Installer - Available Actions

     


 Category: Control
 
 Run script
     
Runs a custom script. The script must return a boolean value. If it returns false, the installation will be canceled.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Optional Rollback Script
    The script that will be executed in case of a rollback. The return type is void.
  • Script
    The script that will be executed. The script must return a boolean value. If it returns false, the installation will be canceled.
 Set a variable
     
Sets a variable by running a custom script. The script must return a String.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Only if undefined
    The variable will only be set if it was previously undefined. This is useful for variables that your user can pass via -V or -varfile at the command line.
  • Script
    The script that will be executed. The script must return a String.
  • Variable name
    The name of the variable that will be set. Enter the variable without the installer prefix and the percent signs.
 Set messages
     
Sets the messages in the progress interface.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Detail message
    The detail message.
  • Status message
    The status message.
  • Use detail
    If the detail message should be set.
  • Use status
    If the status message should be set.
 Set the progress bar
     
Change the value of the progress bar or set it to indeterminate mode.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Percent value
    The progress value from 0 to 100. This property is only used when a percentage value is set or added.
  • Type of change
    Change the progress bar either to a percentage value, add progress, set it to indeterminate mode, start a timer, or return from indeterminate mode and show the last percentage value.
  • Timer maximum value
    The maximum progress value to be set by the timer. This property is only used when the timer is started.
  • Timer period
    The time in milliseconds for one percent. This property is only used when the timer is started.
 Category: Desktop integration
 
 Add a desktop link
     
Create a link on the desktop to an installed executable or file. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Create for all users
    If the desktop link should be created for all users. If unselected, the link will be created for the current user only. If a "Create program group" screen is present, the "Create shortcuts for all users" check box will override this property.
  • Arguments
    Optional arguments to the executable for Windows and Unix.
  • Tooltip description
    An optional description for Windows that will be displayed in the tooltip.
  • Target file
    The installed file or executable for which a link will be created on the desktop
  • Target is Single Bundle
    If selected and the media set is a single bundle installer, the desktop icon will point to the bundle instead.
  • Name
    The name of the desktop icon
  • Icon file
    An optional different icon (*.ico) for the link on Windows.
 Add an executable to the startup folder on Windows
     
Add an installed executable to the startup folder on Windows so that it will be started automatically when the user logs in. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Create for all users
    If the startup item should be created for all users. If unselected, the link will be created for the current user only.
  • Startup executable
    The executable that should be started when the user logs in
  • Entry name
    The name of the entry in the startup folder
 Create a file association
     
Create an association between a file extension and a launcher, so that the launcher is invoked when the user double-clicks a file with the selected extension. On Windows, if the application has not yet been started, the arguments to the main method will contain the file name. Subsequent invocations and all invocations on Mac OS X can be intercepted with the com.install4j.api.launcher.StartupNotification class. Only effective on Windows and Mac OS X. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Description
    A description that is presented to the user as the text next to the corresponding checkbox in the "File associations" screen.
  • File extension
    The file extension for which the file association should be created. Must not include the leading dot.
  • Launcher
    The launcher that will be invoked when the file association is invoked by the user.
  • Execute on Mac OS X
    If the file association should be performed on Mac OS X.
  • Icon file for Mac OS X
    An optional icon file (*.icns) for the file association on Mac OS X. If empty, a default icon will be used.
  • Restart Finder
    If true the Finder should be restarted at the end of the installation. This might be necessary for the icon (and sometimes the association itself) to be picked up immediately. Note that users might find this restart disruptive. Additionally, it you launch an application at the end of the installation it can be hidden by Finder windows.
  • Selected
    If the file association is selected in the "File associations" screen.
  • Execute on Windows
    If the file association should be performed on Windows.
  • Icon file for Windows
    An optional icon file (*.ico) for the file association on Windows. If empty, a default icon will be used.
 Create a quick launch icon
     
