Gosev
26th September 2007 05:45 UTC

My "vote" for installers >2Gb
Hi guys

I've been using NSIS since it turned 2, so since a little while back. I work in a game dev studio and basically I end up doing most of the installers (so that's something like 15 games x 5 languages, and that's without counting various versions for journalists, beta testers and so on).

I just wanted to add my voice to the 2Gb limit discussion. I realize that it is not trivial to change (and that it is due to int being 32 bit = 2Gb address space, not due to Win9x compatibility reasons).

When I'm creating retail disks (usually DVDs now) I create a multi part installer, either using CABs, or just separate NSIS scripts; this allows me not only to go over the 2Gb limit, but also to work faster, since I've organised my data into stuff that's big but doesn't change very fast (like cutscenes) and stuff that's small and changes a lot (configuration file, settings, etc.)

However, from time to time we release a game for download. To do that, it makes more sense to have only one file for download, which is where the CAB-type solution doesn't work for me. I could (and probably will have to) create a multi-stage installer, with a first 7zip file with no compression to tar the different files together, and a second NSIS installer to do the installation proper.

Mind you, I'm not saying removing the 2Gb limit will solve my problems, since we'll probably be hitting 4Gb downloads before the 2Gb limit is lifted :)

Gosev

n_baua
27th September 2007 05:15 UTC

Hi
Hi Gosev,

I do agree with you on some of the points raised by you.
I even had faced the problem with large installations.

We are also trying to work around on the same as my installer is hitting nearly 3GB for a windows application carrying lot of images and data.

What we are thinking to do is.

1. To create a torrent file(for eg Install.torrent of CAB style installation).
2. Install uTorrent on client machine(small 3rd party application.
3. Launch uTorrent and run the "Install.torrent" file which pulls the entire application (on disk.
4. Run the CAB style installation once the download is successfull.

We are still in discussion stage and are trying various options.

I think discussing this with you would also help us and as well as will give you a headstart on the same.

Awaiting for the reply.

NBaua

speedy1
10th December 2007 02:23 UTC

+1 for >2 GB installer.

This issue proves to be quite a big hurdle for the game development use.

I'm going to try 7zip external extraction script posted on the forums, CAB trick seems too bring in too much low level system dependencies for my taste.

Native solution for creating external data files and unpacking from them or > 2GB support would do the trick elegantly.

zepitou
11th December 2007 14:36 UTC

I release only digital signed version. Most of them are more than 2Gb (and go up to 12Gb...). Either I use Inno Setup (that has a natural support of spanning -one little exe and as many and big bin files as you need-, with strong LZMA compression). Sometimes I still need to use NSIS. In that case, I use the zipdll plugin (or you can find a rar and even a 7zip dll), and build an installer that includes no files to install but only intructions, including the code (dll calls) to load, unzip and handle error for the zip files containing the product to install.