backup and log files

[sabarnett]

Can I limit the size of the log file - testing users will probably run a great many installs over a period of time and I want to limit the size of the log file to something reasonable (say, no more than 50kb).

I also want to limit the number of backup files created. One of my testers wasn't aware of the backups folder and ended up wasting several hundred MB of disk space with the 15+ sets of backup files. Can I set a limit that only allows, say, 5 backups. Older files would be deleted from the backups folder?

The real problem is that some testers make no effort to clean up as they go along. Some are too lazy to do it and some don't always realise that these backups are created. It seems unreasonable to make them do the cleanup.

Thanks
Steve

[Adam]

Steve,


Can I limit the size of the log file - testing users will probably run a great many installs over a period of time and I want to limit the size of the log file to something reasonable (say, no more than 50kb).

You can set the log file to 'Overwrite' rather than 'append'. That is the only way that I can see to keep the log file extremely small.


I also want to limit the number of backup files created. One of my testers wasn't aware of the backups folder and ended up wasting several hundred MB of disk space with the 15+ sets of backup files. Can I set a limit that only allows, say, 5 backups. Older files would be deleted from the backups folder?

You could either not create the backup files or you could write this into your install using script. Of course this could get sticky but it is certainly possible using script.

[sabarnett]

Thanks. I guess I can live without the accumulated setup log file, though it's useful to be able to get at it sometimes. I've also had users who had an install problem so just re-ran the install (several times) thinking it would just go-away. By the time they've done that you really need the cumulative log file.

The backups are more of an issue in that it gives me a 'get out of jail free' card when installs go bad. The ability to recover the executable is very valuable.

Still, my existing installer does not give me these facilities so it's no loss if SUF doesn't either.

Thanks
Steve