Best installers for Windows ?

Hi,
What installers do you recommend for Windows ?
Thanks

Innosetup works fine for me, if you search the forum you will find many threads on this very topic.

This is the last one I used https://forum.xojo.com/35628-visual-installer

This is the one that I have used for a long time

http://www.installmate.com/index.htm

Not free, but it is very complex and detailed in what it can do.

We have used Advanced Installer for many years with Xojo, Visual Studio and VB 6 projects. Consider trying the free versions of all those that are recommended to determine which best fits your needs.

NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page

May not be of immediate concern, but if ever you want to place the app in the Windows Store and want to avoid the rather intricate process of using the Desktop App Converter, Caphyon’s Advanced Installer mentioned by Frederick above can generate directly an UWP app (Appx, modern API) from any Win32 or .Net app. Available only in the Pro app, but a freeware version is available for regular installers.

http://www.advancedinstaller.com/uwp-app-package.html

Going offtopic now but Windows store is a nightmare. You are required to be a real company with VAT number and all certifications. Almost impossible for a simple enthusiast to publish something there

Frederick, this looks like a great installer to lower the complexity to get a Xojo program into the Windows Store. I have a few questions and you are likely the best person to answer my questions :slight_smile:

  1. Does the installer make both Xojo 32-bit and 64-bit programs for the store?
  2. Is the Professional license ($399) the best with Xojo apps to be packaged to AppX installers?
  3. I am guessing that MBS, or other plugins are compatible with Advanced Installer?
  4. Have you had any compatibility issues when making AppX’s and having them sold in the Store?

I have a few applications that I would like to place on the store and this seems like a great fit, but the price tag of $399 is a bit steep. If the creation of an AppX is easy then I am willing to give it a try, but I would like to know some answers to these questions before I take the leap :slight_smile:

Thanks!

We have years of experience with Advanced Installer but have not yet submitted any apps to the Windows Store.

Advanced Installer handles MBS Plugins the same way it does all the other DLLs, etc. that accompany the EXE.

I’ve always used InstallAware (http://www.installaware.com) which also can do UWP/AppX apps for the Windows Store.

[quote=299510:@Eugene Dakin]I have a few applications that I would like to place on the store and this seems like a great fit, but the price tag of $399 is a bit steep. If the creation of an AppX is easy then I am willing to give it a try, but I would like to know some answers to these questions before I take the leap :slight_smile:
[/quote]

While I mentioned that possibility, I have elected for the moment to go with the manual way, as tedious as it be. The Windows Store is still in infancy, and it would probably take several month to break even with this investment.

However, I look at it like the “App Wrapper for the Windows Store”, and will no doubt go for it if and when the Windows Store picks up like others online stores.

I don’t know if the evaluation version generates Appx during the trial period. You may want to download it to see.

I have two apps in the Windows Store yet am a ‘simple enthusiast’ and never provided them with a VAT number and have zero Windows certifications!

The install process can run a ‘fake install’ of my InnoSetup exe to determine what goes where and builds the APPX from that. I agree with @Michel Bujardet — I like the fact that the Windows Store app can have a trial period (days or weeks) so expensive apps can be tested before purchase. I hope it will raise the average selling price of the apps as it reduces my wastage on inappropriate apps.

So my vote is for InnoSetup.

We are getting way off topic.

Follow up to https://forum.xojo.com/36648-windows-store-sign-up