Where can I find a Software Install builder ?

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Hello All;
I'm very new to the Mac system (1 day). I just bought an IMac to evaluate/test some software and to create a installer for this software.

Could you tell me where I can obtain a reliable program that can be used to create installs for software that runs on the Mac ?

I would prefer to locate an application that is either free or low cost since my budget isn't that great. But reliability is important too.

The salesman who sold me the IMAC yesterday said that there is a program on the Operating system disk but I can't find it (Which could be due to the fact I don't know the name of it). If there is such an Install builder application, would I find it on the original Tiger distribution DVD's or the Leopard Upgrade DVD ?

I did a search on the Internet and only found one application that is pretty expensive.

Thanks for any help/advice you can provide.

Tim
 
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XCode is on the install CDs - it's a complete IDE for building OS X applications.

If you don't mind my asking, what are you creating an installer for? Most applications just need to be dragged to the Applications folder and installers should be avoided where possible.
 
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XCode is on the install CDs - it's a complete IDE for building OS X applications.

If you don't mind my asking, what are you creating an installer for? Most applications just need to be dragged to the Applications folder and installers should be avoided where possible.

Thanks for askng the questions. Perhaps I didn't explain myself that well is much easier to deal with than the PC environment (Which I'm used to).

I am leading the development of some educational software that will allow kids and everyone else to explore the surface of mars in an airplane. I need to release this software on the web so i need to make it possible for users to download it.

On the PC, I use a program called the "Wise for Windows" installer to buindle all of the numerous files associated with the application into a single executable that can be easily distributed on the web. The Wise installer also compresses the files in addition to just bundling them.

I am looking for an equivalent program in Mac OSX that enables you to do a similar thing that the Wise for Windows Installer does on the PC platform.

As I said in my original message, it wouild be nice to find something out there that is free or low cost.

Or perhaps Mac systems work differently and I don't need such a program.

Here is the only program I could find that I think will do what I need - http://bitrock.com/products_installbuilder_overview.html
but the commercial version is a bit too expensive.

Any help appreciated.

Tim
 
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On a Mac you would normally create a application "package" that contains all necessary file in a folder that looks and acts like a single file to the user.

Then you would drop that into a .dmg file - a disk image that is also compressed I think.
 
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There is a software install builder that comes with Tiger called PackageMaker. It can be found in \Developer\Applications\Utilities once you've installed the Xcode Tools CD.

It's pretty basic, but it should to the trick, and of course it's free :)
 

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