Installer Types

InstallAnywhere offers two types of installers: Web installers and CD-ROM installers. Merge modules and templates, which are essentially InstallAnywhere subprojects, are also installer types.

Web

Web Installers are packaged into a single executable file by platform, and are appropriate for distribution over the Web or via e-mail. They use a self-extractor to prepare the source files at the start of the installation and, therefore, require more available temporary disk space.

CD-ROM

In a CD-ROM installer all of the resources are located in an external archive. There is still a self-extractor, but it only extracts the installer engine. Therefore, CD-ROM installers take up less temporary space and start up faster, but they are not appropriate for Web or electronic distribution. CD-ROM installers are also good for distribution on DVD and can span multiple CDs or DVDs.

Merge Modules

Merge modules are essentially installer subprojects that can be created independently of one another and later merged together. A merge module is a reusable collection of installation functionality. It is just like an installer, complete with features, components, panels, actions, and files; however, a merge module cannot be installed without being part of an InstallAnywhere project. Instead, use merge modules to include the functionality of one installer within another installer.

Templates

A template is the starting point for every new installer project. A template can be a simple empty project, or it can contain everything a regular project would contain, such as license agreements, custom graphics and billboards, and even files. Templates provide a convenient way to maintain the look and feel of different versions of installers.