Build Application Installer should download and install Run-Time Engine if necesary

[Jim_Kring]

Problem

When creating an installer for my built LabVIEW application, I really dislike having to choose between including the RTE installer (and having a 100+ MB installer for my application) or not including it (and requiring my users to download and install the RTE as a separate step).  Typically, I'll build two installers at the same time (with roughly duplicate build settings): a full installer w/ RTE and a light installer w/out the RTE.

Proposed Solution

What would be much nicer would be if my app's installer were able to download and install the RTE, if necesary.  Actually, this is common practice, these days, for users to download a small installer that then downloads larger installer files behind the scenes.

[crelf]

OCG! Great idea Jim! I think this should be expanded to include all non-custom components (eg: NI-Switch, NI-VISA, etc)

[altenbach]

Excellent! I agree this would save quite a bit of effort on both sides provided that fast internet access is available.

We only need to make one "lite" installer, and the customer does not even need to figure out if he already has the correct version of the runtime engine or not (There are many people who would not really know how to check that!). 😉

One problem is that the computer on the factory floor (or in Antarctica!) might not have fast internet access. In these cases we could burn the runtime (and other) installers seperately on the CD, in addition to our application installer. The application installer would first check the local CD drive and then the internet if the runtime is not installed already. 

[chris.b]

This would be a function of the installer, correct? It would not be a run-time check for the application? If I understand you correctly, you've got my vote.

You are very correct; many downloaded installers are now just bootstrappers (I think I've seen this by Adobe, Microsoft, and OpenOffice, just to name a few).

[Jim_Kring]

Guys: I'm glad you like the idea.  I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of it, but I guess I'm the first to speak up, here.

Chris B: Ya, my thinking is that it would be an installer function.  I'm happy to have your vote.  And, please put in a good word for this request on the inside 😉

Cheers,

[JackDunaway]

Excellent idea, Jim. This is a viable alternative for high-speed internet access, until the RTE can be segmented, slimmed, and included as part of the distributable itself. A design parameter we must adhere to for many of our clients is the assumption that high-speed access is NOT available.

[Jim_Kring]

Jack: Just to be clear, I proposed this as an option when building installers.  I agree that users should still have the option to build a full installer that bundles all the required dependencies' installers.

Message Edited by Jim Kring on 12-12-2009 03:57 PM

[JackDunaway]

Yep, that was clear. I still think downloading the entire RTE from a launcher is a great idea, but just wanted to remind people that it would be nice if the RTE could be smaller or segmented for applications where internet is faster via carrier pigeon.

[muks]

Superb idea. Kudos.

[hecmar.arreola]

Sounds like a good idea to me!

When you connect to a Remote Panel through a web browser from a computer that doesn't have the runtime installed, it is automatically downloaded and installed for you.  Same should apply for distributions of applications via an Installer option.  Gets my vote!

[seeker169]

Just ran across this and it sounds like a great idea. However, I know it was mentioned in other comments, but I need to reinterate -- there are those of us who's target platforms have never had and never will have internet access at all. We need to be able to bundle the RTE in our installation. Of course, I certainly wouldn't mind it if some attention was paid to slimming down the RTE behemoth and then this wouldn't be an issue in the first place!