Jun 15, 2014 - Some programs extract data from themselves, e.g. SFX archive gets the compressed data from its exe file. This method is used in NSIS installer. This will not work if the payload structure is predefined, and no footer can be appended to it, e.g., if you are attaching a standard RAR file. Nov 02, 2007 IDM Silent install MSFN is made available via donations, subscriptions and advertising revenue. Nullsoft Install System (/S), Wise (/s) MSI (/qb /noretart) RAR SFX (/s) among other types but here are to common ones.search the forums also. Maybe this program is already covered somwehere here. Quote; Share this post.
The Unarchiver is a small and easy to use program that can unarchive many different kinds of archive files. It will open common formats such as Zip, RAR (including v5), 7-zip, Tar, Gzip and Bzip2. It will also open many older formats, such as StuffIt, DiskDoubler, LZH, ARJ and ARC. It will even open other kinds of files, like ISO and BIN disc images, some Windows.EXE installers.
The list is actually much longer - see the program homepage for the full list. The Unarchiver also tries to detect and correctly handle the filename encoding in the archives it opens, allowing you to open files from every part of the world without getting garbled filenames. The Unarchiver aims to be the only unarchiving program you will ever need, and to stay out of your way.
However, if you want to browse the contents of archives, or if you want to support development of The Unarchiver, look for 'The Archive Browser' on the Mac App Store, or go to It lets you browse and preview archive contents, and find out information about archives! Also, if you need to open archives on your iPad or iPhone, look for 'Archives' on the App Store, or go to It is based on The Unarchiver, and lets you easily handle Archives on iOS!.
WARNING: There is a known bug where.tar.gz files do not extract correctly in 3.9. Please wait for Apple to approve 3.9.1 before upgrading if this is a problem for you. The Archive Browser for Mac OS X and Archives for iOS have also been updated! Look for them in the App Stores!. Add Dutch translation. Add support for PMA files.
Better support for broken Zip files. Fixed bugs in handling of NSIS and MSI files.
Fixed a bug where minimizing the window could make it remain open after extracting. Tiny interface tweaks. 3.8 Jul 9, 2013.
The Archive Browser and Archives for iOS have also been updated!. If you are having problems with The Unarchiver only showing its preferences window and not unpacking files, update Typinator, Default Folder X or SwitchResX, as these programs are the cause of this problem. Added support for the Internet Archive WARC format. Fixed the 'Never create folder' option, which had accidentally been disabled.
Fixed a bug in Polish translation that made Polish version crash sometimes. Fixed a bug that caused file formats to not be unselectable in the file type list. Fixed bugs in XAR/.pkg, CAB, HQX and Compress. Fixed a few more rare bugs and crashes. 3.5.1 Nov 29, 2012.
3.5.1: Fixed a bug that made the app fail to launch on 10.6 and 10.7. Terribly sorry that this took so long to get fixed, but Apple took over a week and a half to approve this bugfix. 3.5.1: Fixed another sandbox bug that caused archives on remote volumes to fail to open. Added support for password-protected 7z files. Added an experimental AppleScript interface. Added a progress bar overlay on the dock icon. Chinese translation.
Handle files opened from Mail.app better. Better support for very old StuffIt archives, including password-protected ones.
Fixed a bug where the app might stop launching at all under rare circumstances. Fixed some crashes on old OS X versions. Various bugfixes for PDF, hqx, sitx. The Archive Browser (and Archives.app (have also been updated!.
3.5 Nov 16, 2012. WARNING: There is apparently a bug that causes this version to not work on 10.7 and 10.6.
If you are not running Mountain Lion, do not update! A fix will be available when Apple approves it. If you are having trouble, try downloading this version:.
The Archive Browser (and Archives.app (have also been updated!. Added support for password-protected 7z files. Added an experimental AppleScript interface. Added a progress bar overlay on the dock icon. Chinese translation. Handle files opened from Mail.app better.
Better support for very old StuffIt archives, including password-protected ones. Fixed a bug where the app might stop launching at all under rare circumstances. Fixed some crashes on old OS X versions. Various bugfixes for PDF, hqx, sitx.
3.4 Oct 10, 2012. Updated to support Apple's new stricter sandboxing rules. This means the program will need to nag the user more often, but should also mean that extraction should work better in non-standard locations. May also have introduced new bugs, so be careful and report any problems. Support for extracting bitmap images from PDF files. Support for AppleSingle files. Arabic and Norwegian translations.
The Archive Browser has also been updated! Look for it on the Mac App Store. 3.2 May 9, 2012. Note: There seems to be a bug that causes crashes when opening Zip files on 10.6. If you are running 10.6, consider waiting until the next version to update. If you are running 10.7, everything should work. The Archive Browser is now available.
Find it on the Mac App Store!. Support for WinZip Zipx. Support for extracting images and sounds from Flash SWF files.
