[bt-devel] Questions about BibleTime for windows

[Gary Holmlund]

Eeli Kaikkonen wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Oct 2009, Martin Gruner wrote:
>   
>> Before we release a final public version, I'd like to ask a few questions. Gary
>> or Greg, maybe you can answer them?
>>     
>
> Let's see if I can answer some of them... Correct me if I'm wrong.
>
>   
>> - Where does the installer put the application directory? Is it per-user or
>> global?
>>     
>
> Application is installed by default in Program Files\BibleTime\, but can
> of course be installed somewhere else.
>
> BT uses ~\Application Data\ for sword.conf and module installation.
> BT config files go to ~\.bibletime.
>   
  ~/Sword for sword.conf  and private module installation
  ~/BibleTime for BT configs

Where ~ is defined by the Windows env var %APPDATA%
On Win Xp this is C:\Documents and Settings\<login name>\Application Data
On Vista this is C:\Users\<login name>\AppData\Roaming

We also add one extra Sword data directory this first time that the 
sword.conf is created. This is for shared sword modules.
It points to %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Sword
On Win Xp this would be C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application 
Data\Sword
On Vista this would be C:\ProgramData\Application Data\Sword

I suppose Win 7 is the same as Vista.
>   
>> - Is that directory self-contained, or does it require external content (I.e.,
>> does the installer put files somwhere else, like the windows or windows/system
>> directories)?
>>     
>
> I think it's self-contained.
>   
It is self contained except for the Microsoft Runtime Libraries which we 
install. This goes under C:\Windows\WinSiS

>   
>> - Are the libraries that are required at build time (sword, clucene, curl, qt)
>> linked in statically? If not, in which form are they distributed and where
>> will they be installed to?
>>     
>
> They are .dll, i.e. dynamic. They are in the BT installation folder, in
> bin\ subfolder, in the same place than the BT binary, including the
> msvc files.
>
>   
sword and qt are dlls, others are static. Located in C:\Program 
Files\BibleTime\bin
>> - Would it be possible to put the application directory on a USB stick (U3)
>> that does not require installation?
>>     
>
> Should be with little work - unless msvc files are fixed to a location
> where they are installed with the installer. Maybe we just have to
> change the default conf/module directory locations. But I know almost
> nothing about U3 (and hate it because it's Windows only).
>
>   
Yes it would take work. It would be somewhat messy because the msvc 
files would have to be in all of the following locations to make 
everything work.
C:\Program Files\BibleTime\bin
C:\Program Files\BibleTime\bin\plugins\iconengines
C:\Program Files\BibleTime\bin\plugins\imageformats

The last two directories are for Qt plugins.

>> - Where does BibleTime create the user's configuration files?
>>     
>
> In ~\.bibletime. Maybe this should be changed to ~\Application
> Data\bibletime?
>
>   
They are in ~\BibleTime. See above.
>> - Will it be possible to seamlessly upgrade the package as we release new
>> versions?
>>     
>
> I guess it would require some coding. I don't know much about automatic
> updates in Windows world, but I gues we need a fixed server location
> where a file with version information is stored. BibleTime would fetch
> it and offer to download and start the new installer.
>
>   
>> - Can the package be uninstalled without leaving data on the system?
>>     
>
> It leaves the module directories. It also leaves the ~\Application
> Data\Sword\ directory with sword.conf. and I guess also .bibletime\. It
> doesn't touch env variables or registry.
>
> This is an area which we should think thoroughly. If we want to offer
> maximum security for those who live in persecuted countries, we should
> offer a way to remove all traces of BibleTime. However, it may not be
> realistic to expect that other programs would do the same. We can't
> delete the sword config and modules from the Application Data directory,
> at least without asking, because other programs may use them.
>   
Agreed except the paths are not quite right. See the above answers.
>   
>> - Does CPack actually create the entire installer or is there more
>> code/configration files involved? If so, where are these stored?
>>     
>
> I know only about the BTCpack.cmake file.
>   
You must also install the NSIS package for CPack to be able to create 
the installer.
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page

>   Yours,
> 	Eeli Kaikkonen (Mr.), Oulu, Finland
> 	e-mail: eekaikko at mailx.studentx.oulux.fix (with no x)
>   
Gary