Create a link in the quick launch section of the Windows task bar to an installed executable or file. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Arguments
    Optional arguments that should be passed to the executable when started with the quick launch link.
  • Description
    The description that will be displayed in the tool tip
  • Target file
    The installed file or executable for which a link will be created on the quick launch bar
  • Icon file
    An optional icon file (*.ico) for the quick launch link. If empty, the default icon will be used.
 Create program group
     
Create standard program group entries on Windows and freedesktop.org compatible UNIX desktops. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Add uninstaller
    If the uninstaller should be added to the program group, too.
  • Create for all users
    If the program group is created for all users or only for the current user. If a "Create program group" screen is present, the "Create shortcuts for all users" check box will override this property.
  • Application categories
    The freedesktop.org (KDE, GNOME) application categories used to determine the best place in the applications menu. Multiple categories can be separated with a semicolon.
  • Enabled
    If the program group creation should be performed by default. Note that if you set this property to false and the "Create program group" screen is not present, the program group will never be created.
  • Directory for links
    The default value for the directory in which links for all relevant launchers (those with "menu integration" enabled) will be created on UNIX.
  • Additional program group entries
    You can define additional program group entries for the program group that will be created in the Windows start menu by the installer.

    All launchers are placed into the program group automatically. By default, the name of a launcher entry is the name of the launcher definition. If you would like to define a different name for the launcher entry, you can either rename the launcher entry or define a custom menu name for the launcher.

    The control buttons allow you to modify the contents of the list of program group entries. When you add a new entry, a new row with a blank program group entry is added. You have to fill in the name of the program group entry. This can also be a path like Documentation\help.pdf in order to create sub-folders in the program group. You do not have to include and prefix you have specified for the program group.

    Also, you have to enter the target of the program group entry. This has to be a file or directory relative to the distribution root directory. Please note that if you select a directory as the target, it will not "fly out" in the program group, but a separate explorer window will be opened if the user clicks on it. To display all files in a directory, please add all of them as separate program group entries with the same sub-folder in their name.

    Optionally, you can specify an icon that is used for this program group entry. This entry has to point to an *.ico file. If the file name is relative, it is interpreted as relative to the project file. If you do not specify an icon, the default icon is determined by the system.

    In order to edit any column, please double-click on it.

  • Program group name
    The default value for the program group where entries for all relevant launchers (those with "menu integration" enabled) will be created. If the "Create program group" screen is present, the user can change this selection. If you leave this property empty your links will be created at the top level.
 Create start menu entry
     
Create a start menu entry on Windows. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Create for all users
    If the program group is created for all users or only for the current user.
  • Arguments
    Optional arguments that should be passed to the executable when started with this entry.
  • Entry name
    The entry name in the start menu. The name can contain sub-folders with backslashes.
  • Target file
    The installed file or executable for which a start menu entry will be created
  • Icon file
    An optional icon file (*.ico) for the entry. If empty, the default icon will be used.
 Register Add/Remove item
     
Register an Add/Remove item in the Windows software registry. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Icon
    An optional icon file (*.ico).
  • Item name
    The name of the item that is displayed in the Windows software registry.
 Category: File operations
 
 Copy a file
     
Copy a file. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Destination file
    The destination file.
  • Access mode
    The UNIX access mode.
  • Overwrite mode
    How to handle an existing destination file.
  • Shared file
    If the file should be registered as a shared file.
  • Source file
    The file to be copied.
  • Uninstall mode
    The mode how the uninstaller should handle the file created with this action.
 Create a symbolic link
     
Creates a symbolic link. This action has no effect on Windows.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • File
    The file or directory that the symbolic link should point to.
  • Link file
    The link file that should be created.
  • Remove on uninstall
    If the link should be deleted by the 'Uninstall files' action in the uninstaller.
 Delete a file or directory
     
Deletes a file or directory. The directory can be deleted recursively.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • File
    The file to be deleted
  • Recurse into directories
    If checked and the file is a directory the action will delete all content of this directory.
 Install content of a zip file
     
