VMware InstallBuilder is a development tool for building cross-platform installers for desktop and server software. With InstallBuilder, you can quickly create dynamic, professional installers for Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris and other platforms from a single project file and build environment. In addition to installers, InstallBuilder will generate RPM and Debian packages and multiplatform CDs/DVDs. Automatic update functionality makes it easy to deliver updates directly to users once they have your software installed.
Built-In Debugger
Easily troubleshoot your application installation process
The new InstallBuilder debugger makes it easier to identify and correct issues during the installer development process. It allows you to view and interactively edit installer variables at runtime, provides step-by-step execution to test that specific parts of the installer are functioning properly, allows recovering from unexpected errors during the installation process and more. A complete guide to using the debugger is now included in the InstallBuilder documentation.
Auto-update Functionality
Keep Users Running the Latest Version of your Software
InstallBuilder includes an automatic update feature that enables you to deliver updates directly to your users. By providing regular updates to users, you’ll keep them running your best available version, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and reduced support costs.
Language Independent
Install applications written in any language
InstallBuilder installers can install applications written in any language, including: Java, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, C / C++, Flash, Flex and .NET / Mono.
Optimized Installers
Produce Smaller, Faster Installers
InstallBuilder installers are not Java-based, so they do not require bundling a Java Runtime or a self-extraction step. The result is cross-platform installers that are smaller and faster than those generated with competing products, which reduces download, startup and installation time. InstallBuilder also offers support for LZMA compression for further reducing the size of generated installers.
Multiple Installation Modes
Deploy in Any Environment
InstallBuilder installers offer multiple installation modes to facilitate deployment in any environment. Several GUI modes provide a native look-and-feel in all major desktop environments. The text mode allows for console-based and remote installations, and the silent / unattended install mode can be used to deploy software across a large number of servers in an automated fashion.
Desktop Integration
Offer Native Look and Feel on All Platforms
VMware InstallBuilder installers provide native look and feel and desktop integration for Windows, OS X, KDE and Gnome.
Here are some features of “VMware InstallBuilder”:
Create Multiplatform Installers and Native Packages
Multiplatform installers
Multiplatform Support: InstallBuilder installers are native binaries that can run on Windows ME, 2000, XP, 2003, 2008, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris (Intel & Sparc), AIX, HP-UX, IRIX, and Linux (Intel x86/x64, Itanium, s390 & PPC) RPM integration RPM Integration: VMware InstallBuilder installers can register your software
with
the RPM package database, combining ease of use with the powerful RPM package management system.
Crossplatform build support
Crossplatform Build Support: The installer builder tool can run on Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, IRIX, and Linux (Intel x86/x64, Itanium, s390, PPC) and generate installers for all target platforms from a single project file. Create all your installers from a single build environment!
Reduce Development Time
Easy to use
Easy to Use: InstallBuilder includes an easy to learn, easy to use GUI development environment. Design, build and test installers with the click of a button.
Time saving functionality
Time saving functionality: For advanced users, a friendly XML project format supports source control integration, collaborative development and customizing projects both by hand and using external scripts. A command line interface allows you to automate and integrate the building process. QuickBuild functionality allows you to update installers in a few seconds, without having to repack the entire application.
Built-in actions
Built-in Actions: Built-in actions make it easy to implement commonly required installation functionality in a cross-platform manner. Add actions to your installer for autodetecting a Java® Runtime, changing file permissions and ownership, substituting text in a file, adding environment variables, adding directories to the path, creating symbolic links, changing the Windows registry, launching external scripts and so on in just a few clicks.
Debugger
Debugger: A built-in debugger makes it easy to identify and correct issues during the development process. It allows viewing and interactively editing installer variables at runtime, provides step-by-step execution to test that specific parts of the installer are functioning properly, allows recovering from unexpected errors during the installation process and more.
Keep Users Running the Latest Version of your Software
Auto update functionality for your multi platform installers
Auto-Update Functionality: InstallBuilder includes an automatic update feature that enables you to deliver updates directly to your users. By providing regular updates to users, you’ll keep them running your best available version, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and reduced support costs.
Produce Smaller, Faster Installers
Optimized installers
: VMware InstallBuilder installers are optimized in size and speed and do not require a self-extraction step. This reduces download, startup and installation time. Built-in LZMA support provides great compression ratios to further reduce the size of installers.
