> -----Original Message-----
> From: Justin Clift [mailto:justin@postgresql.org]
> Sent: 27 January 2003 11:51
> To: Dave Page
> Cc: PostgreSQL Hackers Mailing List; PostgreSQL Cygwin Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [CYGWIN] Have a PG 7.3.1 Windows (cygwin) easy
> installer... now what to do with it?
>
>
> Dave Page wrote:
> <snip>
> >>No real stress there, as I'm really sure the pgAdmin team and
> >>yourself
> >>will be able to give pointers on how to make that work properly. :)
> >
> > Step 1 is use an MSI compliant setup package.
>
> Ok, do you have any recommendations? Using M$ Visual
> <anything> isn't
> an option, but am willing to look at alternatives.
I don't know of any freebies, other than the Microsoft Installer SDK
which is a pain to use. I use Wise for Windows Installer for the ODBC
driver, Installshield also does MSI format though.
> Am curious as to whether packaging solutions other than MSI use merge
> modules. Any idea?
MSI is the underlying technology built into Windows and the packaging
format, rather than the packaging software itself. They are pushing it's
use because it allows centralised control of installations independently
of the author of the tools (among other things). In other words, even if
Fred Blogss (sorry Fred) writes a bad installer that will cause DLL
hell, the installer service should sort out the mess.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/set
up/about_windows_installer.asp
Regards, Dave.