I was thinking about our custom content and how, now that Steam has everything in a cache file, the directory structure when users need to install custom stuff isn't exactly obvious.

I think the problem comes when people dont have any folders existing and knowing where to put them can be tricky to work out.

Anyway, I was messing around with various free installers, such as the click-team one, and though about making all my model releases use that.

Its compact - the installer was only 1K bigger than the original zip and it lets you slap up a readme in the users face so at least you know it was open (even if they didnt read it :rolleyes: ).

But what was the handiest I though was all they need to do is browse to the Steam\SteamApps\<your email>\day of defeat\dod\ folder and it installs it all with the right paths.

Thats the easiest way but there is nothing to stop users telling it somewhere else and getting the files seperately if they only want partial content.

So what do people think? Would a proper little installer that takes the mystery out of installing custom content in Steam be a good thing or bad thing?

- Jed

Installers indeed would help help a lot. Also, I already posted a Steam FAQ for custom content at www.dodmaps.com , which basically describes every kind of installation possibility quite detailed.

Well-scripted installers are always welcome though, they´re much easier to use because many users don´t even have an compression tool installed.

Oh, and by the way, it would be great if we could achieve some kind of standard for custom content installers. if everyone would use the same installer, novices wouldn´t have such a hard time everytime they try to install something custom. I think it´s very possible, espicially because we have a pretty tight community here.

Well so far I've looked at the Click-Team one and its so basic it would be hard to get wrong.

The only problem I found with it was after reading from the registry where Steam was installed, it wouldn't allow me to append any expansion onto that.

Also, because of the fact your email address is in the steam path and thats unique to each user you cant make it automatically set-up the full path so although you can get them as far as D:\Games\Steam as a hint, they still need to browse down to the DoD folder itself.

I'm going to take at a look at another open source installer which is much easier to customise and might be able to handle the email address part of the install path too.

I'll report on my findings.

- Jed

Jed, I say it again....You are the fackin MAN!!!!! Hope all goes well with this as Im in the midst of getting Steam with my 56k...I'll see you in a week as this is taking forever.

Anderson

I think that simply creating ZIP files with paths inside of them would work just as well. The problem with that install programs is that they're a little harder to keep track of and play with (I mean those who want to play with em and preview the files beforehand) and they sometimes leave registry entries, which for models would be useless.

Oh I agree, and hence thats why I'm looking for something a little bit more in line with out needs.

At the moment I'm looking at an option source option for which I'm going to try and write a module for which will handle the email address folder name and, if more than one exists (for shared computers) it will let you chose which ID to install it for.

As for registry entries, the only one I'm reading is the Steam install directory.

If this solution works the way I hope you can break down your releases into groups so for example people can opt to install everything or say opt to just installed models, sounds, etc.

As for previewing, its as simple as telling it to install it to a directory other than the steam one.

Anyway, as I said, Im looking into it and I'll report on what I find.

- Jed

Whats so hard about creating a map, models, sprite and sounds folder in steamapps/email@email/dod/dod?

All I did to get my models was port all of my customizations into the new steam. Half-Life started out without any models in its models folder, since they were all stored in PAK files. So DOD starts without a models folder as its all in a cache file. Can't yall do it the traditional way?

If someone doesn't know, sticky a thread about where to put them. But for those Gomers out there who dont know much of anything about customizations, I guess installers would work, but I wouldn't get too dependant.

Right, despite Sushi's protestations that he'll never use it, heres what I've come up with.

This is all open source, royalty free creamy goodness so you dont need to worry about paying for it and stuff and theres no nag screens or adware involved.

I've created a fairly complex example with multiple install options, license screen, etc. but this stuff can be cut down to be almost a blind installer.

Another good thing is that it looks like pretty much every other Windows installer and because it uses bZip compression the final file size of the installer is only fractionally larger than putting them in a zip.

Anyhew... as I took a bunch of screenshots, I'll post a few more messages with them attatched and comments...

- Jed

Right Corporal Jones, if we could have the first slide please....

Attatched pic shows the absolutely daaahling new icon I made for the installer. Its got 9 sizes in, 48x48, 32x32, 16x16 in 32-bit, 256 colour and very ropey looking 16 colour. So if your using Windows XP you get a dead seckseh icon with a working drop shadow.

HUZZAH!

- Jed

Moving on, here we see our welcome screen...
Titles and such are defined in the script file and you can adust the size of the title font to squeeze it all in if your over wordy with you product names.

Custom pic on the left, as you can see, and the white background can be changed but I left it white as its now 6am here in Sweden and I've been up all night working on this.

- Jed

Righty ho...

Next up is an optional license screen for us paranoid types. Basically it allows you to display a license or rules for use of your models about distribution, yadda, yadda, whatever.

This screen is totally optional can can be removed by commenting two lines out of the script file.

