CloudingClarity

Create Installation Packages with Advanced Installer

Posted on 24. Nov, 2008 by Eric in Downloads, Frugal Living

Have you ever wanted to package several files or applications into one tidy file which can be installed with just a few simple clicks? If so, let me introduce you to Advanced Install.

What can it do?
While most applications come complete with an installer, occasionally you may encounter a standalone application which downloads nothing more than a compressed folder. To “install” the program, you simply decompress the folder and run the executable (.exe) file. Standalone applications are convenient for computer savvy individuals. They can place the application exactly where they want it on their PC or store it on a jump drive which would allow them to take the application from one PC to another without reinstalling it each time. While techy people enjoy the freedom, many individuals find the lack of instructions to be confusing. Advanced Installer can package applications which otherwise do not have an installer. There is no limit to the type of files it can package. If you desired, you could package up all of your Word files or MP3’s from one PC and install them onto a new one. Advanced Installer will even place an icon on the start menu and desktop by default. The installed files are placed in “program files” along with the rest of your applications. Once the installer has been run, windows registers the product under “add/remove programs” so you can easily uninstall it later. Advanced Installer compresses files to be significantly smaller than they originated. I zipped up 200MB of data and the installer file, once packaged, took up less than 50MB of space.

Download:
Advanced Installer

Uses:
One of the many uses I have found for Advanced Installer is helping my less technical friends acquire standalone applications. For example, I have an original Nintendo emulator and all the games ever made for the console, yet I have been unable to share the application with some of my friends. As some of them live far away from me, I would have to physically take the files to them and install the emulator since it takes a bit of computer guru to initially set it up. With Advanced Installer, I can merely package up the files and let my friends follow the on screen instructions.

Nintendo Download:
To demonstrate the final result, I have provided the original Nintendo emulator complete with games for download in my previous post, Free Download: Nintendo Emulator With Game.

Tags: Advanced Installer, Installer, nintendo emulator, standalone applications