Installs the content of an external zip file to an arbitrary location. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Destination directory
    The destination directory. Relative directory information in the zip file will be added to this value
  • Dir access mode
    The UNIX access mode of installed directories.
  • File access mode
    The UNIX access mode of installed files.
  • Overwrite mode
    How to handle an existing destination file.
  • Shared file
    If the file should be registered as a shared file.
  • Show progress
    If the action should show its progress with the progress bar and the detail message.
  • Uninstall mode
    The mode how the uninstaller should handle files created with this action.
  • Zip file
    The zip file that contains the content to be installed.
 Move a file
     
Moves a file. The newly created file is subject to removal by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Destination file
    The destination file.
  • Access mode
    The UNIX access mode.
  • Overwrite mode
    How to handle an existing destination file.
  • Shared file
    If the file should be registered as a shared file.
  • Source file
    The file to be moved.
  • Uninstall mode
    The mode how the uninstaller should handle the file created with this action.
 Set the UNIX access mode of a file
     
Sets the UNIX access mode of a file. This action has no effect on Windows.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • File
    The file or directory that the access mode should be set for.
  • Mode
    The mode to be set. This can be any string that can be used with chmod.
  • Recursive
    If true and file is a directory the operation will be performed recursively.
 Set the modification time of a file
     
Sets the modification time of a file.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • File
    The file or directory that the modification time should be set for.
  • Time
    The new modification time.
 Set the owner of a file
     
Sets the owner and optionally the group of a file. This action has no effect on Windows.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • File
    The file or directory that the owner should be set for.
  • Owner
    The owner to be set. If you want to set the group, too, please add it with a colon (example: user:group).
  • Recursive
    If true and file is a directory the operation will be performed recursively.
 Category: Final options
 
 Create a response file
     
Create a response file at an arbitrary location to save user input for subsequent installations. This file can be used with the -varfile command line option.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Excluded variables
    The variable that should be excluded from the response file. If empty all variables will be used.
  • File
    The file that the text should be appended to. If it doesn't exist it will be created.
 Execute launcher
     
Execute an installed launcher and return immediately. This action is intended to be placed on the "Finish" screen. A confirmation can be added automatically to the "Finish" screen.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Launcher
    The launcher that will be executed. Service launchers are not shown.
 Reboot computer
     
Reboot the computer on Microsoft Windows. This action is intended to be placed on the "Finish" or the "Uninstallation success" screen. By default, the action asks the user whether to reboot or not.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Ask user
    Ask the user whether the reboot should be performed or not.
 Show URL
     
Show a URL in the default browser. This action is intended to be placed on the "Finish" or the "Uninstallation success" screen.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • URL
    The URL that will be shown.
 Show file
     
Show a file with the associated application. Usually, a text file or an HTML file is appropriate. This action is intended to be placed on the "Finish" screen. A confirmation can be added automatically to the "Finish" screen.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • File
    The file that will be shown.
 Category: Miscellaneous
 
 Add VM options
     
Adds VM options for a launcher by modifying or creating a *.vmoptions file or by changing the Info.plist file. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Launcher
    The launcher that the VM options should be added for.
  • VM options
    The unquoted options that should be added.
 Modify an environment variable on Windows
     
Sets, appends to, or prepends to an environment variable on Windows.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Modification type
    Modification type
  • User specific
    If the variable is user specific or system wide. This has no effect on Windows 9x.
  • Value
    The value to be set, appended or prepended.
  • Variable name
    The name of the variable that should be modified.
 Modify classpath
     
Changes the classpath of a launcher by modifying or creating a *.vmoptions file or by changing the Info.plist file. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Classpath entries
    The classpath entries.
  • Launcher
    The launcher that the classpath should be changed for.
  • Modification type
    Modification type
 Require admin user
     
Requires that an admin user executes the installer otherwise fails. On Mac OS X, you can optionally restart the installer as the root user.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Restart as root user
    If selected and the user is an administrator, he will be asked for his password and the installer will be restarted with root privileges.
 Run executable or batch file
     
