Installation Project

Project Owner: Ingo Schmidt

The Installation project contains several different modules, that are necessary to create OpenOffice.org installation sets. This includes the description of the installation sets as well as the packaging process in which the native installation sets are created. Additionally the product definition is part of the Installation project. Further modules are added, that contain files required for additional functionality for the installation (Download installation sets, language packs, Readme-Files, License-Files, ...) and for the Office suite (extras, wizards).

The Installation project includes the following:

A platform independent description language in which the composition of an installed product can be described. This description is done in small script particles (scp), that can be linked in different versions to create different products.
Tools that analyze and link the script particles and create a script for each product and each platform.
A packaging process, that analyzes the product describing scripts and that creates the corresponding installation sets in the format of the native installer.
Source code for the setup executable, that can be used to start the installation process on the Windows platform.
NSIS code, that is used to create one-file download installation sets for the Windows platform.
Java code, for an Installation Wizard with a graphical user interface (GUI). This Wizard is available as preview in OpenOffice.org 2.2.
The 'extras'. A collection of all kinds of (binary) files that are needed by various parts of OpenOffice.org.

Beginning with OpenOffice.org 2.0 the installation process of OpenOffice.org was completely changed. In the past, OpenOffice.org used its own setup application, that was platform independent. Now the installation is done with the platform specific installers:

Microsoft Installer (MSI) for Windows platforms
RedHat Package Manager (RPM) for Linux
Solaris Packages (PKG) for Solaris

NEW: Java GUI installation wizard

Beginning with the release of OpenOffice.org 2.3 a new Java GUI installation wizard is included into the products „OpenOffice.org with JRE“ (Java Runtime Environment). This installation wizard simplifies the installation on Unix platforms. The selection of the components or the setting of the destination directory can be done with the help of a GUI. Nevertheless the installation is still based on native installation packages. Currently RPMs and Solaris packages are supported by the Java GUI installer. Of course Java is a requirement on your system, if you want to use this installation wizard.

If you want to help creating the Java GUI installation wizard, your help is very appreciated. It is very important, that the installer supports more platforms and package formats than he does today. For example Debian packages should be added soon. Furthermore testing of this new product is very important, because a lot of functionality is added to OpenOffice.org. Of course translation is important, that the wizard soon supports all available OpenOffice.org languages.

Next to a short introduction into the Java GUI installation wizard and next to the specification, there are also installation sets of an OpenOffice.org 2.2 available, that contain this installation wizard as preview. Please feel free to test this new installation process. Every feedback and every help is very appreciated. If you have downloaded this installation sets, read the Quick Guide to learn more about the Installation Wizard. Currently installation sets are available for the RPM installation on Linux and for the installation of Solaris packages on Solaris Sparc and Solaris x86.

ToDo List

In the installation project, there are several places, where you can help to improve OpenOffice.org. The installation project covers the complete section from finding the files in the solver until they are located on the user's hard disc. This means packaging of intallation sets, supporting as many package formats as possible and then taking care of a successful and convenient installation. If you have more ideas, than listed below, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The new Java GUI installation will be part of OpenOffice.org 2.3 with JRE. For this installation wizard, help is required for the following tasks:
- Adding support of additional package formats to the Java GUI Installation Wizard.
- Testing of the new Java GUI Installation Wizard, so that we can introduce it with only few problems left.
It is also always important, to increase the number of platforms, on which OpenOffice.org 2.x can be installed natively. Alternatively it can be useful to offer alternative installation processes, if native installers are not desired.
Sometimes it is necessary to think about new processes during packaging. Is it an alternative to use DeltaRPMs for smaller and easier update packages on Linux (RPM)? And how about using "WIX" (http://sourceforge.net/projects/wix), to create the OpenOffice.org msi database?
We are always looking for feedback, to be better informed about your packaging and installation experience. If you want to give us your feedback, please do not hesitate to do so.

Documentation and Resources

Document	Summary	Format and Size
Documentation and Resources
Howto repackage OOo	This document describe how to create a standard unix package out of an OpenOffice.org installation set	HTML, ca. 8 kb
Howto repackage SO/SS	This document describe how to create a standard unix package out of a StarOffice/StarSuite installation set	HTML, ca. 11 kb
Howto Create Native Installer	This document describes how to create native installation sets for OpenOffice.org 2.0. The EPM patch can be downloaded here.	HTML, ca. 11 kb
01RESPONSE_SO52_final_rev2.pdf	This document describe how to install OpenOffice.org 1.x without any user interaction via a response file	PDF, ca. 244 kb
Java GUI Installer Quick Guide	The Java GUI Installer Quick Guide shortly describes the advantages and the usage of the new Java GUI Installer	HTML, ca. 11 kb
Java GUI Installer Specification	The specification of the Java GUI Installer. Not final yet.	HTML, ca. 11 kb

Installation CVS Modules

Module	Function
Modules in Installation Project
`scp2`	The module scp2 contains the script particle, which can be used to define installation set. Usually a `.scp` source file summarizes all script objects which are necessary for special functionality. The individual `scp` files can be merged into different installation scripts during the link processes. For a description of the script language in the scp2-project click here.
`solenv`	The module solenv contains the code, that is required for creating setup scripts from the script particles defined in scp2 and also the code that is required to create native installation sets from the setup scripts.
`instsetoo_native`	instsetoo_native is the module, in which the products are defined and in which the installation sets are created.
`setup_native`	A module for native installer specific code. This includes for Windows the Windows Installer custom actions and the NSIS code for download installation sets. For Unixes this module contains different shellscripts, that are required for download installation sets or for the installation of language packs.
`desktop`	The desktop module contains the implementation of the setup executable for the Windows platform. The setup.exe is used to search for the Windows Installer service, install this service if necessary and start the installation with the correct language. The code for the setup executable is located in the directory desktop/win32/source/setup .
`readlicense`	Readme and license files.
`extras`	Contains all non-code files that are vital for OpenOffice.org to run properly. `autotext` contains text blocks that are used by various wizards. `database` contains the bibliography database of OpenOffice.org. `gallery` contains clipart that is needed by OpenOffice.org's main functionality. `misc_config` holds miscellanious preferences files. The `palettes` of OpenOffice (colors, gradients, etc...) are found in this module. Files responsible for the OS file type recognition are found within `shellnew.` The symbols of OpenOffice.org (toolbox icons) are found in this module. document `templates` that are needed for the wizards are found here. User dictionary are stored in `wordbook`. Files not vital for OpenOffice.org's main functionality like sample documents, other document templates and additional clipart are not stored in the module 'extras'. They can be copied right out of a StarOffice installation. However it may be possible to set up dedicated sub modules if commiters wish to contribute examples of these file types.
`wizards`	Basic macros and libraries for the autopilots such as the wizard for importing foreign file type documents.
`javainstaller2`	The module javainstaller2 contains the code for a Java GUI installation wizard. This wizard is available in a preview in OpenOffice.org 2.2. It is planned to be official part of OpenOffice.org in version 2.3. The installation wizard simplifies the installation process for platforms, on which no GUI installer is available. A quick guide to the Java GUI installer can be found at Java GUI Installer Quick Guide. The specification of the Java GUI installation wizard is also available: Java GUI Installer.

Proposals

Proposals
Title	Description	Author