Support for various Unix formats, such as ar and deb. Support for more CD and DVD image formats, such as MDF, NRG and CDI. Better support for Zip64 (large zip files) and extended attributes. Better support for 7z (self-extracting files, and LZMA2). Better support for some old formats, like LBR, StuffIt and DiskDoubler. Lots of bugfixes. Unfortunately, there are now less translations available.
All the translations of The Unarchiver are submitted by volunteers, and I now need more volunteers to translate it into more languages! If you'd like to see it in your language, please submit a translation!.
2.7 Apr 14, 2011. Skarasu Then they had a problem with 3.11.2, which they think they fixed in 3.11.3. However there are more problems with version 3.11.3. Before the last two versions, I could choose ‘Compress “some directory”’ from the finder menu, and then few minutes later I could uncompress it by using “The Unarchiver”. Now, randomly I get a notofication about the encoding the compressed file uses.
So i am temporarily using command line tools to do the operations. BTW, there seems to be another bug that comes up if you select more than about 250 files from Finder and invoke “The Unarchiver”. Then somehow “The Unarchiver” memory gets corrupted, and the menus no longer work(e.g.
Quit button disappears.) and the program hangs. Have to force quit it externally. I should mention Xee 3.5.3(marketed by the same company) inherited a bug in the new release, that it can no longer reliably read.cbr and.cbz(or.rar or.zip) files reliably either. Some pages show up as noise, where as other programs(like Comic Reader).
So on Xee I rolled back to 3.5.2. Then they had a problem with 3.11.2, which they think they fixed in 3.11.3. However there are more problems with version 3.11.3. Before the last two versions, I could choose ‘Compress “some directory”’ from the finder menu, and then few minutes later I could uncompress it by using “The Unarchiver”.
Now, randomly I get a notofication about the encoding the compressed file uses. So i am temporarily using command line tools to do the operations.
BTW, there seems to be another bug that comes up if you select more than about 250 files from Finder and invoke “The Unarchiver”. Then somehow “The Unarchiver” memory gets corrupted, and the menus no longer work(e.g. Quit button disappears.) and the program hangs. Have to force quit it externally. I should mention Xee 3.5.3(marketed by the same company) inherited a bug in the new release, that it can no longer reliably read.cbr and.cbz(or.rar or.zip) files reliably either.
Some pages show up as noise, where as other programs(like Comic Reader). So on Xee I rolled back to 3.5.2.
Advertisement What do you do when you’ve created some new Windows software — anything from a Every Windows user eventually encounters problems that aren't easy to diagnose. Bookmark this article, so you'll have a list of tools handy to help you when it happens to you! To a Thanks to these awesome free game development software tools, a game that might've required one year can now be made in six months or faster, sometimes without any code! — and you want to share it with the world? Well, you could compress the files into a single ZIP file and distribute that. Or you can be fancy and create an installer EXE instead.
We’ll be covering three different methods in this post: a self-extracting package, a simple installer using the built-in IExpress, and an advanced installer using the customizable Inno Setup. Quick Method: Using 7-Zip You probably already use 7-Zip for Were you ever faced with a.rar file and wondered how to open it? Fortunately, managing ZIP files and other compressed archives is simple with the right tools.
Here is what you need to know., and you probably already know that 7-Zip can create archive files, but did you know that you can also use it to create an EXE file that acts like an installer? It’s called an SFX archive (“self-extracting”) and works by compressing all of your end files together, then embedding a special EXE file inside the archive that knows how to extract everything. In other words, the recipient can extract the SFX archive (which appears as an EXE file itself), even if they don’t have the right software, which can happen with formats like 7Z, RAR, TAR, and ZIP. How to create your own SFX archive with 7-Zip:.
Prepare all of your files and directories within a single main directory and name the directory whatever you wish. Right-click on the directory and select 7-Zip Add to archive. Under Options, enable Create SFX Archive and select the following settings Archive Format: 7z Compression Level: Normal Compression Method: LZMA2 Dictionary Size: 16 MB Word Size: 32 Solid Block Size: 2 GB. Click OK. Note that SFX archives aren’t true installer files.
They don’t place the extracted files into a designated target directory. They don’t modify the Windows Registry. They don’t create install logs and they don’t show up as “installed software” in the Uninstall app. They are literally archive files dressed up as EXE files. Download — (Free) Easy Method: Using IExpress IExpress is a utility that comes bundled with versions of Windows starting with Windows XP and beyond. The utility comes with a front-end graphical interface (called IExpress Wizard), but you can also create installer files using hand-scripted Self Extraction Directive (SED) files. We recommend the Wizard.
Like 7-Zip above, this method creates a self-extracting archive but with two major differences: one, the end user will proceed through a multi-page Installation Wizard, and two, the end user can specify the target directory to where the tool will extract the files. How to create your own installer EXE using IExpress:. Open the Run prompt ( Windows key + R) and type iexpress.exe to launch the IExpress Wizard. Select Create new Self Extraction Directive file and click Next. Select Extract files only and click Next. For the package title, the name of your app is a safe choice. For the confirmation prompt, choose No prompt or Prompt user with.
