ISX : InnoSetup eXtension

This Project is an extension to Inno Setup

What is Inno Setup ?

Inno Setup is very popular free installer for Windows programs.

It's free even for commercial use, source code can be found --> here, and docs --> here

First introduced in 1997 By Jordan Russell and Martijn Laan, It's funny to see that the scripting language used is still Pascal and works perfectly !

What is this eXtension ?

Is technically just a set of APIs to extends InnoSetup native functionnalities, like:

• WebService REST API
• Json support
• Semver versionning
• Download (ISX_AddDownloadTask)
• Proper Windows's subprocess Execution and Cancellation (ISX_AddExecuteTask)
• Zip Extraction (ISX_AddUnZipTask)
• Safe Folder Deletion (ISX_AddDeleteTask)

See the full list of provided APIs here

Some *.iss samples are available here

A subsequent feature provided here is a way to easily deal with third parties/dependencies.

Deals with dependencies

Each requiered dependency (or so named Product) can be described thought a set of Tasks

Here is a simple example where we [download + install] 2 dependencies:

// Initialize this extension
ISX_InitializeSetup();

// Make sure that the list of products is empty
ISX_ClearProducts();

// Add 'Visual C++ x64 2015 Redistributable'
i := ISX_CreateProduct('Visual C++ x64 2015 Redistributable');
// - Which first need to download a binary
ISX_AddDownloadTask(i, 'http://download.microsoft.com/.../vc_redist.x64.exe', ExpandConstant('{tmp}/vc_redist.x64.exe'));
// - And then execute it
ISX_AddExecuteTask(i, ExpandConstant('{tmp}'), 'vc_redist.x64.exe', '/norestart');

// Add 'Another Product'
i := ISX_CreateProduct('Another Product');
// - Which first need to download a ZIP file
ISX_AddDownloadTask(i, 'http://domain/getzip', ExpandConstant('{tmp}/file.zip'));
// - And Extract it in a certain folder
ISX_AddUnZipTask(i, ExpandConstant('{tmp}/file.zip'), ExpandConstant('{app}/foo'), True);

// Perform the described Tasks above
Result := ISX_Run();

// End
ISX_Terminate();

Motivation

If you want to deals with project's dependencies in InnoSetup, it's acutally possible without this extension, but:

1. you will have to write a lot of code by your own.
2. you may meet some technicals limitations
3. Thinking about maintainability, Pascal is clearly not the TOP10 language known.

That's not the first time that an InnoSetup extension is made, Here is a list of InnoSetup extension available

Mine have been originally inspired by Inno Setup Dependency Installer project

Which works great, until, I realize that it don't fits my requierements.

Here are the Drawbacks, that motivate me to create my own version:

• Some features was missing, like dealing with Webservices, JSON, Semver
• The Provided isxdl.dll is sent as a binary, with no way to recompile it
• There is still a lot of additionnal pascal code
• For UI in particular, I would prefere to rely that to C++
• They don't provide a way to have a UI during the Uninstall step.

Ready to use it ?

Some *.iss samples are available here

Specifications

• MIT License
• source code: C++ (visual studio 2015/2017)
• Tested on fresh/clean windows 7 and 10