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Work in Progress / Draco Studios Screensaver Installer Has Been Released!

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Mike P
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 06:41 Edited at: 17th Jan 2005 06:47
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The Draco Studios Screensaver Installer Has Been Released! Here are some screenshots:

Startup Screen:


During Installation:


Installation Complete:


Programming of Installation:


Easy To Understand Debug Information:


Notes:
The application opens a file called fl.txt and reads from it. There are 2 commands it can read:

1.sf: [file name] This will copy the file specified into the Windows System Folder which holds screensavers.

2.fs: [font file name] This will copy the font file specified into the Windows System Folder which holds fonts.

The program will perform a number of checks to see if successfull and then let the user know!

Please let me know what you think (made with DBP)

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Osiris
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 07:02
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looks neat, where can you dl it at or is it 4 pounds

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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 07:03
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Dont mean to criticise but shouldn't this be in WIP?

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Mike P
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 15:28
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1.
Quote: "looks neat, where can you dl it at or is it 4 pounds."


Well I need money so I'll make it 2 pounds. I'l set up a paypal account or sommin...

2.
Quote: "Dont mean to criticise but shouldn't this be in WIP?
"


Yeah I guess it should

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Van B
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 18:14
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Even 2 pounds is a lot to pay in terms of hassle. I don't think a screensaver installer an ideal shareware title, it's not the sort of thing many people would pay for.

How are you handling previous instance problems?


Van-B


It's c**p being the only coder in the village.
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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 18:27
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Good question Van!

I personally am not gonna pay for it.. I have made about half a screensaver before and if I want it then I can do it.. Thing is, Screensavers dont really take much installing do they? Just rename the file from a ".exe" to a ".scr" then to right mouse button and install and windows makes a note of the path and does it all itself.

Fair enough about the font install, but I'd just include it and tell them to copy it to their Fonts folder in the Windows folder. If they cant do that then they shouldn't be using a PC Hehe..

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David R
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 21:25
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I'm just gonna wait until other people release screensavers using this program. Then I can hopefully use Resource Hacker or DUP5 to hack it or something: I'm not paying for it! [Plus the fact that there is no VALID copyright on the material]

<html>
<img src="http://www.freewebs.com/lightningstudios/lightningstudios_logo.jpg" border=0 />
</html>
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Mike P
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Posted: 17th Jan 2005 21:27
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...

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Benjamin
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 00:08
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No offense but its a totally stupid program.

CURRENT PROJECT: Chaos Hizzle Demo
STATUS: Release of BETA imminent!
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Mike P
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 00:57
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Why is it stupid?

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Benjamin
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 01:08
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All it does is copy a file to the window directory, and rename it , no?

CURRENT PROJECT: Chaos Hizzle Demo
STATUS: Release of BETA imminent!
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Mike P
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 03:07
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Well it does do more da dat:
1. Good User Interface (has buttons, status bar, progress bar)
2. 100% reliable.
3. Installs Fonts.
4. Installs Screensavers.
5. Installs Screensaver's files.
6. Is easy to program.

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Mike P
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 03:08
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Hey people we are currently testing the program so if any1 would like to obtain a free copy please add my MSN:

pryor866@hotmail.com

or email me

god@frontpage4u.com

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Mike P
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 04:38
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.....

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Benjamin
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 05:59
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Quote: "1. Good User Interface (has buttons, status bar, progress bar)
2. 100% reliable.
3. Installs Fonts.
4. Installs Screensavers.
5. Installs Screensaver's files.
6. Is easy to program."

1. Thats not something it does
2. Not without DX9 it isnt..
3. Not exactly hard to do manually
4. Same as above
5. Same as above
6. What is there to program? I would rather have a program where I can just drag a file on it and hey presto, the screensaver is installed.

CURRENT PROJECT: Chaos Hizzle Demo
STATUS: Release of BETA imminent!
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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 06:20
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like I said - just rename your EXE to SCR and hey presto - a screensaver!

Evil God Of Hell - Try adapting it to an all purpose installer.

Also - What happens to people that run your installer that dont have DX9.0? The installed should install EVERYTHING while being as dependant on as little as possible itself.

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Mike P
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 06:28
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Good Idea... I'l have that done by da 23rd Jan 05

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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 08:37
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That still leaves the problem of what your installed will do if the user doesn't have DX 9.0.

