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Published 20 hours ago • verified publisher icon erkyrath

Windows installer

Open dfabulich opened this issue 3 years ago • 2 comments

If a tech neophyte downloads a Lectrote zip on Windows, Windows will open it as a pseudo-folder. If you have the presence of mind to double-click on Lectrote.exe and run it, it won't work, because none of its required files will be extracted, and in no case will Lectrote show up in your start menu.

It would be great to offer an installer exe. It could be a 32-bit app (for maximum compatibility), and it could download the appropriate binary (32-bit, 64-bit, maybe someday ARM), install it, and add an icon to the start menu.

dfabulich avatar Dec 09 '21 01:12 dfabulich

Suggestions on what installer technology is good for this? I've used NSIS but that was most of a decade ago.

erkyrath avatar Dec 09 '21 15:12 erkyrath

The Electron website recommends packaging your app using Electron Forge.

https://www.electronforge.io/

Forge, in turn, recommends Squirrel.Windows for its output.

Electron-builder is an older alternative to Forge; they recommend NSIS. ("Squirrel.Windows target is maintained, but deprecated. Please use nsis instead.")

I expect that it'd be fine to use whatever you're most comfortable with.

dfabulich avatar Dec 09 '21 15:12 dfabulich