Runs an executable or a Windows batch file. The action can optionally wait for termination of the executable.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Arguments
    The arguments passed to the executable. Please note that in the property sheet, arguments have to be separated by semicolons (;) and in the edit dialog each argument starts on a new line.
  • Executable
    The file that should be executed. Please do not add arguments here, there is a separate "Arguments" property.
  • Fail for redirection errors
    If selected, the action fails if the redirection files cannot be accessed. Otherwise, those errors are silently ignored.
  • Log arguments
    If the arguments should be written into the log file or not. Disabled by default due to security reasons.
  • Redirection file for stderr
    A file to which the stderr output of the executed process is saved. If empty, the stderr output will be discarded.
  • Redirection file for stdin
    A file which should be fed to the input stream of the executed process. If empty, the stdin input will be empty.
  • Redirection file for stdout
    A file to which the stdout output of the executed process is saved. If empty, the stdout output will be discarded.
  • Wait for termination
    If the action should wait for termination of the process and check if the return value is 0.
  • Working directory
    The working directory for the execution.
 Category: Registry modifications
 
 Delete a key or value in the Windows registry
     
Delete a key or value in the Windows registry.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Key name
    The name of the registry key that should be deleted or contains the value to be deleted without a leading backslash.
  • Only if empty
    If a key should only be deleted when it contains no sub-keys or values.
  • Registry root
    The Windows registry root where the key or value should be deleted.
  • Value name
    The name of the registry value that should be deleted. If you leave this empty, the key will be deleted instead.
 Delete a node or key in the Java preference store
     
Delete an entire package node or a key-value pair in the Java preference store.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Minimum Java requirement: 1.4
Properties:
  • Key
    The key that should be deleted. If you leave this empty, the entire package node will be deleted instead. The action does not return an error if this key does not exist.
  • Only if empty
    If a node should only be deleted when it contains no sub-nodes or keys.
  • Package name
    The name of the package node in the preference store that should be deleted or contains the key-value pair to be deleted. The action does not return an error if this package node does not exist.
  • Preference root
    If you want to delete the node or key-value pair for the current user, all users, or both.
 Set a key in the Java preference store
     
Set a key-value pair in the Java preference store. The package node is created if necessary. This is the most convenient way to communicate settings to your launchers.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Minimum Java requirement: 1.4
Properties:
  • Key
    The key for which a value should be set.
  • Package name
    The name of the package node in the preference store where the key-value pair should be set.
  • Preference root
    If you want to set the key for the current user only or for all users. Due to access rights it can happen that the system preference registry is not writable, in that case a fallback to the user specific registry can be tried.
  • Value
    The string value that should be set for the key.
 Set a value in the Windows registry
     
Set a value in the Windows registry. This action can also create the appropriate key if necessary.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Create key
    If set the key will be created if it doesn't exist.
  • Key name
    The name of the registry key that contains the value or that should be created without a leading backslash.
  • Registry root
    The Windows registry root where the key should be created
  • Value
    The value that should be written into the registry.
  • Value name
    The name of the registry value.
 Category: Services
 
 Install a service
     
Installs a service. On Windows, this is done by executing the service launcher with the appropriate arguments. On Unix, a link will be placed in /etc/init.d. On Mac OS, a StartupItem will be created. This action will be automatically reverted by the 'Uninstall files' action.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Add to "Services" screen
    Ask the user in the "Services" screen whether this action should be performed or not.
  • Allow user to change start type
    allow user to change the start type on the "Services screen"
  • Service
    The service launcher that will be invoked.
  • Initially selected
    Initially selected for installation on the "Services screen". Note that if this property is set to "false" and the "Services screen" is not present, this action will never be performed.
 Start a service
     
Starts a service by executing the service launcher with the appropriate arguments.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Autostart only
    If selected the service will only be started when it is installed as autostart service.
  • Service
    The service launcher that will be started.
 Stop a service
     
