no... ;)

[Sandman]

Processes are very intuitive indeed. This is Bennu's strongpoint.

[Windgate]

Processes oriented programming xD

If Bennu allowed local functions on the PROCESS it would be "near" a Object Oriented programming language too, PUBLIC is also a very very good point, but it only works with variables.

[Sandman]

Yes, local functions would be great. Multiple inheritance too. But well, probably too much work in the current codebase.

[Windgate]

Inheritance... I have not almost used multiple inheritance in my personal experience, but maybe in a future for Bennu...

Would be really great without changing the current syntax, taking support for local functions and multiple inheritance, but 100% compatible with the current Bennu syntax... Just a dream, maybe for Bennu 2.0 Candidate??? ;D

[FreeYourMind]

Yuuuppiii, is very nice to use google translate to seem that i'm English, this is very funny. I think i can meet Irish girls and show then the power of Bennu programming  :P

[Windgate]

I use Google Translate a lot too... My english sucks... :-*

[FreeYourMind]

I don't  ;D (well, sometimes)