Archive: t w o _ _ _ g i g a b y te s _ _ _ limit


t w o _ _ _ g i g a b y te s _ _ _ limit
so, I know this has been asked many times -- don't ban me please. :confused:

LOL, OK. so, I've read that NSIS is capable of multi-file installations? I found no examples or help topics in this regard. so that's why I'm here.

somebody please tell me what the multi-file mode is, and how can it be activated. a little code would be grand.

thanks.


if I understand well, may be this example help you
Embedding other installers:
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Embedding_other_installers


Originally posted by MHK
if I understand well, may be this example help you
Embedding other installers:
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Embedding_other_installers
been there, done that. but w/ 7-Zip and a masked external archive. :cry:

other suggestions?

if you've already been there and done that and had a working solution.. then what's the problem? :)

http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Multi-volume_Distribution
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/CABSetup_plug-in


Originally posted by Animaether
if you've already been there and done that and had a working solution.. then what's the problem? :)

http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Multi-volume_Distribution
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/CABSetup_plug-in
:up: thank you for the links. I'll see what I can manage.
now, the "working solution" was to pack 7-Zip (LOL), and then use it to unpack the >2 GB 7z archive next to the installer EXE. this is what I call brutal & ugly. and although I wouldn't hesitate to use it again, it sure leaves me w/ a feeling of failure down in the stomach.

Is there any suggestion on how to manage a single EXE > 2 GB
(so that the user has only one file to download)

I guess the recommended solution is something like a 7-zip auto-extract auto-run archive but that would require the user to have more than 4 GB of free space on the harddrive (2 GB for installer extraction + 2 GB once the install is complete)


You could always download the data as you need it in your installer, using NSISdl (though you might have to split up the data files if one of them exceeds 2GB - I don't know how the plugin handles those files). There'd be more than one download, but the user only has to initiate one of them.

If the individual files don't exceed any size limit in NSISdl, you could even choose to download them uncompressed, if you don't want to use too much temporary space.


This suppose the PC you run the install on has access to Internet..


Only if you download it unconditionally. Nothing's stopping you from only downloading the data if it isn't available in a cache directory (maybe even allowing a "download-only" mode).

Sure, they'll have to distribute more than one file to the computer which needs the download, but there's not really any more effort in copying a folder vs. copying a file.


Mmmh I see what you mean, so a double-mode
* offline if the big data files are present aside the installer
* online with NSISdl otherwise

That seems a correct compromise - until NSIS supports more than 2 GB natively (is there any date/version expected for this feature? or maybe I can contribute with the coding of this feature)


Why people want to compile to hole thing in a 2+ GB when you can create CABs, ZIPs, 7zips, etc., and lataer extract them with the plugins that are around here... and even more, you put the files outside of the installer...

There a few alternatives ;)


I may repeat myself, but I want my users to download a single file from Internet, and I would have liked them not to require empty disk space for this single (big) file PLUS the temporary extraction of its content PLUS the once-installed size


Joel, it's quite simple, really. It's all fine and well if you have physical media - like a DVD - but it won't work if the installer can be downloaded - you're not going to get the user to download 5 separate files to install one thing.

Sure, you can do what I talked about and download the extra files from the installer - and you probably should, if you can split it into individual components, so the user doesn't have to download stuff he isn't installing - but if you need to download anything anyway (games, etc.), then you would remove code complexity by having it all compiled into a single EXE (you don't have to deal with URLs that can change, you don't need extra code to allow an offline install, etc.).


eh... who's downloaded a 2GB+ installer (EXE / MSI) lately? Let's show some hands (and by that I mean examples)

The last files I have downloaded that were over 2GB were:
MSDN: Vista Business N.
ADN: Autodesk 3ds Max 2009
Ubuntu Linux

They were all in ISO file format. Had to mount them (burn to DVD in the Ubuntu's case) first. I guess they -could- have made giant 3-4GB installers instead, but they probably decided against that for a reason.


our games can be downloaded via BitTorrent, direct download or other media...
in any case, it would be simpler if the installer had the same form of a single EXE