Downloadable Components
Downloadable Components: Rather than bundling all available components in installers, make them downloadable so they are only downloaded during the installation process if the user has chosen to install them.
No external dependencies
No External Dependencies: VMware InstallBuilder multiplatform installers are single-file, self-contained, native executables with no external dependencies and minimal overhead. Unlike competing products, all VMware InstallBuilder installers are truly native code and do not require bundling a Java Runtime Environment.
Deploy in Any Environment
Multiple installation modes
Multiple Installation Modes: VMware InstallBuilder installers provide: several GUI modes with native look-and-feel for installation in a variety of desktop environments, a text-based installation mode for console-based and remote installations, and a silent/unattended install mode which can be used for integration in shell scripts for automated deployment.
Language and platform independent cross platform installers
Language and Platform Independent: VMware InstallBuilder installers can install applications written in any language, including: Java, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, C/C++ and .NET/Mono.
Debugger
Support for Java Launchers: VMware InstallBuilder installers can create Java launchers, which are binaries that allow running Java-based applications as if they were native. They work by locating an installed JRE in the target machine or using one provided to launch a Java application with the right options.
Offer Native Integration on All Platforms
Desktop integration
Desktop Integration: VMware InstallBuilder installers provide native look and feel and desktop integration for Windows, KDE and Gnome.
RPM and DEB generation
RPM and DEB generation: In addition to creating native executables that can register with the RPM subsystem, InstallBuilder can generate RPM and Debian packages that can be installed using native package management tools.
Provide a reliable, professional installation experience
. Include your branding
Include Your Branding: Present a professional image by re-branding InstallBuilder with your own graphics and custom screens.
Component and Sub-component Support
Component and Sub-component Support: Robust component functionality allows you to offer a choice of components and sub-components for users to install. Built-in logic will automatically gray out sub-components if the parent is deselected. Support for downloadable components means that users only download the components they need.
Advanced configuration options
Advanced Configuration Options: Ask the user for multiple inputs on one screen to streamline the installation process.
Rollback functionality
Rollback Functionality: By default, VMware InstallBuilder installers perform a backup of all the files overwritten during installation, so if an error occurs, the system can be automatically recovered to its previous state.
Uninstall functionality
Uninstall Functionality: An uninstall program is created as part of every installation, allowing users to easily uninstall the software. As with the installer, it can be run in a variety of modes. On Windows, uninstall functionality can also be accessed from the Add/Remove Programs entry in the Control Panel.
Multiple language support
Multiple Language Support: VMware InstallBuilder installers support a variety of installation languages, including English, German, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Hebrew, Greek, Dutch, Polish, Valencian, Catalan, Estonian, Slovenian, Romanian, Hungarian, Russian and Welsh. You can specify a default language or let the user decide. Please contact us if you require additional language support.
Support for Qt GUI frontend
Support for Qt® GUI Frontend: The InstallBuilder for Qt family of products provides a new GUI installation mode using the Qt crossplatform toolkit, enhancing the end-user experience.
Supported Platforms
InstallBuilder can create installers for all currently supported versions of Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and all major Unix operating systems. It also supports a large number of older and legacy platforms to maximize backwards compatibility of your setup process, including:
VMware InstallBuilder installers run in most operating systems and flavors, including:
– Windows XP, 2003, 2008, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 /8.1 and Windows 10 (x86/x64)
– Mac OS X 10.2-10.7; OS X 10.8 – 11; macOS 10.12 and later
– Solaris Sparc 8, 9, 10, 11
– Solaris Intel 8, 9, 10, 11
– AIX 4.3, 5.x and later
– HP-UX 11 and later (both PA-RISC and Itanium)
– IRIX 6.5
– FreeBSD 4.x and later
– OpenBSD 3.x and later
– Linux on pSeries, iSeries, s390, Itanium, PPC
– OS/400
– Virtually all x86/x64 Linux distributions, including:
– Ubuntu 6.01 and later
– Red Hat 8.x, 9.x series
– Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and later
– Fedora Core (all versions)
– OpenSuse (all versions)
– CentOS (all versions)
– Suse Enterprise Server 8 and later
As well as in different versions of Gentoo , Mandrake and Debian.
Authoring Environment Requirements
– One of Linux x86/x64, OS X or Windows
– 64Mb of free RAM
– Minimum of 800 x 600 screen resolution