- Jed

Ah yes, this one...

This is a choose install components screen and as you can see I've set it up so that you can choose to install all or just part of the installers contents.

Handy n'est pas?

Cool if you are releasing models and like me have a few custom sounds, etc. you want to throw in too but want to give the user the option of skipping it.

If your release (fnarr!) is so simple that you dont need to let the user select an option (say its just replacing 1 or 2 files) you can omit this screen.

- Jed

(Have the sandwiches turned up yet?)

Right, now the funky part that took me some working out - the install location!

What I'm doing here is interrogating the registry, specifically the HKEY_CURRENT_USER tree to find some data about where Steam is installed. I'm using current user so that if you have more than one person with an account on the machine and that person also has steam installed it *should* pick up each users own steam apps directory. *phew*

At the moment this script is configured for DoD but you can easily hack the installer to work for say CounterStrike by changing the script to tell it which folder after the email address your mod's files need to go.

Just to point out, i'm paranoid and altered the email address to say you@email.com - it really does get it from the registry.

Also, if you dont want to install it straight into DoD you can use the browse button to specify another location or make a new folder for it. Handy if you just want to unpack the installer and take a look-see at its contents and maybe manhandle the files over yourself.

Whatever floats your boat really...

- Jed

Ok chaps and chapesses...

Next up we have the progress screen. Not much to say here, just gives you a dandy wee progress bar and tells you exactly what its put and where.

'nuff said.

- Jed

And finally....

The exit screen. Nothing revolutionary, just a "f00k me it worked" type message and an option to view a readme file that you may of chose to include with your work.

Again, this can be altered to not show the "Show Readme" box if you don't have one.

- Jed

Looking good..:)... now get to bed.

Right then.

Thats that for now. As you can see I've made a test version for my British Airborne models and as soon as I get the installer up on my server I'll let you know. I'd appreciate it if a few people could beta test it for me, let me know of any problems you might be having - especially retail users - I need to know if for some odd reason the steam install paths are different for you tykes.

Anyway, I'm pooped. I've spent the past 7 hours working this lot out.

Short summary - this is a free installer we can use, you need to edit a small script file to set-up what files go in it, where to install them, what install options you want etc.

To use it you'll need to download a piece of free software and I'll write up a tutorial a little later on when I'm sure its not secretly ending the world behind my back.

And with that, I'm to bed.

Tootle pip!

- Jed

Well, I never said I'd never use it. I just implied that I won't get too dependant on installers, meaning ill use them, but not as much.

OK, I need beta testers people!

I've bundled up the British, beret wearing version of my models as per the screenshots and put it up for download.


http://the.unreachable.org/wunderboy/brit_airborne_beret_dod10.exe

I'd appreciate it if a few people could download it and try running the installer. If you dont want to go through with actually installing the files, just cancel out when you get to the "choose install directory" screen.

What I really need to know is if it did or didn't correcly detect the install path for steam on your computers - i.e. with your email address, etc.

BTW; this IS A BETA! So be warned, although I don't think theres anything funky going on with it, Im not responsible for any bad stuff that happens.

May the force be with you.

- Jed

OMG Jed you fuxxed up my Steam you beach!

But honestly it worked perfectly, now re-release it with the helmets too! :D

This works perfectly everyone should use this, it makes life much easier than tring to zip stuff here and there if ppl aint of a dir structure thing-a-me.

Well done old bean, have a COOKIE!

Hey Jed, Great job once again! Im at school right now but once I get home Ill test it for ya..:D

And I will definetly use this when I release things from now on.. :)

OK, well when I get confirmation from a few more sources that its working ok I'll put a tutorial together with some same script files.

- Jed

Worked for me, just as advertised.

worked perfectly.

Originally posted by FIGUUR
worked perfectly.

:D :D :D

worked like a charm for me.

Worked for me.

I use Win98 as well ... not that that's a problem :cool:

Trying it as we speak

This pack is a freaking kickass ! i just love it !
Very good job jed.

Looks like it will be a bit of time before you sort the tuts out but I'd like to thank you anyway.

Thank you for pointing me towards NSIS, that's a great installer. I'm trying to use it for some custom maps.

I'll get the Tut done soon. Im just REALLY sick at the moment :(

- Jed

np Jed ... you just get yourself better.

I wish. I've hardly been able to move for a week. I've already fainted twice today.

Bleh. We need a vomiting icon. :o

- Jed

Jed, could you please release a tutorial for this? I want to convert all files on dodmaps.com into steam-o-matic (TM) installers.

It's been on my website for months.

Just look under "Tutorials".

- Jed

Jesus Christ, the man´s a genius! Thanks for this. :)

No probs. I got sent some contribution code too it too I'll try and post soon. Been getting a bit behind with stuff as the GCF spec took longer than I thought.

- Jed