Class Documentation

Name:Install
Version:1.0
ID:ID_INSTALL
Status:Stable
Category:Tool
Date:August 2003
Author:Rocklyte Systems
Copyright:  Rocklyte Systems (c) 2002-2003. All rights reserved.
Short:  Installs programs and other forms of software and data.



Description

The install class is provided for the purpose of setting a standard in the installation of Athene and DML based software. There is only one way to use this class, which involves building an application interface around it. The QikInstall program, which is distributed with Athene and DML shows how to correctly implement the Install class in an application. We recommend that you refer to the QikInstall DML scripts to see just how this is achieved.

If you would like information on the XML-Install standard or need to know how install packages are created, please refer to the Pandora SDK Manual. The section entitled "Distribution and Installation" will give you all the information that you are looking for.

Actions

The Install class supports the following actions:

Activate  Starts the installation process.

Structure

The Install object consists of the following public fields:

CancelButton  Must refer to a drawable object that will act as a cancel button.
HSNavigation  Refers to the horizontal scrollbar used for the file navigation area.
HSView  Refers to the horizontal scrollbar used for the viewing area.
Location  The location of the compressed install file is specified here.
Navigation  Refers to a drawable that provides the file navigation area.
NextButton  Must refer to a drawable object that will act as a next button.
PrevButton  Must refer to a drawable object that will act as a previous button.
VSNavigation  Refers to the vertical scrollbar used for the viewing area.
VSView  Refers to the vertical scrollbar used for the file navigation area.
View  Reference to a drawable that provides the wiewing area.
Field:CancelButton
Short:Must refer to a drawable object that will act as a cancel button.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

The CancelButton field must refer to a drawable object that is acting as a cancel button for the install application. The inclusion of this button will allow the user to cancel the install process if he or she wants to terminate it at any stage. The following is an example of a cancel button created in DML:

  <button name="btnCancel{id}" xoffset="[win{id}.rightmargin]"
    yoffset="[win{id}.bottommargin]" text="Cancel" disable/>

It is recommended that you set the button to disabled mode to start off with. The install object will automatically enable and disable the button as required.


Field:HSNavigation
Short:Refers to the horizontal scrollbar used for the file navigation area.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

This field needs to be set to the ID of the horizontal scrollbar that has been created in the file navigation area. If you have not created a relevant horizontal scrollbar then there is no need to set this field.


Field:HSView
Short:Refers to the horizontal scrollbar used for the viewing area.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

This field needs to be set to the ID of the horizontal scrollbar that has been created in the viewing area. If you have not created a relevant horizontal scrollbar then there is no need to set this field.


Field:Location
Synonyms:Src
Short:The location of the compressed install file is specified here.
Type:STRING
Status:Get/Set

Before intiailising an install object you will need to set the location of the package that is to be installed. The package must have a '.install' extension and be compressed in a format supported by the Compression class (pkzip is currently recommended). If the file is not valid then the install object will fail when the Activate action is called.


Field:Navigation
Short:Refers to a drawable that provides the file navigation area.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

If your install application has a file navigation area, provide a link to its drawable in this field. This will allow the installer to disable the navigator during the installation process and even use it for other purposes.


Field:NextButton
Short:Must refer to a drawable object that will act as a next button.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

The NextButton field must refer to a drawable object that is acting as a next button for the install application. The inclusion of this button will allow the user to move between the various stages of the installation process. The following is an example of a next button created in DML:

  <button name="btnNext{id}" xoffset="[win{id}.rightmargin]"
    yoffset="[win{id}.bottommargin]" text="Next >" disable/>

It is recommended that you set the button to disabled mode to start off with. The install object will automatically enable and disable the button as required.


Field:PrevButton
Short:Must refer to a drawable object that will act as a previous button.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

The PrevButton field must refer to a drawable object that is acting as a previous button for the install application. The inclusion of this button will allow the user to move between the various stages of the installation process. The following is an example of a previous button created in DML:

  <button name="btnPrev{id}" xoffset="[win{id}.rightmargin]"
    yoffset="[win{id}.bottommargin]" text="Previous <" disable/>

It is recommended that you set the button to disabled mode to start off with. The install object will automatically enable and disable the button as required.


Field:VSNavigation
Short:Refers to the vertical scrollbar used for the viewing area.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

This field needs to be set to the ID of the vertical scrollbar that has been created in the file navigation area. If you have not created a relevant vertical scrollbar then there is no need to set this field.


Field:VSView
Short:Refers to the vertical scrollbar used for the file navigation area.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

This field needs to be set to the ID of the vertical scrollbar that has been created in the viewing area. If you have not created a relevant vertical scrollbar then there is no need to set this field.


Field:View
Short:Reference to a drawable that provides the wiewing area.
Type:OBJECTID
Status:Read/Init

Your install application must provide a viewing area to which the install object can draw its text and graphics. You need to set the View field so that it refers to the drawable of the viewing area, or the initialisation process will fail.