It doesn’t matter either way. For the sake of the end user, including one is always a safe choice. For the license agreement, Display a license if you want the end user to agree to some kind of End User License Agreement (EULA).
If not, it’s fine to select Do not display a license. Add all the files you want to see installed by clicking Add, browsing to where the files are, and selecting them all. Continue through the IExpress Wizard and select your preferred options for the Show Window and Finished Message prompts. For the package name, click Browse, navigate to where you want the installer EXE to be created, and give it a name. This is the EXE file that you are going to distribute to end users. Finally, select Save Self Extraction Directive (SED) file if you want to create a modified installer later on, such as when you’ve patched the software and need an updated installer.
If you select Don’t save, then you’ll have to run through the entire process from scratch. On the Create Package page, click Next. Note that IExpress has some quirks and issues. It doesn’t allow inclusion of empty directories. If your installation has subdirectories, the subdirectories won’t be included.
If you have multiple files of the same name, even within separate directories, the installer creation will fail. Because of these oddities, we recommend using the method below instead. Recommended Method: Using Inno Setup Inno Setup is an 'Open source' is a term that’s thrown around a lot these days. You may know that certain things are open source, like Linux and Android, but do you know what it entails?
What is open. That’s been in active development since 1997. It was created partly in response to the at-the-time subpar InstallShield Express. Since then, it has become the installer creator of choice for those who don’t care to explore proprietary options. Its biggest draw is its flexibility. Inno Setup uses script files with an ISS extension (“Inno Setup Script”) to customize various aspects of the installer: which files are incorporated, where the installation happens, whether to create shortcuts, etc. ISS files use a similar formatting to INI files and can be generated using the Inno Setup Wizard.
How to create your own installer using Inno Setup:. Launch the Inno Setup Compiler app. In the welcome prompt, select Create a new script file using the Script Wizard. Enter your Application Name and Application Version.
Optionally, you can also include Application Publisher and Application Website details. Select the Destination base folder, which defaults to Program Files. Enter an Application folder name, which is the name of main directory where your installation files will go. For Application main executable file, browse and select the main EXE file that will launch your app.
If you aren’t installing an app, enable The application doesn’t have a main executable file. Then add files and folders to your installation with the Add files and Add folders buttons. On the Application Shortcuts page, leave the defaults or change them to fit your preferences. They’re all self-explanatory. On the Application Documentation page, you can point to up to three TXT files that will be displayed throughout the end user’s installation process.
Typically these will be LICENSE.TXT, INSTALL.TXT, and README.TXT, but they can be whatever you want. On the Setup Languages page, keep English but feel free to add as many other languages as you wish. On the Compiler Settings page, you can customize the installer EXE file: Custom compiler output folder is where the resulting installer EXE file will be placed. Compiler output base file name is what the EXE file will be called. The default setting is setup.exe.
Custom Setup icon file is the icon that will be used for the installer EXE file. This must be an ICO file, which you can Customizing Windows icons can be frustrating. Luckily, we did the work for you! Here is a complete guide to changing any Windows icon, regardless of location. Setup password will protect unauthorized users from using your installer. Leave it blank to disable this feature. Click Finish.
When prompted to compile the new script, click Yes. When prompted to save the script, select No if this is a one-time installer file or select Yes if you plan to modify or update it later. Download — (Free) Which Method Is Right for You? If your software is extremely simple or if you’re only going to distribute to a limited number of people, go with the 7-Zip method. It’s easy, fast, and requires almost no technical expertise. If your software is somewhat simple and you want to present a real installation wizard for your end users, go with the IExpress method.
If your software is complex and you have a lot of technical experience under your belt, go with the Inno Setup method. It’s the most flexible, most powerful, and doesn’t suffer from the issues that plague IExpress. Which method will you be using?
Are there any other methods that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
Image Credit: sdecoret, DaGa5 via Shutterstock.com. WinRAR Self-Extracting archive works better than 7-Zip if you don't require extreme compression. RAR's module can be customized by editing the archive comment.
The description and title can be edited after the package has already been created, for example to change the version number or to fix a typo. You can define a recommended install path, and automatically execute a command after extraction.
The license and description dialogs support basic text formatting. 7-Zip's SFX module cannot be customized without the use of a Resource Editor, which is cumbersome to use and can sometimes cause the processed exe not to run. Inno is easy to use, after you go over all the customisation directives once, and save your configuration as a preset.
Inno takes advantage of the same LZMA compression as 7-Zip. Unlike SFX modules processed with a Resource Editor, the installer always comes out in standard dimensions. Adding an image of odd size is hard, and requires editing a Delphi form. A typical from a Microsoft tool, the interface and workflow of IExpress is unintuitive and cumbersome. The CAB LZX compression is weaker and slower than the alternatives, being limited to a 2 MB dictionary.
The archive is also contained within the installer's resource section, which places an upper limit to how large it can be. Other installer packages follow the stub and can be of any size.