Installer makers for Qt programs

tomy

Hi,

I would like to ask you guys about the installer makers you use for your programs, Qt Installer Framework, Inno or other ones. Which is your favorite and why?

I didn't reach the final success using Qt Installer Framework here. :(

ambershark

@tomy For windows I use NSIS a lot. For linux I write my own bash script installers. For OSX I use the standard pkg installers that are part of osx. Or if I don't need an install, I use a simple dmg.

tomy

@ambershark

For windows I use NSIS a lot.

Thanks for the reply.
It took much time until I could create an installer using Qt Installer Framework (QIF) for a program and now it's fine but still I can't set an icon on the file types of that program using QIF.

What's its the benefits of NSIS compared to QIF for example, and why do you choose it over QIF or other installer makers please?

ambershark

@tomy No strong reason other than it's open source, works reasonably well, and is quick to make an installer. Plus I started using it like 15 years ago.. so it's just kinda habit now.

I have no basis of comparison though since I haven't used QIF. QIF could be way better, I just don't know since I've never used it.

mrjj

Hi
Besides NSIS, i also used
Inno Setup
http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php
for its single exe creation and ability to disk span. ( yes we still use floppy drives ;)

I cant compare to QIF as i never used it.

ambershark

@mrjj said in Installer makers for Qt programs:

yes we still use floppy drives

Lol no way... last floppies I saw in a store were like $35 because they are so unused now.

tomy

Hi,

So most Qt developers haven't used QIF yet! It made me a little surprised. And that is why I don't get a final response for getting my program done.

So must Qt developers use NSIS or Inno (and not QIF). I'm still not very sure what to do.

mrjj

@ambershark
Way yes, we have maybe 500 installation that still have only floppy. No usb, no net etc.
Being running for 10-25 years :) ( back then , they did make good pcs ;)

mrjj

@tomy

Well from 2 answers, you cant conclude that :)

What you should do is test them.
Make small installer. see what you like and what works for you.

That is how you choose a tool.

ambershark

@tomy said in Installer makers for Qt programs:

Hi,

So most Qt developers haven't used QIF yet! It made me a little surprised. And that is why I don't get a final response for getting my program done.

So must Qt developers use NSIS or Inno (and not QIF). I'm still not very sure what to do.

Well it's more that QIF didn't exist when @mrjj and I wrote our first installers. So it's not like QIF is bad it's just that I had already working solutions that I knew so I didn't bother looking for another one.

Installers aren't a really important feature imo. It just needs to work, and maybe look pretty, but that's it. It's used only once so it doesn't have to be the best thing in the world, so I just never looked past NSIS when it worked for what I needed.