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Author Topic: POINST complete failure  (Read 1966 times)

Offline frankie

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POINST complete failure
« on: October 02, 2021, 07:03:09 PM »
Poinst doesn't work at all even on the simplest configuration.
The installer is created without errors, using the verbose flag all operations are correctly showed.
When the freshly created installer is run it fails apparently without any error.
No file is copied.
No registry key is touched.
Opening the details window the message showed is: "Error creating: Uninstall.exe"
 ;D The funny thing is that asks to run the executable that wasn't installed.  >:(
« Last Edit: October 02, 2021, 07:05:12 PM by frankie »
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. - Andre Gide

Offline Pelle

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2021, 01:28:11 PM »
When there is only one Section .. SectionEnd, this mandatory section isn't "selected" unless things go through one of the selection pages. It looks like this was lost in early 2018 when SectionGroup and SectionGroupEnd was added (I guess the focus then was on selection things, not having nothing to select from).

(When nothing is installed, no (new) directory is created, and very little can be written to this non-existing directory - not even the uninstaller).

The easiest workaround for now is to add an empty section ...
Code: [Select]
Section "Dummy"
SectionEnd
... or, of course, fill it with something more useful...
/Pelle

Offline frankie

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2021, 03:11:08 PM »
Yes it works thanks.
I really got mad on the issue.
Maybe it could help adding a note in the help.
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. - Andre Gide

Offline Pelle

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2021, 03:54:56 PM »
It's a bug that should be fixed. I guess not many people are using POINST (either?) or it would have been found sooner.
/Pelle

Offline frankie

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2021, 04:00:37 PM »
Indeed it seems I'm the only one.  ;D
It was me that posted the problem with multiple files (but there I was using more sections).
No other posts are present about POINST.
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. - Andre Gide

Offline Pelle

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2021, 08:41:54 PM »
Yeah, I remember.

I have used POINST professionally a few times in the past, so it got a fair bit of testing, but these days I only use POINST for the Pelles C installer ( with plenty of optional sections  ::) ).

I retrospect it would have been better to start my own project, rather than cutting corners by adopting an early NSIS installer. After many attempts to clean it up, too much spaghetti code remains. Well, it's a bit late now...
/Pelle

Offline John Z

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2021, 01:56:33 PM »
Well it took a while before I even realized that it was possible to create an installer with Pelles C.  But in any case the programs I have written with Pelles C that have been, or are being, distributed have been 'portable' i.e. can run from a USB or any directory and are self contained within the directory.  Distribution has simply been through a zip or 7z file.  Unzip and run, to remove just delete the directory. Nothing in the registry.  I have made one game both as a zip install and also has an installer using the 'portable apps' installer software because I was trying to get it hosted on their web, but they said they are too busy.....

Anyway this did not add much value to the discussion, so I'll add I'm going to try POINST for a program installer.  I'll remove the registry feature though to maintain the idea of self contained and nothing left behind.

John Z

Offline frankie

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2021, 05:37:39 PM »
It seems also that the files of the first 'optional' section are installed even if not selected.
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. - Andre Gide

Offline Pelle

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Re: POINST complete failure
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2021, 07:31:44 AM »
I will have a look some day...
/Pelle