Using IEXPRESS to create installers

Hi:

Say you have a program with one or more files that you need to pack as in an installer. IEXPRESS allows you to pack them up easily, and define the way to install them. So you can give the user a single executable file that, when clicked on, will extract all packaged files to a temporary location and run an installation command (EXE, BAT or INF file defining installation parameters).

In order to open IEXPRESS, go to windows start menu, select run. On the dialog box type "iexpress" and hit enter. This will load a wizard that will help you build the pack file. Choose "Create new self extraction directive", hit next. Next select whether you want installation to be automatically started after extraction of files from your package, just extract  or something about activeX we don't care about. Choose "Extract and run" and hit next.  You are prompted for a name for the package. Type in the name that best suits your needs and hit next. Next you are given the choice to let the user that will run extraction be asked (or not) if he wants to install the package after files are extracted. If you say yes, you have to enter a prompt message that will be shown to the user. Click next. You are given the choice to add a license file to your package. If you add one, it will be shown to the user performing the installation. Hit next. Here comes the good part. Press Add button and browse and select all files you want to package. Choose as many as you need. Don't forget to pick the one you want to run right after extraction. Hit next. You are asked to select one of the files from the package to be run as installation command. This should be EXE, BAT or INF (other executables may work, but I have not tested them. For details on how to write INF files that define installations read my related post). Pick your installation file and, optionally, another file to be run AFTER installation has finished. Hit next. Then you are given the choice to show (minimized or maximized) or hide the installation program window. Pick your choice and hit next. Now you can optionally enter a message that will be displayed to the user after installation. Hit next. Now select an output file (the file that you will give the user to run).  Enter a name and hit next. I am pretty sure you can figure out next steps.

So anyway, you en dup with a single EXE file that, when run, extracts all files you chose to package and runs installation command as you specified. Have fun!