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Mike P
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 16:22
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It will give u an error and shut off... I'l just include a readme file that tells users that it wont work without DX9

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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 18th Jan 2005 23:29
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Well thats one way around it.. The thing is - like I said above, an ideal installed should rely on as little as possible itself while installing EVERYTHING the game should need. I personally would rather find an installer that relies on built in windows stuff that will test for DX and install that if necessary.

Its a good idea but currently it just looks like a normal windows installer with a different background with the added disadvantage that you need DX 9.0 installed before hand (preferably DC9.0c!)

Dont get me wrong - its a good idea but the problem with DBPro is its not really designed for much else than game making and some GFX Demo's.

Good luck with it though!

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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 00:46
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I guess you are right but I could include DX9 installer with the program, and put in the readme: If you get an error message when trying to run SI please install DX9 (see setup.exe).

Dat would work

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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 03:20
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Yeah that'd work - although then your instller goes from a few meg up to about 20Mb.. I dunno how big DX is now though. Although that was kinda my previous point.. The installer will get everything installed.

I'm still not sure about this though...

You need to put in a feature that makes it more appealing/better than a normal installer..

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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 03:21
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hmmmm... I kind of see what you mean but what exactly do you think I should do? Play music in da background? (an example)

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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 03:49
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Hehe.. Music is a little uneccessary (and quite frankly annoying.. Everytime I find an installer that play music I reach for that mute button SO quick! ).

The thing I want most about an installer is for it to be easy to use and STUPIDLY quick.

One thing about windows is that way it hangs on 0% for 10 minutes then jumps to 99% and holds there for a minute then finished without ever reaching 100%! So a nicer progress bar system..

Also some kinda accurate time remaining feature?

Thing is - most DBPro games are so small it takes a normal hard disk less than a few seconds to transfer the files! Those features I mentioned are only usefull for >100Mb Games, often more than that!

I'm not even sure you really need an installer for DB Games or even screensavers, unless of course you're using a specific font or something that needs installing.

The thing with fonts is.. well.. The built in Text Command is irritatingly slow so most people often end up using paste sprite or something like that to solve it. I know I did..

To be honest - I cant see much future in an app like this. I can only see a real use for a nice pretty installer for larger games of which most people would probably rather use a free standard windows one than some DBPro meets BlueGUI home project.

Dont get me wrong - it looks nice and I'm sure it works a treat.. But I just cant see people chosing IT over another standard installer unless you make it uber-special and uber-uber-different (in a good way).

Sorry...

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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 04:12
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k i see. I just made it cus I was board anyway...

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Cryptoman
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 04:56 Edited at: 19th Jan 2005 04:58
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Ya, but if take out all drawing commands anything that has to do with displaying pictures, and the system command set, guess what?

If you just use the core+file+music, you don't need directx9 to run ur program.

Just thought I'd let you know Hell, might not look so pretty with just print statements, but then you could automate it into installing directx.

You can't call dll's either, its a system command.


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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 05:01
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Yep

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Nicholas Thompson
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 05:01
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You sure? Thought it needed DX9.0 just to load up? I thought it crashed otherwise?

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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 05:02
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No it needs DX 8.1+ just to load up and DX9.0 for most of the other things!

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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 05:03
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Holy poos 1,572 have viewed this thread!!!!!!

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Benjamin
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 06:14
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And doesn't it make you feel special.

CURRENT PROJECT: Chaos Hizzle Demo
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Mike P
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 06:27
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Yep it sure does...

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Cryptoman
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 12:00
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No, but seriously. I just installed windows 95 with IExplorer 4.0 on my spare server to test this theory.

The core,file, and music commands still work. LOL


Windows 95 base install don't even have directx, its direct animation and directmusic.

So to end this stereo type "Its directx that has to use all the cpu". It does not, no directx is required to run the core, file, or music and it still uses 95% cpu. Why, I'd like to know, wouldn't you?


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Jess T
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Posted: 19th Jan 2005 16:23
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Moved to WIP.

Jess.


Team EOD :: Programmer/All-Round Nice Guy
Aust. Convention!
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Mike P
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Posted: 20th Jan 2005 02:13
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Ok... and this is really relivant to this thread how?

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Seth Twilight
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Posted: 30th Jan 2005 21:57
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Michael...heres an idea...if you can add in a program or easy screensaver making function or if you want to keep it as it is and really get money for it...start producing trial versions....


p.s. havn't heard from u for ages!!!

Moham!!!!
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