Public Access Software has updated their shareware installer program, MacInstall, to version 1.2.5. MacInstall allows shareware authors to easily create an effective application installer for Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. The latest version features several OS X enhancements. According to Public Access Software:
MacInstall v1.2.5, the simple yet powerful Mac software installer for ShareWare authors made by a ShareWare author, is now available.
- MacInstall installers can save and fully restore long (up to 255 Unicode characters) file/folder names on Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X HFS Plus disks using MacInstall Compression.
- Introduces a feature to open/launch items installed on Mac OS X capable of installing Docklings into the Dock.
- Before purchase MacInstall installers can now run in a fully enabled demo mode on the developeris computer for evaluation purposes only.
MacInstall Key Features:
- Installation to any System folder location or pre-defined locations on a Mac OS computer such as Extensions, any of the default Appearance folders or the root level of the System disk.
- Fast and efficient operation by using pre-cached info for installer files and folders and low program code overhead.
- Unlimited number of files or folders to install in any combination (realistically you wonit want more than a few dozen per installer, you can use folders to group items like HTML help files)
- 680x0-based Mac compatible Installers to support schools, churches and other organizations with older, but still useful, Macs.
- File version comparison from major version all the way down to pre-release designations (alpha, beta and release numbers for each).
- Ultra small application footprint for the installer itself. Total installer size is dependent on the number of files to be installed.
- Open Source, Standards-based. MacInstall Compression is built on open standards including:
- MacBinary III encoding to preserve the Mac-ness of files to be installed including Type/Creator, bundle bits, Finder lables and more.
- Adjustable compression via the open source, non-patented zlib library.
MacInstall is available for US$25. You can find more information at the Public Access Software Web site.