Depends on how complex of an install you need. If you're essentially
just copying files, then ant is perfect for the job. If you need
something more involved, such as setting up program groups and
shortcuts on Windows or getting JREs distributed and installed, then
ant is no longer the appropriate tool.
I use InstallAnywhere Now! to do our product's install, but I use ant
to launch our product and obtain updates. In fact, all the install does
is ensure the client has an appropriate JRE, sets up the aforementioned
shortcuts and program groups if the client is a Windows machine, and
gets the ant jars and scripts needed to launch/update our product.
The update goes to the server the user specifies and retrieves all the
updated jars/property files from there. Getting the updates is a simple
matter of copying the files down to the client's machine. Ant is
perfect for that. Since ant closes the script file it's going to
process prior to processing it, you can also update the ant scripts
using this mechanism.
--- Sanjay Bhatia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> That's a good question. I have a similar problem I'm trying to solve
> except
> we'd like to install software on multiple machines from one machine
> on our
> network. Has anyone been able to do this?
>
> If not, does anyone know of an installer program that does this?
>
> sb
>
>
>
> --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > I use ant to install our product. quite simple really, with a few
> > custom tasks
> > (mostly for conditionals)
> >
> >
> > "O'Hara, Patrick" wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Has anyone tried using Ant for Installation? My particular need
> is
> > > fairly simple. We host the product we write and our Net Admin
> has
> > > been asking for an installation program to install the latest
> > > version. We are currently doing everything manually, and it is a
> > > pain. The only thing that we do that I see as an issue in ant is
> > > writing the property files. Obviously some type of gui from end
> would
> > > have to be devised, but I think I could wrap ANT rather that have
> ANT
> > > provide the gui.
> > >
> > > Patrick O'Hara
> > > Workscape, Inc
> > > N17 W24222 Riverwood Pl
> > > Waukesha, WI 53188-1162
> > > 262-408-3849
> > > 262-408-3840 Fax
> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > --
> > Matt Inger ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
> > Sedona Corporation
> > 455 S. Gulph Road, Suite 300
> > King of Prussia, PA 19406
> > (484) 679-2213
> > "Self-respect - the secure feeling that no one,
> > as yet, is suspicious." -H.L. Mencken
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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