Integration of Ketarin in my Freeware

[Merlin]

It is a while I am developing a Post-Installer name MPIx and it is a while, as a user of Ketarin. that I am wondering how I can merge them both. I actually emailed Flo about this back in February 2009.

 

As of my version 4.3.3, I finally added a first attempt and before going too far into this, I figured I would ask you all about it. You people brought Ketarin a lot further than Flo originally thought (I think) by creating complicated scripts like the ones concerning SourceForge. So, I told myself, get the people opinions and requests before you code too much and regret you started on the wrong foot...

 

MPIx stands for Merlin's Post-Installer Extreme (it is an improved WPI for those of you who knows it); it is a Freeware and it's available at http://www.quinnlab.com/ .

 

It can handle multiple database of applications and/or registry tweaks, from witch you select items you want to download and/or install.

 

But keeping those databases up-to-date is a pain which is why I am trying to integrate a Ketarin-like approach to automate it.

 

I temporarely attached the Variable Editor to the Download Command. To access such, launch MPIx (Freewares database is set by default), click on 'Manage Current Database', select an Item, and Edit it's download command. Some partial documentation is available here : http://www.quinnlab.com/help/index.php?item=509 .

 

To lauch the Database Updater, see here : http://www.quinnlab.com/help/index.php?item=630 .

 

Any comments or suggestions or questions are welcome.

 

Thanks,

 

Merlin

[floele]

Hm...a Ketarin-like approach? Actually, I have already been thinking about adding features from a tool like InstallPad into Ketarin, which would still result in something a bit different than your application but would be quite similar.

 

Regarding integration of Ketarin: You could certainly do it. Maybe not completely without modifications on Ketarin's side, but it could be simple. If you would use the Ketarin online database for example, you could use Ketarin as an "editor" for applications, upload them and use it in your application. Though you would also need to let Ketarin download an app based on the rules. That could be implemented in numerous ways...per command line, or by calling a function inside a Ketarin DLL (if you can communicate with .NET, or if necessary, COM exports could be added).