Stops a service by executing the service launcher with the appropriate arguments.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Service
    The service launcher that will be stopped.
 Category: Text files
 
 Append text to a file
     
Append text to a file or write text to a new file.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Encoding
    The encoding of the file. If you leave this empty the system default will be used.
  • Escaped text
    If selected escape sequences like \n,\t or \u1234 in the text property will be replaced.
  • File
    The file that the text should be appended to. If it doesn't exist it will be created.
  • Text
    The text that should be appended.
 Fix line feeds
     
Changes the line feeds of a text file to the platform specific type.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • File
    The file or directory that the line feeds should be fixed for.
  • Recursive
    If true and file is a directory the operation will be performed recursively. If false and file is a directory the files in this directory will be fixed, but no subdirectories will be entered.
  • Suffixes
    The suffixes with a leading dot of the files to be fixed if the "File" property is a directory. If empty, all files will be used.
 Modify a text file
     
Modify an installed text file by replacing a search value in the file.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Properties:
  • Encoding
    The encoding of the file. If you leave this empty the system default will be used.
  • Escape for property file
    If set, the replaced value will be escaped for use in a Java property file.
  • Text file
    The text file that should be modified
  • Replace value
    The value that should be used instead
  • Search value
    The value that should be searched
 Modify a text file with regular expressions
     
Modify an installed text file by applying a regular expression.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Minimum Java requirement: 1.4
Properties:
  • Encoding
    The encoding of the file. If you leave this empty the system default will be used.
  • Escape for property file
    If set, the replaced value will be escaped for use in a Java property file.
  • Text file
    The text file that should be modified.
  • Quote variables
    If values of installer variables in the match and replacement expressions should be quoted. This means that the characters of replaced installer variables will be treated literally instead of modifying the search or replace expressions with special charaters such as \ or $.
  • Match expression
    The match expression.
  • Replace all
    If all occurrences should be replaced or only the first one.
  • Replacement
    The replacement.
 Category: XML files
 
 Apply an XSLT transform
     
Transform an installed file by applying an XSLT stylesheet.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Minimum Java requirement: 1.4
Properties:
  • Destination file
    The output of the transformation. This can be the same file as the source.
  • Source file
    The source for the transformation. This can be the same file as the destination.
  • Stylesheet
    The XSLT stylesheet to apply.
 Replace text in XML files
     
Modify an installed XML file by selecting nodes with an XPath expression and applying a regular expression on the selected values.
Applies to: Installation, Uninstallation
Minimum Java requirement: 1.4
Properties:
  • XML file
    The XML file that should be modified.
  • Quote variables
    If values of installer variables in the match and replacement expressions should be quoted. This means that the characters of replaced installer variables will be treated literally instead of modifying the search or replace expressions with special charaters such as \ or $.
  • Match expression
    The match expression.
  • Replace all
    If all occurrences should be replaced or only the first one.
  • Replacement
    The replacement.
  • XPath expression
    The XPath expression to selected DOM nodes that have a value (this includes attributes and text). Example for replacing text in an attribute: '/myRootNode/myChildNode/@myAttribute'. Example for replacing text in an element: '/myRootNode/myChildNode/text()'
 Install files
     
Install all files in the distribution tree that are contained in the selected installation components.
Applies to: Installation
Properties:
  • Insufficient disk space warning
    Show a warning message if there is not sufficent disk space for the installation on the selected target drive.
  • Directory resolver
    Expression or script that resolves the actual installation directory separately for each installed file.
  • File filter
    Expression or script that is invoked for each file to decide whether to install the file or not.
  • Show file names
    If set, the names of the files that are installed will be shown during the installation.
  • Validate application id
    Check if another application is installed in the selected directory or if the application is not the correct target for an add-on installer. If you have an "installation location" screen, you don't have to select this option.
 Uninstall files
     
Uninstall all installed files.
Applies to: Uninstallation
 Uninstall previous installation
     
Uninstalls the previous installation of this application in the selected installation directory.
Applies to: Installation