15

I'm looking for a free cross-platform installer generator that is fully Java-driven (meaning workflow and plugins are written in Java). Ideally the installer should download the JRE on-demand instead of bundling it directly into the installer. Does something like this already exist?

Please note that InstallAnywhere no longer offers a free edition.

Gili
  • 86,244
  • 97
  • 390
  • 689

6 Answers6

33
Christopher Klewes
  • 11,181
  • 18
  • 74
  • 102
  • 2
    IzPack, Antigen, Launch4J, Antstaller, Packlet are all XML-driven. Java Service Wrapper and VAInstaller are driven by property files. Lift Off Java Install and Mini Installer are driven by custom configuration files. JSmooth looks like it's GUI-driven (no scripting) plus version 0.9.9-7 crashes under Windows7. – Gili Aug 14 '09 at 14:29
  • I'm marking this answer as accepted because I can understand how my question could have been misinterpreted. I meant that the installer **scripts** should be written in Java, not the installer generator, but I guess I will open a separate question for this. – Gili Jun 15 '12 at 19:31
  • PackR is written in Java. It's possible to give it a JSON file in input but it is optional. You can call its main class in your Java code: http://github.com/libgdx/packr If you look for something that goes further and if your project is under GPL, you can use JNDT: http://gouessej.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/ardor3d-est-mort-vive-jogamps-ardor3d-continuation-ardor3d-is-dead-long-life-to-jogamps-ardor3d-continuation/#jndt – gouessej Jan 11 '15 at 10:28
  • You can add winrun4j too despite its limitations: http://github.com/poidasmith/winrun4j – gouessej Jan 11 '15 at 10:30
5

lzPack is a good one

dfa
  • 114,442
  • 31
  • 189
  • 228
  • 1
    My team used this to package up Eclipse. The feedback was all positive. No idea if it can auto-download a JRE, though. – SteveD Aug 14 '09 at 07:01
  • 4
    I don't think it can auto-download JRE, as it needs JRE in the first place. – Peter Štibraný Aug 14 '09 at 07:17
  • 1
    You didn't specify anything about implementation in your question. You asked for a cross-platform generator and this answer is a cross-platform generator – Rich Seller Aug 14 '09 at 13:48
  • My question explicitly states: "meaning workflow and plugins are written in Java" – Gili Aug 14 '09 at 14:31
  • We used to bundle a JRE and then run izpack through a exe-converter. It worked. Using IzPack to generate a web Installer is pretty simple. You could run that through an exe-converter an get exactly what you asked for except it uses xml for the workflow. – Tim Williscroft Mar 10 '10 at 01:27
1

I've been using this: http://bitrock.com , they allow you to use it for both open and closed software

JuanDeLosMuertos
  • 4,532
  • 15
  • 55
  • 87
0

Update: For cross-platform builds there is an IzPack plugin for Maven.

If you're using Maven 1 or 2 for your builds, there is the NSIS plugin (for Windows only).

Both wrap the NSIS command line installer script compiler to generate a windows installer exe from a setup.nsi script.

Rich Seller
  • 83,208
  • 23
  • 172
  • 177
0

Here is a list: Open Source Installers Generators in Java

Jesper
  • 202,709
  • 46
  • 318
  • 350
-1

openInstaller from the Glassfish project may be worth looking at as well.

Robert Christie
  • 20,177
  • 8
  • 42
  • 37