First I want to thank everyone for doing such a good
job with ruby-gnome2. It seems that lately development
has accelerated Thanks especially to Kou for
reducing the size of the Windows install.
This brings me to my question. I want to release
my app for Windows. It was difficult in the past, but
I think now it has become easier because we can install
ruby-gnome2 with gems. But even still, I think that
most people on Windows will not want to use the
command line to install an application. In other words,
typing āgem install myApplicationā from the command
line is still too difficult for them. I have an idea for
building an installer for ruby-gnome applications and
I want some advice.
My idea is to write an install script using
NSIS: NSIS Wiki
It should check to see if Ruby is installed.
If it is not, then it installs ruby. After that it runs
a script that simply installs the ruby-gnome2 gems
and your application gem. Finally, it will wrap
the gem executable script as a windows executable
with an icon. It will also make an uninstall
script and an upgrade script. The upgrade script
will simply run āgem upgradeā on the relevant
gems, so if your application is in the gem repository
it will upgrade automatically.
To be honest, I hate working with Windows and I
would rather not do this, so first I want to know if
anyone has a better idea Also, the gem commands
donāt really have any feedback for the user, so
Iām worried that since it can take a long time, the
user will give up. Are there any ideas on how to
give feedback to the user?
Any ideas are very welcome (especially if they are
of the form āDonāt do this. Thereās an easier way!ā
another stupid ideas is to include ruby installation complete with all gems
and your application from your windows system, into your nsis installer
but then you will need to add ruby path into windows system path in your
nsis script (this I never found out how)
I thought about this too. It has some advantages because everything
works from one installer. But I am worried about having multiple
versions
of ruby on the system. The problem is that Windows packaging is
so broken that it is difficult to decide what do do, isnāt it
so broken that it is difficult to decide what do do, isnāt it
I will think about it some more.
Exactly
perhaps if you are really good with nsis script something like this can
be
done
if there is no ruby then install ruby
if there is ruby but not required gem, install the gem
install the program
but of couse I prefer all that is done offline, without internet
connection
so that means the nsis installer contain the ruby and required gem along
with the program
of course it will make installer become big
another idea is to seperate ruby and the program+gem
make it looks like .net framework or java
so basically
1st installer is ruby installer
2nd installer will check if ruby exist, if not it asked user to install
ruby
(just like they do with both example)
then install required gem and program (of course I still prefer offline
here)
command line to install an application. In other words,
a script that simply installs the ruby-gnome2 gems
anyone has a better idea Also, the gem commands
another stupid ideas is to include ruby installation complete with all
gems
and your application from your windows system, into your nsis installer
but then you will need to add ruby path into windows system path in your
nsis script (this I never found out how)
2nd installer will check if ruby exist, if not it asked user to install ruby
(just like they do with both example)
then install required gem and program (of course I still prefer offline
here)
On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 12:04 AM, Vincent C. [email protected]wrote:
Yes, I use that to install ruby on my windows system
I believe thatās suitable to be used in āplease install rubyā messege
main problem is packaging our application, right?
back then I can use my stupid idea because I believe no user has ruby
yet
but if this installer (that check if ruby exist like java or .net) exist
and more of us making end-user application with ruby, that is far from
ideal
way
but really, I cannot depend on internet yet
because generally internet in my country sucks ( I got 2 mb/s for 20
users
and it is considered very fast)
so eventhough it a pain in the nect to download every gems I need,
offline installation is trully sparkling here
Thanks especially to Kou for
