Bytessence InstallMaker

When publishing software, standard tools like WinRar, 7Zip and others are not enough for developers. The product must come with a wizard which will guide the user through the whole installation process. The wide range of options Bytessence Install Maker has to offer makes it an ideal tool for creating a setup file. With its user friendly interface, everything can be accessed with great ease and the results will be more than satisfying. More important, there is no need to use any scripting language or other complex mechanisms.

The software's own setup file weighs in at less than 2 Mb, so it should not take long to download. It can run on most versions of Windows (from 95 to 7), and it will take a few seconds to complete the installation process.

A column of hyperlinks, on the left part of the main window, will let you access different sets of options. The hyperlinks are placed in logical order, and they are separated in different categories, so you will get a better idea on which settings to make first. The first three hyperlinks will display general settings for the installer. The name of the program you are about to pack, its version, the company's name and other information can be specified after clicking the first hyperlink. It is possible to set the installer to run on certain versions of Windows or check for a .NET Framework of your choosing by making use of a series of check boxes and drop menus, found under the second hyperlink. The files which you want to pack can be added to a list after accessing the third hyperlink. First, you need to create a tree structure, with the aid of some buttons beneath the list, and then browse for one or more folders from your hard drive.

The wizard which will come with the installer can be customized to look and feel in different ways. It is possible to set a gradient or an image on the background window, the color of the text, an image and header for the wizard's main window and more. Alternatively, you can opt for a compact wizard, without a background window. The wizard can also be set to create a program group in the Start Menu, different types of shortcuts and prompt for certain actions like restarting the computer, launching the program, showing a Readme file and more. All these can be enabled with a click on a check box and additional settings can be made by clicking one of the buttons, next to each entry. Advanced tasks like running a program, adding a Registry key, registering DLL files and more, can be set under a different hyperlink. After selecting one of these tasks from a drop menu, you can add it to a list and edit it. Depending on the selected task, the editing options will be different.

The software also lets you configure an unistaller. The final two hyperlinks will display options that are similar to the previous ones. You can set up an advanced task such as removing a Registry key or value, deleting a folder and so on. After making all the settings, you can create the actual package by clicking the Build button on the toolbar. The process will not take long and when it is complete, you can run it with a click on a button, if you want to test it.