Mailing List Archive: Apache: Dev

Scripting for a windows installer

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wrowe at rowe-clan

Jul 13, 2012, 7:31 PM

Post #1 of 9 (374 views)
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Scripting for a windows installer

With 2.4... once we clear up the socket misbehavior in AcceptFilter none
node, its time to reinvent the msi installer.

First question before us is host scripting language. One option is utf8
enabled awk and custom dll's as in the 2.2 package.

Another option with one downside is to script the install using PowerShell.
It was introduced to all installations in Vista and 2008 R2 server. I dont
care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what is the group
concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre provision it?

WSH windows scripting host would be lovely if it spoke utf8, but as a
practical matter, support for utf8 is poor to nonexistant depending on what
you are trying to rewrite. Powershell overcomes this defect.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Droid

covener at gmail

Jul 14, 2012, 4:20 AM

Post #2 of 9 (363 views)
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Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 10:31 PM, William A Rowe Jr <wrowe [at] rowe-clan> wrote:
> With 2.4... once we clear up the socket misbehavior in AcceptFilter none
> node, its time to reinvent the msi installer.
>
> First question before us is host scripting language. One option is utf8
> enabled awk and custom dll's as in the 2.2 package.
>
> Another option with one downside is to script the install using PowerShell.
> It was introduced to all installations in Vista and 2008 R2 server. I dont
> care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what is the group
> concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre provision it?
>
> WSH windows scripting host would be lovely if it spoke utf8, but as a
> practical matter, support for utf8 is poor to nonexistant depending on what
> you are trying to rewrite. Powershell overcomes this defect.

I think powershell is fair if we can bail out informatively on pre 2008 R2.

What's the story with compilers?

covener at gmail

Jul 14, 2012, 4:20 AM

Post #3 of 9 (368 views)
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Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

> I think powershell is fair if we can bail out informatively on pre 2008 R2.

* so they can go grab powershell that is

isoma at jellybaby

Jul 14, 2012, 5:41 AM

Post #4 of 9 (365 views)
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Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On 14 Jul 2012, at 03:31, William A Rowe Jr wrote:

> Another option with one downside is to script the install using PowerShell. It was introduced to all installations in Vista and 2008 R2 server. I dont care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what is the group concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre provision it?
>
> WSH windows scripting host would be lovely if it spoke utf8, but as a practical matter, support for utf8 is poor to nonexistant depending on what you are trying to rewrite. Powershell overcomes this defect.

I'd be happy to see PowerShell used here. I think httpd contributors are more likely to know / learn PowerShell than alternatives like WSH.

--
Tim Bannister – isoma [at] jellybaby

Attachments:

smime.p7s (4.29 KB)

gls at gknw

Jul 14, 2012, 9:35 PM

Post #5 of 9 (359 views)
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Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On 7/13/2012 7:31 PM, William A Rowe Jr wrote:
> I dont care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what
> is the group concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre
> provision it?

Neither XP or 2003 are EOL'd, not till April 2014 IIRC.

gls at gknw

Jul 14, 2012, 9:42 PM

Post #6 of 9 (361 views)
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Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On 7/14/2012 9:35 PM, Gregg Smith wrote:
> On 7/13/2012 7:31 PM, William A Rowe Jr wrote:
>> I dont care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what
>> is the group concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre
>> provision it?
>
> Neither XP or 2003 are EOL'd, not till April 2014 IIRC.
>
Correction, it still has security support till then and do not expect
them to go away just yet.

Something that I have noticed with people who install with the .msi, it
would be nice to have an upgrade option. Many newbs are fearful of
uninstalling to upgrade since they do not know it will leave behind and
not overwrite what the want saved and not overwritten.

wrowe at rowe-clan

Jul 31, 2012, 9:16 AM

Post #7 of 9 (321 views)
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Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On 7/14/2012 4:20 AM, Eric Covener wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 10:31 PM, William A Rowe Jr <wrowe [at] rowe-clan> wrote:
>> With 2.4... once we clear up the socket misbehavior in AcceptFilter none
>> node, its time to reinvent the msi installer.
>>
>> First question before us is host scripting language. One option is utf8
>> enabled awk and custom dll's as in the 2.2 package.
>>
>> Another option with one downside is to script the install using PowerShell.
>> It was introduced to all installations in Vista and 2008 R2 server. I dont
>> care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what is the group
>> concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre provision it?
>>
>> WSH windows scripting host would be lovely if it spoke utf8, but as a
>> practical matter, support for utf8 is poor to nonexistant depending on what
>> you are trying to rewrite. Powershell overcomes this defect.
>
> I think powershell is fair if we can bail out informatively on pre 2008 R2.
>
> What's the story with compilers?

My thought is for MSVStudio 10, unless 11 leaves beta/preview RSN.

wrowe at rowe-clan

Jul 31, 2012, 1:05 PM

Post #8 of 9 (319 views)
Permalink

Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On 7/14/2012 9:42 PM, Gregg Smith wrote:
> On 7/14/2012 9:35 PM, Gregg Smith wrote:
>> On 7/13/2012 7:31 PM, William A Rowe Jr wrote:
>>> I dont care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what is the group
>>> concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre provision it?
>>
>> Neither XP or 2003 are EOL'd, not till April 2014 IIRC.
>>
> Correction, it still has security support till then and do not expect them to go away just
> yet.

But we aren't concerned with providing 'new software' for any such legacy
environment. I don't think 2.2 is dead, yet.

> Something that I have noticed with people who install with the .msi, it would be nice to
> have an upgrade option. Many newbs are fearful of uninstalling to upgrade since they do
> not know it will leave behind and not overwrite what the want saved and not overwritten.

Agreed.

wrowe at rowe-clan

Aug 1, 2012, 9:22 AM

Post #9 of 9 (315 views)
Permalink

Re: Scripting for a windows installer [In reply to]

On 7/31/2012 1:05 PM, William A. Rowe Jr. wrote:
> On 7/14/2012 9:42 PM, Gregg Smith wrote:
>> On 7/14/2012 9:35 PM, Gregg Smith wrote:
>>> On 7/13/2012 7:31 PM, William A Rowe Jr wrote:
>>>> I dont care about EOL'ed XP users needing to provision it, but what is the group
>>>> concensus about having 2008 (original release) users pre provision it?
>>>
>>> Neither XP or 2003 are EOL'd, not till April 2014 IIRC.
>>>
>> Correction, it still has security support till then and do not expect them to go away just
>> yet.
>
> But we aren't concerned with providing 'new software' for any such legacy
> environment. I don't think 2.2 is dead, yet.

I should have added that, although there are changes to apr and the winnt mpm
that will at some point kill interop with these revisions, right now they likely
still work, no promise on how long that might last.

As far as scripting installation/postinstall operations in PowerShell, it turns
out they too can add powershell as a necessary prerequisite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_PowerShell

>> Something that I have noticed with people who install with the .msi, it would be nice to
>> have an upgrade option. Many newbs are fearful of uninstalling to upgrade since they do
>> not know it will leave behind and not overwrite what the want saved and not overwritten.
>
> Agreed.

And I should have added that I hope WIX will make this simpler.

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